ZDump is dead, long live ZTool

[0xdeadbeef]

1.0.6
Fixed issue with empty retraction commands created with newer versions of Z-Suite.
Improved ZCode support for Inventure.

1.0.7
Added option to increase distance between raft and first model layer.
Separate speed setting for 1st model layer.
Fixed: export dialog didn't keep/display setting from previous export.
Fixed: export dialog didn't offer PLA and ASA profiles and therefore changed profile name to ABS.

 

[sylus]

Dear 0xdeadbeef

new firmware came this month, have you take a look if it change something in Ztool?

[ZioFester]

Please make a good zcode to gcode converter. I really love to use z-suite for other machines. With newer versions of z-suite there are a lot of parameters that we can edit. Do you think is it possible to add this feauture in the future?

[0xdeadbeef]

Admittedly, I have been very lazy regarding Zortrax topics lately. So I haven't looked into newer versions of ZSuite etc.
Anyway, are there any issues I'd need to have a look at other than maybe displaying new materials correctly?

As a side note, I also haven't looked much into "ZCODEX". At first look, it's simply a Zip archive which still contains more or less normal ZCode data named "ZCodeData" plus a backup (?) named "ZCodeOriginalData". The header was removed and replaced by some text files (UserSettingsData, ZCodeMetadata). Then there's one file named "ConfigurationData" which is most probably crypted. I kinda assumed they would take the chance to crypt the whole ZCode file. For some reason (RAM size  probably), I guess they decided to just crypt one smaller file instead to certify the uploaded ZCode. Well, that's just my guess. I would suspect though that a m200 Plus wouldn't accept changed ZCode without a new "ConfigurationData".

Regarding ZCode -> G-Code: ZDump could do that quite some time ago but I decided to deactivate the code for ZTool mainly not to provoke Zortrax as they made very clear that they wouldn't tolerate publishing details about ZCode and a working Z->G converter would make it very easy to reverse engineer ZCode. Admittedly, I also thought the created G-Code would be unusable on other printers. It came to my attention lately that some ZDump testers really did that. Still I think that this wouldn't be a feature for normal users (which includes myself).

[0xdeadbeef]

Unrelated to new ZSuite or firmware, but as I also looked into a bug report I received quite some time ago, there's a new version today:

1.0.9c
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.

BTW: Couldn't see any new materials at least for the m200.

[0xdeadbeef]

I released a new version 1.1.0 of ZTool which can be found in the usual dropbox folder:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/91jdv24taxeayof/AACiBRHvH_d0FjRbo0cKEkwOa?dl=0

The main features are support for the ZCodex format used by the M200 Plus and export of G-Code.
Please read the according sections ("Notes about the ZCodex format" and "G-Code export") in the RTF manual for details.

Anyway, as the support for ZCodex made it necessary to rework some internals, there's the chance I messed things up.
As a result, I'd consider version 1.1.0 to be somewhat experimental. Therefore, the stable version 1.0.9c is still available in parallel.
Besides, I still haven't found a volunteer with an M200 Plus. So currently I can only say that Z-Suite opens ZCodex files created by ZTool without complaining (and vice versa).
I'd be happy to hear from an M200 Plus owner if the printer accepts and prints e.g. ZCode converted to ZCodex (which I'd consider the safest scenario).
Note that it's probably a good idea to use an offset of 170µm when converting from ZCode to ZCodex due to different initial Z heights of M200 and M200 Plus. See RTF manual for details.

Also note that I currently don't plan to release a "g2z" version that supports ZCodex.

[0xdeadbeef]

Relased ZTool 1.1.1

Raft removal wasn't working with generic ZCodex files (as the extrusion value is not reset to 0 by the slicer for the M200 Plus when retracting). The raft removal mechanism should now automatically use layer changes instead (note that it was originally designed before the layer command even existed).
Added some comments like "support", "raft" etc. in the exported G-Code. It's not perfect as it doesn't filter out futile/double comments but then again, S3D doesn't either. This also improves import of these exported G-Code files into ZTool a bit.

[0xdeadbeef]

Released 1.1.2
Reworked raft removal caused issues with some ZCode files: raft removal would remove some part of the first layer (if they were tagged with infill instead of contour).

[0xdeadbeef]

1.1.3
In pevious versions, speeding up the 1st layer didn't work after removing the raft. Background was that the initial skirt (used to start extrusion outside the raft) was patched from Raft into Support and then the search for the search for the (end of) the 1st player stopped immediately when reaching the (patched) skirt. Now the skirt is patched into "1st Layer Support", so it's identified as part of the 1st layer (and thus also sped up).
Note that if the raft was removed with an older version than 1.1.3, speeding up the 1st layer will still not work.
1.1.4
Raft removal kept a part of the raft when there was no initial skirt. This only happened for very large prints where Z-Suite didn't create an initial skirt. Added workaround that should work for all Z-Suite versions > 1.7.x.
1.1.5
Fixed a bug in raft removal for ZCodex format. Due to internal handling of the differential extrusion values, removing the raft caused a massive overextrusion at the first extrusion after the (removed) raft.

[Mario Buccieri]

Hi there people! Thanks for this fantastic tool👍 I would like to know how to avoid the initial retraction after the mini-skirt. It makes my prints with the bottom layer incomplete, because of the "ghost" printing as long as the retraction do. (using "no raft" and printing on custom glass bed) thanks!