Printrun consists of printcore, pronsole and pronterface, and a small collection of helpful scripts.
- printcore.py is a library that makes writing reprap hosts easy
- pronsole.py is an interactive command-line host software with tabcompletion goodness
- pronterface.py is a graphical host software with the same functionality as pronsole
This section suggests using precompiled binaries, this way you get everything bundled into one single package for an easy installation.
If you want the newest, shiniest features, you can run Printrun from source using the instructions further down this README.
A precompiled version is available at http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/printrun/
Note: Prontserve is not currently included in the windows binary.
A precompiled version is available at http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/printrun/
Note: Prontserve is not currently included in the OSX binary.
You can run Printrun directly from source, as there are no packages available yet. Fetch and install the dependencies using
sudo apt-get install python-serial python-wxgtk2.8 python-pyglet python-tornado python-setuptools python-libxml2 python-gobject avahi-daemon libavahi-compat-libdnssd1pip install -r requirements_prontserve.txt
You can install Printrun from official packages. Install the whole package using
sudo yum install printrun
Or get only apps you need by
sudo yum install pronsole or pronterface or plater
Adding --enablerepo updates-testing option to yum might give you newer packages (but also not very tested).
You can also run Printrun directly from source, if the packages are too old for you anyway, or you have Fedora 15 or 16. Fetch and install the dependencies using
sudo yum install pyserial wxpython pyglet
To enable Prontserve you need to also install something along the following lines. Unforunately this has yet to be tested on a real Fedora system:
sudo yum install avahi avahi-pythonpip install -r requirements_prontserve.txt
Packages are available in AUR. Just run
yaourt printrun
and enjoy the pronterface, pronsole, ... commands directly.
Note: Prontserve is not currently included in the arch package.
Run Printrun for source if you want to test out the latest features.
To use pronterface, you need:
- python (ideally 2.6.x or 2.7.x),
- pyserial (or python-serial on ubuntu/debian)
- pyreadline (not needed on Linux) and
- argparse (installed by default with python >= 2.7)
- wxPython (some features such as Tabbed mode work better with wx 2.9)
- pyglet
- numpy (for 3D view)
- pycairo (to use Projector feature)
- cairosvg (to use Projector feature)
Please see specific instructions for Windows and Mac OS X below. Under Linux, you should use your package manager directly (see the "GETTING PRINTRUN" section), or pip:
pip install -r requirements.txt
Printrun default G-Code parser is quite memory hungry, but we also provide a much lighter one which just needs an extra build-time dependency (Cython), plus compiling the extension with:
python setup.py build_ext --inplace
Download the following, and install in this order:
- http://python.org/ftp/python/2.7.2/python-2.7.2.msi
- http://pypi.python.org/packages/any/p/pyserial/pyserial-2.5.win32.exe
- http://downloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPython2.8-win32-unicode-2.8.12.0-py27.exe
- https://pypi.python.org/packages/any/p/pyreadline/pyreadline-1.7.1.win32.exe
- http://pyglet.googlecode.com/files/pyglet-1.1.4.zip
For the last one, you will need to unpack it, open a command terminal,
go into the the directory you unpacked it in and run
python setup.py install
- Ensure that the active Python is the system version. (
brew uninstall pythonor other appropriate incantations) - Download an install [wxPython2.8-osx-unicode] matching to your python version (most likely 2.7 on Lion, check with: python --version) from: http://wxpython.org/download.php#stable Known to work PythonWX: http://superb-sea2.dl.sourceforge.net/project/wxpython/wxPython/2.8.12.1/wxPython2.8-osx-unicode-2.8.12.1-universal-py2.7.dmg
- Download and unpack pyserial from http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/p/pyserial/pyserial-2.5.tar.gz
- In a terminal, change to the folder you unzipped to, then type in:
sudo python setup.py install - Repeat 4. with http://http://pyglet.googlecode.com/files/pyglet-1.1.4.zip
The tools will probably run just fine in 64bit on Lion, you don't need to mess with any of the 32bit settings. In case they don't, try 5. export VERSIONER_PYTHON_PREFER_32_BIT=yes in a terminal before running Pronterface
A precompiled version is available at http://koti.kapsi.fi/~kliment/printrun/
-
Download and install http://downloads.sourceforge.net/wxpython/wxPython2.8-osx-unicode-2.8.12.0-universal-py2.6.dmg
-
Grab the source for pyserial from http://pypi.python.org/packages/source/p/pyserial/pyserial-2.5.tar.gz
-
Unzip pyserial to a folder. Then, in a terminal, change to the folder you unzipped to, then type in:
defaults write com.apple.versioner.python Prefer-32-Bit -bool yessudo python setup.py install
Alternatively, you can run python in 32 bit mode by setting the following environment variable before running the setup.py command:
This alternative approach is confirmed to work on Mac OS X 10.6.8.
export VERSIONER_PYTHON_PREFER_32_BIT=yes
sudo python setup.py install
Then repeat the same with http://http://pyglet.googlecode.com/files/pyglet-1.1.4.zip
When you're done setting up Printrun, you can start pronterface.py in the directory you unpacked it. Select the port name you are using from the first drop-down, select your baud rate, and hit connect. Load an STL (see the note on skeinforge below) or GCODE file, and you can upload it to SD or print it directly. The "monitor printer" function, when enabled, checks the printer state (temperatures, SD print progress) every 3 seconds. The command box recognizes all pronsole commands, but has no tabcompletion.
If you want to load stl files, you need to install a slicing program such as Slic3r and add its path to the settings. See the Slic3r readme for more details on integration.
Prontserve runs a server for remotely monitoring and controlling your 3D printer over your network.
To start the server you can run ./prontserve.py in the directory you git cloned printrun too. Once the server starts you can verify it's working by going to http://localhost:8888 in your web browser.
To use pronsole, you need:
- python (ideally 2.6.x or 2.7.x),
- pyserial (or python-serial on ubuntu/debian) and
- pyreadline (not needed on Linux)
Start pronsole and you will be greeted with a command prompt. Type help to view the available commands. All commands have internal help, which you can access by typing "help commandname", for example "help connect"
If you want to load stl files, you need to put a version of skeinforge (doesn't matter which one) in a folder called "skeinforge". The "skeinforge" folder must be in the same folder as pronsole.py
To use printcore you need python (ideally 2.6.x or 2.7.x) and pyserial (or python-serial on ubuntu/debian) See pronsole for an example of a full-featured host, the bottom of printcore.py for a simple command-line sender, or the following code example:
p=printcore('/dev/ttyUSB0',115200)
p.startprint(data) # data is an array of gcode lines
p.send_now("M105") # sends M105 as soon as possible
p.pause()
p.resume()
p.disconnect()
Build dimensions can be specified using the build_dimensions option (which can be graphically edited in Pronterface settings). This option is formed of 9 parameters: 3 for the build volume dimensions, 3 for the build volume coordinate system offset minimum, 3 for the endstop positions.
The default value is 200x200x100+0+0+0+0+0+0, which corresponds to a
200x200mm (width x height) bed with 100mm travel in Z (there are the first
three numbers) and no offset. The absolute coordinates system origin (0,0,0) is
at the bottom left corner on the bed surface, and the top right corner on the
bed surface is (200,200,0).
A common practice is to have the origin of the coordinate system (0,0,0) at the
center of the bed surface. This is achieved by using the next three parameters,
for instance with 200x200x100-100-100+0+0+0+0.
In this case, the bottom left corner of the bed will be at (-100,-100,0) and
the top right one at (100,100,0).
These two sets of settings should be sufficient for most people. However, for some specific complicated setups and GCodes and some features, we might also need the endstops positions for perfect display. These positions (which are usually 0,0,0, so if you don't know you probably have a standard setup) are specified in absolute coordinates, so if you have your bed starting at (-100,-100,0) and your endstops are 10mm away from the bed left and right and the Z endstop 5mm above the bed, you'll want to set the endstops positions to (-110,-110,5) for this option.
To send simple G-code (or pronsole command) sequence is as simple as entering them one by one in macro definition. If you want to use parameters for your macros, substitute them with {0} {1} {2} ... etc.
All macros are saved automatically immediately after being entered.
Example 1, simple one-line alias:
PC> macro where M114
Instead of having to remember the code to query position, you can query the position:
PC> where
X:25.00Y:11.43Z:5.11E:0.00
Example 2 - macros to switch between different slicer programs, using "set" command to change options:
PC> macro use_slicer
Enter macro using indented lines, end with empty line
..> set sliceoptscommand Slic3r/slic3r.exe --load slic3r.ini
..> set slicecommand Slic3r/slic3r.exe $s --load slic3r.ini --output $o
Macro 'use_slicer' defined
PC> macro use_sfact
..> set sliceoptscommand python skeinforge/skeinforge_application/skeinforge.py
..> set slicecommand python skeinforge/skeinforge_application/skeinforge_utilities/skeinforge_craft.py $s
Macro 'use_sfact' defined
Example 3, simple parametric macro:
PC> macro move_down_by
Enter macro using indented lines, end with empty line
..> G91
..> G1 Z-{0}
..> G92
..>
Invoke the macro to move the printhead down by 5 millimeters:
PC> move_down_by 5
For more powerful macro programming, it is possible to use python code escaping using ! symbol in front of macro commands. Note that this python code invocation also works in interactive prompt:
PC> !print "Hello, printer!"
Hello printer!
PC> macro debug_on !self.p.loud = 1
Macro 'debug_on' defined
PC> debug_on
PC> M114
SENT: M114
X:0.00Y:0.00Z:0.00E:0.00 Count X:0.00Y:0.00Z:0.00
RECV: X:0.00Y:0.00Z:0.00E:0.00 Count X:0.00Y:0.00Z:0.00
RECV: ok
You can use macro command itself to create simple self-modify or toggle functionality:
Example: swapping two macros to implement toggle:
PC> macro toggle_debug_on
Enter macro using indented lines, end with empty line
..> !self.p.loud = 1
..> !print "Diagnostic information ON"
..> macro toggle_debug toggle_debug_off
..>
Macro 'toggle_debug_on' defined
PC> macro toggle_debug_off
Enter macro using indented lines, end with empty line
..> !self.p.loud = 0
..> !print "Diagnostic information OFF"
..> macro toggle_debug toggle_debug_on
..>
Macro 'toggle_debug_off' defined
PC> macro toggle_debug toggle_debug_on
Macro 'toggle_debug' defined
Now, each time we invoke "toggle_debug" macro, it toggles debug information on and off:
PC> toggle_debug
Diagnostic information ON
PC> toggle_debug
Diagnostic information OFF
When python code (using ! symbol) is used in macros, it is even possible to use blocks/conditionals/loops. It is okay to mix python code with pronsole commands, just keep the python indentation. For example, following macro toggles the diagnostic information similarily to the previous example:
!if self.p.loud:
!self.p.loud = 0
!print "Diagnostic information OFF"
!else:
!self.p.loud = 1
!print "Diagnostic information ON"
Macro parameters are available in '!'-escaped python code as locally defined list variable: arg[0] arg[1] ... arg[N]
All python code is executed in the context of the pronsole (or PronterWindow) object, so it is possible to use all internal variables and methods, which provide great deal of functionality. However the internal variables and methods are not very well documented and may be subject of change, as the program is developed. Therefore it is best to use pronsole commands, which easily contain majority of the functionality that might be needed.
Some useful python-mode-only variables:
!self.settings - contains all settings, e.g.
port (!self.settings.port), baudrate, xy_feedrate, e_feedrate, slicecommand, final_command, build_dimensions
You can set them also via pronsole command "set", but you can query the values only via python code.
!self.p - printcore object (see USING PRINTCORE section for using printcore object)
!self.cur_button - if macro was invoked via custom button, the number of the custom button, e.g. for usage in "button" command
!self.gwindow - wx graphical interface object for pronterface (highly risky to use because the GUI implementation details may change a lot between versions)
Some useful methods:
!self.onecmd - invokes raw command, e.g.
!self.onecmd("move x 10")
!self.onecmd("!print self.p.loud")
!self.onecmd("button "+self.cur_button+" fanOFF /C cyan M107")
!self.project - invoke Projector
Printrun is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
Printrun is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with Printrun. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
All scripts should contain this license note, if not, feel free to ask us. Please note that files where it is difficult to state this license note (such as images) are distributed under the same terms.