It seems like skeinforge is not able to write to the preferences directory. Can you change the skeinforge or home directory permissions so that skeinforge can write to your home directory?
Forum: Skeinforge

I added a try / except clause in getFolders which might get it over the windows error. Try downloading the version with these changes at:
Forum: Skeinforge

I don't know what the problem is, but I added an __init__.py file in the top level directory and put a try catch around the importation of serial. One of those changes might fix the problem so try downloading the version with these changes at:
Forum: Skeinforge

Thanks for posting the traceback. For an unknown reason there is the line: from reprap import * in your version of skeinforge. It should not be there. Could you please post the link where you got your skeinforge from? In a new folder, try loading skeinforge directly from: and try it again in the new folder. If there is still an error, post the error on this thread again. Cheers, Enrique
Forum: Skeinforge

The latest skeinforge is attached, in subversion and at: Profiles have been added. The profiles are selected in the profile tool. Skeinforge now looks for preference files in the selected profile folder in the .skeinforge folder in the home directory. If it doesn't find the preference file it then looks in the selected profile folder in the skeinforge_tools folder. If it doesn't find anythi
Forum: Skeinforge

Hi Bruce, There is no way to remove the initialization code. However, instead of using start.txt, you can use an "EndOfTheBeginning.txt" file, which will be incorporated after the initialization and so can override whatever you want. To see how the initialization is set up, you can look at the addInitializationToOutput function in inset.py, which is reprinted below. When looking for start fil
Forum: Skeinforge

The obj plugin has been added to the import_plugins folder, so now obj files can be read directly. The ability to set a different feedrate for the extruder when it is off and the "Bridge Feedrate Multiplier" have been added to speed. The ability to set a different feedrate when extruding support material has been added to raft. The ability to make accordion rectangular grids has been added to
Forum: Skeinforge

Dave, AOI does not export STEP or IGS. You can see the list of file formats in the Export submenu of the File menu. It starts with only a few, you could get the rest from the Art of Illusion Scripts and Plugins repository at: A list of export formats is on wikipedia at: from that wikipedia page the AOI 3D Export list is the following: .pov, .obj, VRML, all native; .stl via plugin also, AO
Forum: Skeinforge

Hi Dave, It would be neat to use curves, but the skeinforge inset algorithm only understands line segments, so it would not even be possible for skeinforge to preserve curves. For curved shapes, we just have to use many segments, and as long as the approximation error is smaller than the filament width, that's good enough.
Forum: Skeinforge

Behold, a slow pure python isometric viewer, has been added to the analyze plugins. The viewer is simple, the viewpoint can only be moved in a sphere around the center of the model by changing the viewpoint latitude and longitude. Different regions of the model can be hidden by setting the width of the thread to zero. The alternating bands act as contour bands and their brightness and width ca
Forum: Skeinforge

Hi Marius, Thanks for pointing out the z increment bug. After a while I replicated the bug and found it was in tower.py. The bug fixed skeinforge is attached, in subversion and at: On an unrelated note, there used to be a bug where skeinforge would occasionally omit objects, usually small holes. This was fixed a while ago.
Forum: Skeinforge

For the flare anomaly, please make it however you think best. I haven't played the game so I don't know what makes sense. Another possible anomaly is the white dwarf star. Since a white dwarf has such a high gravity, spaceships can slingshot around it, changing their direction without using thrusters. However, because the white dwarf is so bright and radiates in the deep ultraviolet, the spac
Forum: Let's design something! (I've got an idea ...)

My unanimous decision, the oozebane parameters have been changed from relative to absolute. The votes follow: Nophead wanted it Ian voted for Wade voted for because Nophead wanted it Ian found a couple oozebane bugs, which have been fixed. The xml plugin has been added in import_plugins folder. It imports Art of Illusion XML, so now the Art of Illusion Constructive Solid Geometry can be impor
Forum: Skeinforge

If you play with skeinforge, the statistics tool will give the time to print and volume. The statistics tool is on by default, but if it is ever off, you can turn it on by bring ing up the analyze tool, from there click statistic, in the statistic window turn on the "Activate Statistic" checkbox. Skeinforge and I believe also the reprap host software, underestimates the time to build by very ro
Forum: RepRap Host

From the Send from China online calculator: I got a price of 3230.67 Yuan / 6.7667 Yuan/USD * 1.0525 (China Service Tax) = 502 ~ 500 USD to ship 100 kg. With Nil Einne's rough estimate of another 370 $ in extra costs, that comes to roughly 870 USD. With the 260 USD for 100 kg, the total price is 1130 USD, or 11.3 USD/kg. According to an old China travel guide: China sea post : to send a pac
Forum: General

Hi Edtharan, Thanks for posting the game rules and putting them under a creative content license. I suggest an extra anomaly, the unstable flare star. On the game board it is a fiery band three hexes wide and one thick, and it must always be placed at the edge of the board. The band is just the limb of the large star, which if it wasn't at the edge would be too big. If you hit it with enough
Forum: Let's design something! (I've got an idea ...)

Ian, Yup, that's the way it is. If you're wondering if oozebane is doing weird stuff, just test it by unchecking the "Activate Oozebane" checkbox. Nophead, The assumption behind the "Over Extrusion Width" is that a big nozzle would have a longer barrel and therefore would ooze for a longer distance. However right now all the barrels are the same size, as you point out it's just the nozzle o
Forum: Skeinforge

Ian, Thanks for pointing out that the oozebane help file and preferences don't match. The distance that the extruder shuts down before the end of a thread is controlled by the "Shutdown Distance Over Extrusion Width" preference. This preference should actually be called the "Early Shutdown Distance Over Extrusion Width" as it is in the help. It will be renamed in the next skeinforge release,
Forum: Skeinforge

On my computer, when I bring up Firefox after turning on, it takes a long time to come up. If I then close it and open it again it takes less time to come up. I speculate that it may that when Firefox starts up, it loads some libraries and plugins. When it is shut down, Firefox is removed, but some of the libraries and plugins like Flash may be cached somehow. I don't really know. All I know
Forum: Skeinforge

Hi Annirak, I think it's a great idea to make it possible to use SMT. Thanks to John Meacham's pick and place head type thingy: we know it is straightforward to add a vacuum head. Also, from JBB's excellent sparkfun links, you can start at: and get a good idea on the steps and equipment required. For prepositioning the components in small quantity, we could fabricate trays with custom ins
Forum: Controllers

Hi Ian, The slice_shape tool has been replaced by carve and inset. So delete slice_shape and everything should go well, and while you're at it delete nozzle_wipe if it is still there. If skeinforge still doesn't work, try deleting everything and getting an entirely new copy from: E
Forum: Skeinforge

A cheap bump sensor is described on instructables at: Basically, stick a metal rod through a pipette extending out a bit, put a spring around the pipette extending also, and check for continuity. For the reprap, the spring & rod would be pointing upward, like a car antenna, and whenever the nozzle bumped into something, as long as the acceleration was high enough, the spring would then ben
Forum: General

The structure of skeinforge has been changed to import slice formats as well as triangle meshes. The updated skeinforge is attached, in subversion and at: Slice_shape has been divided into carve and inset. Also because the slice formats have a layer thickness but don't have an extrusion diameter, the primary parameter is now layer thickness. To change your current parameters to the new param
Forum: Skeinforge

A couple of other insulating options are insulating cement, like Kast-O-Lite, $98 for 25 kilos: and fiberglass pipe insulation: In my opinion, the fiberglass pipe insulation should be easier to handle than a fiberglass blanket. If the inner lining can not handle the heat of the extruder, it could be wrapped around insulating cement applied to the extruder.
Forum: General

The option to have a different feedrate for the perimeter has been added to speed.py. The updated skeinforge is attached, in subversion and at: Comb between islands has been improved and a corner rounding bug when importing an incorrect mesh in slice was fixed. The "Save Preferences" button has been moved to the far right of the dialogs, and the cancel button has been moved just to the left,
Forum: Skeinforge

This is the skeinforge announcements and discussions thread. Any questions, suggestions or comments about skeinforge should be posted here or emailed to me at: perez_enrique@yahoo.com The skeinforge wiki manual, which you are welcome to contribute to, is at: A description of the GPL s
Forum: Skeinforge

Skeinforge actually started as an Art of Illusion plugin called Export Slices, which turned a triangle mesh into a series of slices. I ported it over to python because the AOI scripting language, beanshell, runs about ten times slower than python and takes me about twice as long to develop than an equivalent python script. Slicing a correct triangle mesh is straightforward. However sometimes t
Forum: RepRap Host

Hi Micheal, Thanks for pointing out the slc format and making a gcode converter! I see the format description, but don't see the slc to ascii converter or the ascii to gcode converter, could you please post a link to both converters? In general since ascii is much easier to handle than binary; I suggest that, if possible, we keep the slices in ascii. Xsainnz, Dave and I were developing an svg
Forum: RepRap Host

I'd just like to say that I'm very impressed with the people who have patiently answered Tony's questions without flaming. Given the nature of some of his comments, just stating facts in return would be a mild flame. I thought of answering at times, but I didn't see how I could without fire. Somehow others found a way All I can suggest is keep on answering courteous people with the great deal
Forum: General

Hi Forrest, The GNU Computer Aided Manufacturing link: works for me. If it doesn't work for anyone else, try googling: GNU Computer Aided Manufacturing open source package or try the cached link at: [209.85.173.132]
Forum: RepRap Host