An exploration of the 'Cloud Library' in MatterControl - a new way to store and manage your 3D printable designs, available as of version 1.4.

The latest version of MatterControl, version 1.4, adds a nifty new feature for managing designs - the Cloud Library. This article examines the Cloud Library depth, showing how this new storage option works and can be used to make your life just a little bit easier.

Overview

MatterControl Cloud Services

The Cloud Library works by lazily syncing your files across any devices where you are currently signed into your MatterControl account. This means that when you add a file to your library it is uploaded to the cloud immediately and then downloaded as needed by any other connected device. So, for example, you can add a design to your library using your web browser and then 3D print it later from MatterControl on another computer.

The location of the Cloud Library

To start using the Cloud Library you will need to first navigate to the 'Library' tab. Clicking on 'Cloud Library' will prompt you to login. You must be logged into your MatterControl account in order to use the Cloud Libary. If you don't have an account already, setting one up is simple - just select 'Create An Account' on the login screen and follow the prompts.

Adding Files

Files can be added to the Cloud Library (or the Local Library), by selecting the 'Add' button at the bottom of the Library tab and choosing the file or files you would like to add. You can also add designs by dragging and dropping files from your desktop into the Library. Supported file formats are .stl, .amf and .gcode. For .stl and .amf design files MatterControl will automatically generate a thumbnail preview of the object for easy reference.

Folders and Navigation

The new MatterControl library introduces 'Folders', a file management concept that may be familiar to users of modern computers. Folders allow you to organize your design files into multiple separate directories or subdirectories. Navigating into a folder is a matter of double-clicking the folder or single-clicking the 'open' button.

You can navigate back to a previous folder using the breadcrumbs found at the top of the library. Selecting 'Home', for example, will take you back the the top level of the Library. You can also select 'back' to go up a single level from within a subdirectory.

Creating a folder in the MatterControl design library

Edit Mode

Edit mode is not new to version 1.4, but it does have new options. Putting the Library into edit mode by selecting 'Edit' (next to the search bar) allows you to select multiple folders or designs and take actions related to your selection. Folders and designs have different options, described below:

Putting the Library in 'Edit' mode allows you to take various actions

Folder Actions

Remove - Removes the folder entirely. Just a warning, this will delete any designs or subfolders that are currently located within the folder you are removing.

Rename - Change the name of the folder to the new name specified. Some folders, such as 'Shared with Me' are locked and their name cannot be manually edited.

Design Actions

Export - Brings up a dialogue of options allowing you to export your design file in one of several formats (such as .gcode or .x3g). This option may be disabled if a design has been shared with you as 'read-only'.

Edit - Opens the design file for editing. For example, parts can be scaled, rotated or moved prior to printing.

Remove - Removes the design from the current folder.

Share - Opens up sharing options for the designs (more on this below).

Rename - Allows you to change the name of the design as it appears in the library.

Add to Queue - Moves one or more selected items into the print queue to be printed.

Sharing A Design

As a new feature of the cloud library, it is now possible to share design files with someone - either directly or by creating a public share code. Shared users will have read-only access to the design, which means they can view and 3D print the design, but not modify or export it.

Sharing a design directly involves entering the person's email address which generates an invite specific to that person.

Unlocking a design using a share code

Once a share invite has been submitted, the recipient will receive an email that includes a link for accepting the invite. The person with whom a design has been shared will need to create an account if they do not already have one and then log in to accept.

Accepting a share invite on the MatterControl Sync site

You can also share a design by generating a share code. This code can be shared publicly or privately - anyone with the share code will be able to unlock the shared design with read-only access.

Using Share Codes

You can use a share code that has been shared with you by going to 'File' > 'Enter Share Code' and entering the code provided within the prompt. After entering the share code, you will see a 'Shared with Me' folder where all items that have been shared with you are stored.

Unlocking a design using a share code

Cloud Library on the Web

You can access your designs from the web using the MatterControl Sync site. Many of the actions and options on the website are similar to those found in both MatterControl Desktop and MatterControl Touch.

The Cloud Library can also be accessed from the web, via MatterControl Sync

Browsing Cloud Library contents from the web

Cloud Library designs can be previewed from the web

Hey, Dave here from MatterHackers.

This category is a great place for you to introduce yourself, what types of machine(s) you are using and for what. Here are some of the basics everyone may want to know about you,.

• Name: Dave Gaylord
• Location: Southern California, USA
• Printer(s): SeeMeCNC RostockMAX, Orion, Make-it
• Years 3D printing: 12 years
• Background: Mechanical/Biomedical Engineer who loves tinkering in my garage. Have had some success with product development of consumer products and R&D for large, corporate medical device companies.
• Reason for interest in 3D Printing: Prototyping, fixing things, and making functional parts
• Favorite Cereal: Wheetabix
• Anything else interesting!

I want to take a moment to thank you for stumbling upon the MatterHackers forum and contributing to the betterment of 3D printing. This space will grow and develop into a place for people to gather and learn more about 3D printing. The hope is that this becomes knowledge base and a broad platform for all involved in 3D printing (and those looking to get into the technology) to share your experiences with the intent of providing information for others to succeed with the technology.

Anything at all we can help with please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

All the best,

Dave Gaylord

Director of Marketing at MatterHackers

I'm an engineer here at MatterHackers and one of the guys you might get in touch with if you call in or email support. Around here I also go by @unlimitedbacon, but this is my official account.

• Name: Tyler Anderson
• Location: Southern California, USA, Earth, Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha
• Printer(s): Cupcake CNC, This. In addition, I am the caretaker of all the printers in the MatterHackers barn.
• Years 3D printing: 6
• Background: Hacker/Maker
• Reason for interest in 3D Printing: Printing more printers / creating an army of self replicating machines for world domination.
• Role Models: Steve Wozniak, Mark Watney
• Goals: Win an Ig Nobel prize.
• Interests: Space, duck tape, cream soda, old computers, blue LEDs, submarines, etc.
  

You can see some of the projects I have worked on at https://hackaday.io/MrAnderson.

I am relatively new to 3D printing, have had a Lulzbot Mini for about 6 weeks now, but I have been running CNC's of all kinds for 35 years or so.

I was using Lulzbots version of Cura but I am looking to do more then it wants to do, also I can not handle the yellow/green ish colors.

One of the things I would like to do is in the middle of a print pull up, move off to the side and stop (M0) so I can change filament or inset hardware etc. I read someplace about a guy doing that with a supposidly stock Lulzbot Mini using Simplify3D.

I installed MatterControl a few days ago and have only done a few prints with it, liking it but still very much getting used to how it works.

I did a test, I exported a small 12 layer print to gcode, opened it up in notepad++ and inserted a line with a M0 at layer 6. Loaded it back into MatterControl and run it, it went right by the M0 line, it was in the terminal window but the printer did not stop.

So I am wondering how they are doing it in Simplify3D. Any ideas.

Thanks,

Andre B.

• Name: Lars Brubaker
• Location: Lake Forest, California, USA
• Printer(s): Cupcake, Thing-o-matic, Mendel90, Other
• Years 3D printing: 5 years
• Background: Started writing video games in HS. After graduating from UCI got a job at Interplay, then Logicware, then started Reflexive Entertainment as CEO. Ran the company for a long time before I stumbled on 3D printing and RepRap. Started MH in 2011.
• Reason for interest in 3D Printing: It's gonna change the world and I want to be in on that!
• Favorite Cereal: Currently (it changes every 6 months or so) - Honey Bunches of Oats

I want to be a part of the future of digital manufacturing.

A part of the molecular and nano-fabrication that will reshape the world.

Building with atoms - trees do it, our bodies do it, and soon our machines will too.

@Andre-B said:

> I can not handle the yellow/green ish colors.

MatterControl does not yet have the ability to pause the print at a certain point, but that feature is on our short list for development so you can look for that in the next few months.

In the meantime, I think you're on the right track with the M0 command, although this only pauses for a specified amount of time so I don't think this is what you want to use. Also, your printer must be running firmware that supports the command-- which if you haven't flashed it with anything else should be running Marlin firmware by default which does support the M0 command. See the RepRap GCode article for specifics on which commands are supported by which firmwares and for general reference of commands.

That said, perhaps you did not issue the correct parameters after the M0 command? Not only must you issue 'M0', but also then specify how long you want the print to pause for afterward. Like so:

M0 P5000

Where Pnnn = P[milliseconds].

In any case, MatterControl has some commands which can be used in GCode or in the Custom GCode fields I'll explain in a moment:

@pause

@restore_xyz_position

@restore_e_position

These are unique to MatterControl and can be inserted directly into GCode which MatterControl reads. I suggest you use @PAUSE instead of M0, which as I explained before, has a hard time limit.

The other way to accomplish this pause is to do it manually-- which I recommend in this circumstance since you'll physically be there to change the filament or whatever you're doing. MatterControl has a 'Pause' button which shows while the print is running. Clicking it will, by default, pause the print at exactly where the nozzle is at that time. But, then you can get creative.

You'll use one of MatterControl's custom GCode settings -- Pause GCode -- to give the printer some custom instructions for when you hit the Pause button. Navigate to 'Settings & Controls -> Settings -> Printer -> Pause G-Code' and enter something like:

Then, when you hit Pause, the nozzle will move up 40 mm and over 60. Change the filament or whatever you need to do, then when you hit the 'Resume' button the nozzle will return to the coordinates it was at when the print was paused and continue printing.

For reference, any valid GCode commands can be entered in the Custom G-Code section, but be careful what commands you enter. The printer will follow instructions explicitly, and bad instructions can damage your printer. If in doubt, test your GCode using the GCode Terminal (Settings & Controls -> Options -> Hardware Settings) before you enter it in a Custom G-Code field.

EDIT: Added @ command information, formatting.

EDIT 2: Changed @PAUSE, etc. to lower case

Thanks for the reply.

I tried the @PAUSE today but could not get it to do anything. Out of time now to try the other stuff you suggest until Saturday or so.

Is there any info available on how to use these commands and any other commands that may be available? I do have the book "3D Printing with MatterControl" but did not see anything about these commands in it.

As far as the M0 code it would be interesting to find the reasoning behind changing the function of such a basic command especially when a G4 Pnnnn command does the same thing. Every CNC I have run in the last 35 years a M0 will stop and wait until the operator presses cycle start.

I do respectfully disagree about "MatterControl has a 'Pause' button which shows while the print is running. Clicking it will, by default, pause the print at exactly where the nozzle is at that time." when I press that button it takes several seconds to the better part of a minute to stop.

Of topic, what is the difference between http://forums.matterhackers.com/ and http://www.matterhackers.com/community/forum which one should I be using?

I ask because the the editor in this one is not working properly on my computer, it goes off the bottom of the screen and I need to keep using the mouse to scroll it back up to where I can see what I am typing.

Thank you;

Andre B

Hi Andre!

I was able to find the issue you reported, and am working to resolve it now. It should be fixed by the next time you use the forum.

Forums.matterhackers.com is the new matterhackers community. matterhackers.com/community/forum is being phased out in favor of this new forum.

If you have any other issues, feature requests, etc- please feel free to shoot me a PM.

-Jessica

Thanks, works much better now on my little laptop screen. On a larger screen with short messages it probably would not have been a problem.

One of the reasons I am looking into Matter Control is the ability to queue jobs then monitor and control the machine remotely is that when I got the Lulzbot Mini some of the people I work with wanted to see it so I brought it in. I made a few little widgets for use in the shop, stuff we have been wanting but never got a high enough priority to justify the time to make. With the printer it still takes some time to design and setup but then you go do something else for 6 hours and come back to a finished part.

Anyway another guy and myself got to talking and are now working on a design for a delta that should be able to do 3D printing and light duty machining. We would like to also build a "pallet pool" to work with 2 or 3 of the delta machines.

At this point it looks like a long road but everything should be doable.

Andre B

@Andre-B,

You are correct, when clicking 'Pause' in MatterControl, the printer will not pause immediately. The machine has a number of commands queued up and it will not pause until they are all executed.

As to @pause working - Another programmer and I were just looking into that functionality yesterday. He was having some issues with it as well. After, a quick test it seemed to be working as expected, but we will investigate more and see if there is something happening here that is unexpected. I would try to make all of these commands lower case however. That is how they are intended to be added to gcode.

• @pause
• @restore_xyz_position
• @restore_e_position

Thanks for the feedback.