Funded Bounty: Create a configuration tool for RepRap firmware

bobc has opened a bounty for a RepRap firmware configuration tool.

The bounty is currently at $50.00 USD. The link is here.

Please check it out if you would like to work on this, or contribute to the bounty.

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bounty description
Problem:

To configure a RepRap for a particular printer, users have to edit a C header file. This can be tricky and error prone. Some firmwares allow a config file to be stored on an SD card, but the file still needs editing by hand.

Required

A user friendly config tool. The tool should be allow the user to select config settings, and then export the settings to a C header file, or other text file.

The tool should be cross-platform, at least Windows, Unix. The tool can store a local database of settings in a format such as XML, it does not need to read and parse a C header file, although that would be nice at least for initial import.

The tool may be written in any suitable language such as Python, Java, C#. The project must be published with a GPL or other Open Source license.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2013 10:49PM by MattMoses.

I have put something i have started in C# onto git-hub which will fit this description plus much more ( i finally worked out github ) , i'm using visual studio 2010 C# because it can easily be ported over to Linux and macos

Ideally i want it to import and export the c files that are in marlin as well as generate a section of gcode which can be inserted into slicer and/or modify the slic3r config.ini files directly as well as import from them

the github link is : https://github.com/jgrjgr/configurator

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MattMoses
bobc has opened a bounty for a RepRap firmware configuration tool.

The bounty is currently at $50.00 USD. The link is here.

Please check it out if you would like to work on this, or contribute to the bounty.

Quote
bounty description
Problem:

To configure a RepRap for a particular printer, users have to edit a C header file. This can be tricky and error prone. Some firmwares allow a config file to be stored on an SD card, but the file still needs editing by hand.

Required

A user friendly config tool. The tool should be allow the user to select config settings, and then export the settings to a C header file, or other text file.

The tool should be cross-platform, at least Windows, Unix. The tool can store a local database of settings in a format such as XML, it does not need to read and parse a C header file, although that would be nice at least for initial import.

The tool may be written in any suitable language such as Python, Java, C#. The project must be published with a GPL or other Open Source license.

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-=( blog )=- -=( thingiverse )=- -=( 3Dindustries )=- -=( Aluhotend - mostly metal hotend)=--=( Facebook )=-

Except for sharing the source, doesn't the Repetier web config system qualify for doing all of this?????

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vreihen
Except for sharing the source, doesn't the Repetier web config system qualify for doing all of this?????

thats really only for repetier

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-=( blog )=- -=( thingiverse )=- -=( 3Dindustries )=- -=( Aluhotend - mostly metal hotend)=--=( Facebook )=-

I've made a few comments on the bounty page itself, although it's probably worth me posting here too. I have a WIP configuration tool using python 3.3 and wxPython Phoenix on my Git page: [github.com]. To run just invoke main.py with python. I'm currently working on completing the template for the Marlin firmware (located in templates/marlin.py), but it's possible to add templates for other firmwares in the future (including ones that don't use header files e.g. Smoothieware).
Current settings can also be loaded and saved so you can alter a configuration at a later date.

I'm not sure if using python 3.3 (or later) and a dev version of wxPython is going to cause issues. I did find it fairly easy to install the snaphsot with pip though, and it seems stable enough too.

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samp20
I've made a few comments on the bounty page itself, although it's probably worth me posting here too. I have a WIP configuration tool using python 3.3 and wxPython Phoenix on my Git page: [github.com]. To run just invoke main.py with python. I'm currently working on completing the template for the Marlin firmware (located in templates/marlin.py), but it's possible to add templates for other firmwares in the future (including ones that don't use header files e.g. Smoothieware).
Current settings can also be loaded and saved so you can alter a configuration at a later date.

I'm not sure if using python 3.3 (or later) and a dev version of wxPython is going to cause issues. I did find it fairly easy to install the snaphsot with pip though, and it seems stable enough too.

ideally it shouldn't be a problem, but i would consider doing a batch file and/or bash script that installs all required dependencies.

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-=( blog )=- -=( thingiverse )=- -=( 3Dindustries )=- -=( Aluhotend - mostly metal hotend)=--=( Facebook )=-

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samp20
I'm not sure if using python 3.3 (or later) and a dev version of wxPython is going to cause issues.

What makes you feel the need to live on the bleeding edge? I guess a configuration tool isn't exactly rocket science on the GUI part, so I'd expect it's quite possible to live with the same dependencies Pronterface has.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

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Traumflug

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samp20
I'm not sure if using python 3.3 (or later) and a dev version of wxPython is going to cause issues.

What makes you feel the need to live on the bleeding edge? I guess a configuration tool isn't exactly rocket science on the GUI part, so I'd expect it's quite possible to live with the same dependencies Pronterface has.

I'm more used to working with python 3.3 than python 2.7. That being said, it shouldn't be too difficult to convert back to the older version. I'll work on that tonight.

EDIT: Done. Now works with python 2.7 and normal wxPython.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2014 01:36PM by samp20.

Any updates on this? Anyone getting any closer?

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MattMoses
Any updates on this? Anyone getting any closer?

I have a mostly working implementation using python 2.7 and wxPython on my GitHub: [github.com]. I have configuration options for the following features in marlin:

• Electronics
  
  • Motherboard
  • Baudrate
  • Serial port id
  • Bluetooth enabled
• Axes
  
  • Configuration (Normal or CoreXY). No Delta support yet as marlin uses a slightly different config file for that.
  • Axis limits
  • Axis inversion
  • Steps/mm
  • Maximum feedrate
  • Sleep when not in use
• Endstops
  
  • Pullups
  • Logic Inversion
  • Home direction
  • Software endstops
• Extruder
  
  • Extruder count
  • Thermistor/thermocouple type
  • Max/Min temperatures
  • Steps/mm
  • Max feedrate
  • Invert motor direction
• Heated Bed
  
  • Thermistor/thermocouple type
  • Max/Min temperatures

A configuration file can be exported by clicking export from the file menu. Also all the configuration settings can be saved to a .json file to be restored at a later date.

Some feedback would be helpful so I know what to focus my attention on. I think one improvement would be a start-up page instead of a blank window when the program is first run.

Sounds good! Now, would it be possible to initiate an upload, too? A pointer to where Arduino is installed would give you the tools required.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Just thinking... Support for using E1 to control an extra Z axis stepper. Pins.h support under an advanced section maybe. Maybe a way to pull your EEPROM settings in so they can be permanently put in the config file. Would be nice in case you fried your Arduino.

Firstly I apologise for the lack of updates recently. I'm approaching the end of my Year In Industry (A year out from University to work) and things are a bit busy as I try and finalize work. After next week I'll have just over two months to do whatever I like. This firmware config tool should be one of those things.

I like the idea of pulling in EEPROM configuration settings. Also I'm thinking about simplifying the interface a little more. The current Open Template, Load Settings, Save Settings and Export Config items are a bit vague and confusing. I'll probably replace the Open Template with a listbox of all the available templates (Marlin only currently). Also I might replace the Export Config with a new tab for all import/export options relating to the current firmware. For example Marlin would have the buttons "Export to configuration.h", "Import from configuration.h" and "import from EEPROM". Smoothieware would have different buttons such as "Export to config file" and "Import from config file" (Smoothieware uses plain text files that are read by the firmware).

Another minor improvement is to remember the last used directory separately for all of the input/output files. I find it annoying when you have to re-navigate to the same directory after closing and opening a program.

Best of luck with your interface. I do hope you get it going as it is a valuable add-on for new entrants to the hobby.

For future expansion I could even suggest you support any other commercial desktop printers that may use a RAMPS/Atmel/Arduino platform. Some people will be happy to use toolchains other than supplied with the machine but might keep some parts as is. Havng a familiar configuration tool may be of great assistance to making things work.

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Kalle
--
Lahti, Finland
The only stable form of government is Open Source Government. - Kalle Pihlajasaari 2013

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vreihen
Except for sharing the source, doesn't the Repetier web config system qualify for doing all of this?????

IOW "Except for not meeting the requirements, does it meet the requirements?"

No

[ I've noticed people do this a lot, but essentially you can make any statement true by prefixing with IF <thing you want>. "Except for" and "apart from" are similar conditionals.]

Anyway, Teacup ConfigTool looks fantastic! It meets all the requirements handsomely. If the author, or representative of the authors would like to claim the bounty, I would be happy to award it.

If anyone else has a competing claim, now is a good time to speak up!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2016 07:19AM by bobc.

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bobc
If the author, or representative of the authors would like to claim the bounty, I would be happy to award it.

Hi bobc, you may have seen this already, but just in case: jbernadis stated he would like to claim the bounty.

Because you opened the issue on the tracker, I think you are the only one who can close it. If you would like to proceed with awarding the bounty to jbernardis, it looks like the next step is for you to close the issue on the tracker.