Best Software for Linux.

I have a RepRap and was wondering what you guys think is the best host and firmware for a Linux laptop and a Ramps/arduino based printer is. I am currently using Repetier Host and firmware.... But the Linux version has sooooo many problems and only rarely works...
All input is appreciated!
Thanks!

The firmware is not affected by the OS. I use marlin with mine, but that decision was not based on the fact that I use Ubuntu linux - it was on the merits of marlin itself.

For host software, I sort of agree with you on Repetier. It has the polish, but I just didn't like the way it does not run natively on linux - you need to use mono - whatever that is. All I know is that after I built/installed it, my system was never the same. I ended up re-installing linux just to get rid of mono - it was VERY intrusive on my system.

I started with pronterface as my host program. It's very good and a lot of people use it. It served me well until I decided to just write my own - and even when I wrote my own, I based it on printcore - the underlying engine of pronterface.

Yeah...it messed up my system too. Will look at pronterface. Any suggestions for firmware?
Thanks!
Sage.

Quote
jbernardis
you need to use mono - whatever that is.

Mono is an Open Source project providing support for .Net on Non-Windows. Dunno which Linux distro you use and what you consider to be "intrusive", but it's part of Ubuntus standard installation, so it's not likely the big resource hog.

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Thanks for the info on MONO
I guess that wasn't what messed up my system.
But....what is the best firmware to use with a reprap discount smart controller? Don't know if it makes a difference. But it seemed like some might run smoother.
Sage.

Quote
Traumflug
Mono is an Open Source project providing support for .Net on Non-Windows. Dunno which Linux distro you use and what you consider to be "intrusive", but it's part of Ubuntus standard installation, so it's not likely the big resource hog.

No, it's not. Sure, all the mono libraries are in the Ubuntu repositories, but nothing mono related is installed on an Ubuntu default installation. It's been that way for a long time, probably since F-Spot (image manager) was replaced by Shotwell.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2014 11:41AM by NormandC.

I would tend to agree with normandc on this. I am using Ubuntu 12.04 LTS,and when I installed repetier, it was downloading and compiling for a LONG time. While it was doing so, I saw it replacing library after library. I just didn't like what I was watching, and I couldn't figure out why a program like repetier needed so much baggage.

I should have mentioned that F-Spot relied on Mono while Shotwell doesn't. As far as I know, F-Spot and Tomboy (notes manager) were the only mono-reliant apps in Ubuntu and they were pulled out years ago (F-Spot was replaced in Ubuntu 10.10 almost 4 years ago, it might be more recent for Tomboy).

In fact, because of the controversial nature of Mono, I'm pretty sure you won't find it installed by default on Fedora either, or on Debian and Debian-based distros. Open SUSE is probably the only distro that would (it used to be supported by Novell which also supported Mono).

As for myself I prefer to support open source software that was designed from scratch to be multiplatform, which .NET based software definitely isn't.

To reply to the topic, personally I use Marlin, Pronterface and Slic3r. It may not be as good looking as Repetier but it works pretty well.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2014 03:19PM by NormandC.

OK pronterface works great! I love it!.... But I can't get Slic3r to work on my computer...any other slicing softwere that's worth trying?

Thanks!
Sage.

Quote
sage19175
OK pronterface works great! I love it!.... But I can't get Slic3r to work on my computer...any other slicing softwere that's worth trying?

Thanks!
Sage.

Slic3r should only be your very last choice to use. Try Cura or Kisslicer as they both create great tool paths and have very few bugs. If those do not work try Skeinforge or SFact.

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On manjaro which is an arch related system, i ran repetier and did not had any significant issues at all. I still use pronterface because i like it bit more. All slicers i tried and basically all installations, including arduino work just fine. The AUR repository system is extremely rich, you can search for packages. I think its a setup very easy to work with.

Cura works good...but the first time i tried to print with this new setup....pronterface quit. this is what i get in terminal.

sage@computer:~/Pronterface/Printrun-master$ ./printerface.py
bash: ./printerface.py: No such file or directory
sage@computer:~/Pronterface/Printrun-master$ ./pronterface.py
WARNING:root:Memory-efficient GCoder implementation unavailable: No module named gcoder_line
[WARNING] Could not setup DBus for sleep inhibition: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver was not provided by any .service files
Connecting...
Printer is now online.
Setting hotend temperature to 230.000000 degrees Celsius.
Setting bed temperature to 110.000000 degrees Celsius.
Loaded /home/sage/g-code/ultipanel_knob_for_deltapanel.gcode, 37579 lines
2324.75mm of filament used in this print
The print goes:
- from 0.00 mm to 96.05 mm in X and is 96.05 mm wide
- from 0.00 mm to 108.17 mm in Y and is 108.17 mm deep
- from 0.00 mm to 15.00 mm in Z and is 15.00 mm high
Estimated duration: 53 layers, 0:26:55
Print started at: 13:37:55
Segmentation fault (core dumped) <----- Pronterface quit here..
sage@computer:~/Pronterface/Printrun-master$

What does this mean? how can i fix it?
thanks
sage.

I had pronterface crashing shortly after print start when my gcode files were bad.
Do you load STL or GCODE into pronterface?
Are your sure, your files are correct? inspect your model in pronterface if it looks well.

Hi Sage,

I'm facing the same trouble when trying to print by the means of pronterface + slic3r.
It starts moving a bit untill pronterface quits...

Did you finally know what the problem was??

for those having a problem with slic3r in linux, look on the slic3r.com web site and download the binary version you will find there... uncompress and run Slic3r/bin/slic3r

As a first time 3d printer but long term linux user i ended up using cura both frontend and slicer.
Works well with latest marlin and ramps 1.4 on prusa mendel i2 i built from scratch.
Im still in the process of experimenting and tuning but was able to print something that
was in one piece and useable from the off with this setup after initial step calibration.
Its attention to detail that counts. Make sure all wires are attached properly and provide strain relief to all wires that move.
Most of the problems i had to troubleshoot wernt to do with software but the poor choice and location of connectors on the ramps board.

Gordon

Ok, i've downloaded slic3r on my ubuntu 14.04 but version 1.1.7 crash when i want it in fullscreen.
I've try older version (1.1.6, 1.1.5, 1.0.1) but when i launch slic3r from command line, i don't get the GUI but the man command page.
Does slic3r need 5.20 version of perl ?
Thanks in advance,
Cyprien