In the meantime, I have been working on the laptop again. I made another mistake yesterday, and tried to update the virus killer to the latest version. It only took two attempts and some 4 hours!
After the dubious amount of success I had with skeinforge and python, I decided to try an easy-to-install option next - RepRap Host. It turned out not to be so easy after all -
I found the page on the wiki, and started downloading what I needed. I went and got the latest version from Github, and unzipped it. The wiki mentions a .BAT file that launches the program, which should be visible in the root directory. I went to look for it, and it wasn't there. A quick search revealed it was hiding in a sub-folder (lib/system-dependant/windows-I586). running it however resulted in an error (which I forgot to screenshot). Inspecting the error text suggested that the software needed to be moved to "program files/reprap" - I step I had glossed over in the wiki, believing it was for the sake of neatness. However, this location is coded-in, and so I moved the files there and tried again - same error message.
I updated the Java install to the latest version of release 6, and took the extra step of installing the JDK as well, but to no avail - I still got the same error. It appeared not to be able to find the "main" class. I edited the .bat to see if there was a difference between "programfiles" and "program files", which there wasn't.
Getting a bit frustrated by this point, I remembered the wiki page had a link to sourceforge, and an older version of the software. Whilst the sourceforge site is frozen now, the last update is only a couple of months old - it is dated at 9th of May, 2011. I downloaded this version, deleted the github copy and unzipped this to the "program files/reprap" directory.
The .bat file was exactly where it was supposed to be, and a double click resulted in some satisfying activity and the below windows:
Looking good! I loaded one of the test STL's I'd used the other day, but it didn't appear on the build bed whilst a second one did - I suspect that the stl is corrupt.
While I'm glad I have it working, I can't help feeling that there is a simple solution to my earlier problem. I couldn't see any help on the wiki though, nor in the documentation in the GIT download (although I may have missed it).
I'll see how this version of the host works, and if I need to I'll work out how to update it later.
Up next: More building! (Hopefully....)
Hi Laurence,
ReplyDeleteGood to see you are making progress. I've not looked at RepRap Host - I've been playing with ReplicatorG (which has skeinforge built in) and Repsnapper (which is recommended by the guy who sold me my Sanguinololu). Both appear to work although I wont be able to tell until I've actually plugged in the electronics :)
I've also ordered my motors and a hobbed bolt from ThingFarm. Exciting stuff !
I'll probably purchase a ready made hot-end too although I need to do some reading as I've no idea what extra bits (if any) I'll need.
Looking forward to your next update.
Buks
Hi Buks,
ReplyDeleteI've seen mention of both ReplicatorG and Repsnapper, but have not investigated them. I do have Pronterface on the list of things to look at though, and I think that has a built in version of skeinforge as well.
I have seen a couple of hobbed bolts for sale, but I'm going to have a go at making my own. I haven't been able to find a should bolt though, so will be trying with a full-length thread - should be fun!
Let me know how your build is coming along.
Laurence