g2z, a G-Code to ZCode converter

[kohyarp]

Hi Beef and everyone:

Thank you so much for such a useful app, you ere awesome Beef.

I had difficulty to use it, I used slic3r Prusa to do the slicing in a sample object and then export and use the code to convert it to Zcode, I also used the uploaded configuration for slic3r.  but when I print it with my newly acquired M200/V4 (1.1.1) the printer jammed, and it could not even start printing and I pulled the plug out to shout down the printer immediately.  I tried it twice with little bit tweak, the same thing happened. 

the slic3r is version 1.38.2-prusa3d. I also get an error when importing the following configuration into the slic3r.

It looks everyone here is happy with using this code and I assume it should be something wrong with my file or configuration.  I load the original zcode from z-suit with converted code using g2z attached to this post for anyone that could give me a hint about the problem. 

the attached files are:

• wedge-zsuit.zcode: original zcode generated by zsuit version 2.2 
• slic3r configuration file, download from this post in top
• wedge_slic3r.gcode: original gcode generated by slic3r prusa
• wedge_slic3r_Z-ABS: the code generated by g2z

Thanks!

Slic3r_config_bundle_m200.ini

wedge-zsuit.zcode

wedge_slic3r.gcode

wedge_slic3r_Z-ABS.zcode

[backdoorb]

@0xdeadbeef hello, and thank you for your work on this! I'm quite interested in the technical details of this project. Not sure this forum is the best place for a back and forth; would you mind getting in touch by email (backdoorb100@gmail.com) to discuss further?

(Just want to clarify that I'm in no way affiliated with Zortrax; just an avid user)

Thanks!
--BDB

[ffix78]

@0xdeadbeef Amazing, thanks dude! Could you email me at felix.fried@hotmail.fr? I have a couple of questions around z-code.

 

 

On 13/04/2017 at 11:20 PM, 0xdeadbeef said:

 

[0xdeadbeef]

@kohyarp
Sorry for the late reply. I was busy with other thing and also pretty much lazy regarding anything ZCode related.
Anyway, I had a very short look at your G-Code and observed some things:

1) You used a different slic3r version, namely Slic3r 1.33.8-prusa3d-win64 (you) vs. Slic3r Prusa Edition 1.38.2-prusa3d-win64 (me)
2) There is no bed temperature set in your G-Code. There should be a line like "M190 S80 ; set bed temperature and wait for it to be reached" after the fan is disabled.
3) The extruder temperature is wrong. It should be 275°C for Z-ABS but in your g-code it's 265°C. As far as I recall, this is a temperature that's not used in any Zortrax profile.
I guess 10°C too low could have caused the jamming.
4) I'm not a Slic3r expert, but "; first_layer_extrusion_width = 0" and "; extrusion_width = 0" and "; support_material_extrusion_width = 0" (and many more) look wrong. Dunno what happened there, but these values are not 0 in my examples. I would guess this is somehow related to the different SW version.

Anyway, keep in mind that I can't and won't support debugging G-Code files or slicer configurations. My tools simply convert the G-Code to ZCode in the best possible way and I kinda hoped that the community would do the rest (like sharing working configurations etc.).
 

@backdoob & ffix78: don't get me wrong, but Zortrax made pretty clear they don't want me to discuss details of ZCode.
Actually, I understand we have some kind of gentlemen's agreement that they tolerate my tools as long as I respect this wish.
So if something can't be discussed here, I will most probably also not discuss it in private until the situation changes.

 

 

[0xdeadbeef]

Uploaded 1.0.6
Fixed a crash resulting from GCode which uses a negative retations value directly after setting the extrusion value to 0.
Also fixed a command index issue in this context which could lead to removal of the wrong command in certain situation when resetting the extrusion value.

 

[kohyarp]

Hi 0xDeadbeef:

Thanks for the update and your response.  This code really is a great help to my research.  I appreciate your efforts.

Where we can download the new update?  Does it compatible with the updated firmware of the Zortrax M200.  I did not update to the latest firmware, I thought it might be incompatible with the code. 

Thanks.

K

 

[0xdeadbeef]

The download link is still the DropBox in the very first post in this thread.
I would be surprised to hear that anything relevant in the firmware changed lately or that Zortrax would try to protect the m200 against user created ZCode.

The M200 Plus is a different story with its new ZCODEX format, but even this seems to still use ZCode (zipped, renamed, header stripped) internally.
There's just this crypted ConfigurationData file which seems to be there to avoid tempering with the ZCode.

 

[0xdeadbeef]

For what it's worth: I had a deeper look into the "ZCodeX" format and to my surprise, I was wrong about ConfigurationData being used for certification, so it doesn't need to be changed for ZCode patching or creation. Actually, the ConfigurationData is just what the name implies: the serialized and encrypted slicer Configuration.
I'm actually not sure why it's part of the ZCodeX archive at all as it only contains information about slicer configuration which neither the printer nor Z-Suite need to print or display the ZCode.
Well, Z-Suite doesn't even complain when the file is totally missing. I would assume it's only there for fault analysis (i.e. people send ZCodeX files to Zortrax to get support) but this doesn't really explain why they spent the additional effort to encrypt the file.
Anyway, even if I'm too lazy right now to add ZCodeX support to my tools, I managed to patch a ZCODEX archive manually to load modified ZCcode into Z-Suite.
So using 3rd party slicers on the m200 Plus seems totally possible and it actually looks like Zortrax didn't even try to block 3rd party ZCode..

[0xdeadbeef]

Since this somehow ended in a different forum, the new version of ZTool now supports ZCodex (somewhat experimental though).
See the other thread for details

 

[roboD]

Hi,

I am curious. In Zortrax there is no way how to set up specific wall thicness if infill is< 100%. This is quite annoying. Is there a simple patch to add wall thicknes to Zcode?