Multimode Host Software

I have been working on the Java RepRap host software. The latest version (https://reprap.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/reprap/trunk/reprap) allows you to:

• Load STL files and print them on a SNAP RepRap (PIC or Arduino).
• Load STL files and print them on a GCode RepRap (Arduino or Sanguino).
• Load STL files and print them as GCodes to a file.
• Load a GCode file and print it on a GCode RepRap (Arduino or Sanguino).

The next step is to put a simple GCode interpreter in there that will allow the final combination: sending a GCode file to be printed on a SNAP RepRap. Also, before doing a release, I need to do a bit more testing (so far I have tested the Sanguino stuff but not the Arduino, for example, as my home machine is Sanguino). I also need to get the progress indicator working with the print-from-GCode-file option; it works with all the others.

The transmission using GCodes is buffered through a separate thread which makes it pretty smooth. This works particularly nicely with GCodes stored in a file (as with Zach's ReplicatorG), and gives good-quality builds. As soon as I've got something more interesting than a cube, I'll post it.

I've had to change a few preferences values - see http://www.reprap.org/bin/view/Main/RepRapSoftwarePreferencesDocumentation.

Finally, you'll see that there is a greyed-out button for "Load RFO". This is the format that Zach proposed along with the Fab@Home guys for multiple-material builds (see http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/MultipleMaterialsFiles). Watch this space...