running 2 printers

how can i run my prusa along side my orca
ive had 2 pronterfaces going but i cannot connect with the prusa.

ive been setting on this MGprusa for like a month now and i need to either use it or sell it.

Each instance of pronterface needs to connect to the serial port of the appropriate printer. They can't both be pointing to the same one.

i have selected the other com port but still nothing.
when i plug the usb on the prusa in it doesnt make the same "ding"
as my orca does.

gen6 and ramps are totally different right?
so does that mean i need totally different software or something?

Maybe different firmware, but you should be able to use the same host software (with some exceptions).

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Connect and use one printer at a time to make sure they both work separately, take note of the settings for each printer and then try running two at the same time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2012 09:48AM by Nudel.

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-Nudel
Blog with RepRap Comic

It is most likely the USB to serial assignment process is only assigning one serial port... assuming you are on Windows(?)

If you are on Windows, you won't get two printers connected without Windows assigning each a USB port. You will notice that Windows allocates and deallocates a USB port to a COM port when you turn a printer on... you get a beep. If you turn two printers on, you should see two COM ports assigned... you can see these assignments in Device Manager.

So, until you get Windows to make two USB ports into two COM port, all the effort in the world will not allow two printers to run at the same time. I don't know for sure, but I believe the USB -> COM driver only allows for one... (?)

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David

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MakeMendel Orca v0.3, Gen6 with 5D, Slic3r. Usually 1.75mm with a modified V9 hot end and extruder.

Quote
Cosmic1953
I don't know for sure, but I believe the USB -> COM driver only allows for one... (?)

This is not true!

You can have as many FTDI based Virtual COM ports over USB as you want (within limits of course).

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

I still suspect the serial driver is not making two COM ports. This can happen if the OS dedicates too many USB ports to other (possibly) unused devices. Also, RepSnapper, for instance, can not use a COM port greater than 9... so in that case you can have two COM ports, but not be able to use all of them...

All this can be easily confirmed by plugging in the two printers into USB ports, turning them on, and looking in Device Manager to see if Windows created two virtual COM ports.

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David

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MakeMendel Orca v0.3, Gen6 with 5D, Slic3r. Usually 1.75mm with a modified V9 hot end and extruder.