Intro

This is currently just a dockerized, usable cura application, that can be connected to using a browser or VNC.

Features

Settings and extensions persist, even after an update of cura
Web UI available under localhost:5800 with any browser
VNC remote connection available under localhost:5900
Works on hosts without a GPU
- tested on a NAS server with a 5600x and no GPU

Goal

The goal is automating the slicing process, so files can be put in an /input folder and automatically processed versions land in an /ouput folder.

The GUI is there, so the user can modify all settings and install extensions to achieve more automation.
The initial motivation to create this project was cura's incompetence in persisting my user-settings.
You update cura, settings are gone. You swtich to a new pc, settings gone. You log in to your account, no settings sync.

Notes

Cura version 5.7.0 has a flaw and fails to slice anything, use latest 5.6.0 package instead

Setup

Docker container

Linux

docker run \ 
  -d \
  --name doganm95-cura-evolved \
  -p 5800:5800 \
  -p 5900:5900 \
  -v "<desired_data_folder>:/config/xdg/data" \
  -v "<desired_config_folder>:/config/xdg/config" \
  -v "<desired_stl_input_folder>:/app/input" \
  -v "<desired_gcode_output_folder>:/app/output:rw" \
  ghcr.io/doganm95/cura-evolved:latest

WIndows

docker run `
  -d `
  --name doganm95-cura-evolved `
  -p 5800:5800 `
  -p 5900:5900 `
  -v "<desired_data_folder>:/config/xdg/data" `
  -v "<desired_config_folder>:/config/xdg/config" `
  -v "<desired_stl_input_folder>:/app/input" `
  -v "<desired_gcode_output_folder>:/app/output:rw" `
  ghcr.io/doganm95/cura-evolved:latest

Versioning

The docker images are versioned by Cura's current tag, e.g. 5.6.0 followed by the current workflow run of this repository, which increases by 1, every time a change in the code happens. Thus, the version 5.6.0-213 indicates, that the image runs cura 5.6.0 with repository/code changes of run 213 made here.

Migration

Having cura installed on a personal windows/linux machine, the settings and profiles should be copyable from e.g. Appdata/Roaming/Cura/5.6/... to the folders mounted as volumes, to carry over the existing settings to the container.

Troubleshooting

Cura fails to save the gcode into the output folder
- Navigate to the output folder on the host system
- On Windows, open folder Properties, go to security tab and allow everything for Everyone and root, save
- On Linux, doing a sudo chmod 775 ./output should do the trick