Software/Firmware - maybe not 100% ramps related

Hi I have tried using repsnapper which is very poor IMHO, it's nice to move things during testing but heater control is a manual thing, you bring the heater upto temp and then start a print, repsnapper turns off the heater even though it is shown as being on, so you have to toggle off on again to maintain the heater, it's just not very well thought out, saving setting doesn't work either!.

So, looking around I see there is Skeinforge - what is this? Seems to me a whole bunch of settings but no way to control or start a print and no nice 3d graphics - madness i tell you madness.

Anyway enough whinging, what are RAMPS users using successfully?

i am courios has well, i am not all that far along, but i have used repsnapper for my testing with no major issues. i know for windows there overdue for a update, i am keeping my eyes open for one, overall i do like the program, i think it just needs to get more of the bugs worked out of it.

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[mike-mack.blogspot.com]

skeinforge is for generating g-code from stl's or other shapes.

It's designed to do one job, and do it well. It just generates g-code, and that's it. It does not send it to the machine, it barely has any way to view the gcode. OK, so it does have skieniso and skienview, but those are both pretty pathetic, really. Sufficient to tell if there's major prolems, I guess.

for actually controlling your machine, and for sending the gcode to it, you'll need something else.

repsnapper, repG, reprap host, etc. which you use is personal preference and is somewhat related to which firmware you're using. I'd use repsnapper, as it's c++, has nice graphics, and is somewhat integrated with skienforge.

see [reprap.org] for details and feature comparisons between the various firmware, host software, and gcode generator options.

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I'm building it with Baling Wire

The Repsnapper G Code defaults to an extruder temp of 73° for whatever reason, then turns the heater off at the end of the program. With the temperature falling all through a short print, it has the appearance of having the heater turned off. You can edit this temperature in the G Code start and end tabs.

From what I read, most folks prefer Skeinforge generated G Code, sent to a RAMPS rig via Repsnapper.

Thanks Dale,

I spotted that when I started to look for G codes to wait for the heater to come upto temp G109 S200.0 for instance, I then spotted the in the generated code the 79c _oddness to say the least- what would this extrude? Anyway getting into skinheadForge - the madness of the UI is bonkers but it does some good things and repsnapper works just fine if you use gcode generated in skinheadForge

Cheers
Rob