Macro 3D Printer Workflow

Description
This macro creates an stl file with perfect rounding, i.e. without visible facets, from selected parts. It also allows to launch programs of your choice. For example to automate the FreeCAD -> Slicer -> printing workflow.

After the creation of the stl file you can, for example, open your slicer with the stl file, switch on your printer, heat the printer bed and, if necessary, trigger additional commands in your home automation.



Principle of smoothing




The macro modifies the deviation property of the solids before creating the stl file and restores the original values afterwards. Next it can launch the stl file which will open for example under Cura, if the stl extension has been associated with that program on your operating system.

Launching other programs or commands
The macro can launch additional programs or commands that you might enter in a terminal:
 * Turn on the printer and the light (requires a computer controlled socket).
 * Connect Octoprint to the printer.
 * Start preheating the printer bed.
 * Save your FreeCAD and stl file somewhere.

Setup
Check that the stl extension is associated with your slicer on your operating system. In other words, when you double-click an stl file your slicer should open and load your stl file.

If you run the macro as it is, it will just create the stl without visible facets, but no others programs will be launched. For that you have to edit the lines of code that come after  in the section Parameters that can be changed. Have a look at the comments in the Code.

Usage

 * 1) Select one or more solid objects to print.
 * 2) Start the macro.
 * 3) The dialog opens: [[File:Macro_3D_Printer_Workflow_Dialog.png]]
 * 4) Check the desired options in the left column.
 * 5) Enter the Accuracy (param deviation):
 * 6) * 0.5 is the default value in FreeCAD.
 * 7) * 0.05 allows a stronger smoothing.
 * 8) * 0.01 is perfect from a smoothing point of view.
 * 9) Press the  button.

The lower the deviation, the better the quality, but the larger the size of the stl file. The value must be between 0 and 1

Links

 * Forum discussion (French)
 * Macros recipes

Credits
Thanks to openBrain for the help on the code. Very good teacher! Thanks to Mario 52, David69 and Roy_043 for the help on this wiki.

Script
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Code
ver 00.02 21/01/2023 by 2cv001 3D_Printer_Workflow.FCMacro

""" Macro that creates an "stl" file with perfect rounding = without visible facets. It also allows to launch programs of your choice For example to automate the FreeCAD -> Slicer -> printing workflow
 * 1) !/usr/bin/env python
 * 2) -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 * 3) ==  Workflow to print with "stl" file with perfect rounding     ==
 * 4) ==  and launch others programs                                  ==
 * 5) ABOUT
 * 6) version v00.02
 * 1) ==  and launch others programs                                  ==
 * 2) ABOUT
 * 3) version v00.02
 * 1) ABOUT
 * 2) version v00.02
 * 1) version v00.02
 * 1) version v00.02

Principle of smoothing : it modifies the deviation property of the solids before generation of the stl and then replace the old values At the end, it proposes to launch the stl file which will open for example under cura if the stl extension has been associated with cura in your operating system.

Launching other programs or commands : You can ask it to chain any program or command that you might type in a terminal. To do this, you must change what is in the "parameters that can be changed" section.

Examples of applications: - Turn on the printer and the light (requires for example a controlled socket) - Connect octoprint to the printer - Start the tray preheating - Save your FreeCAD and stl file ....

Tested on windows and Linux """ import FreeCAD as App import Mesh from PySide2 import QtCore, QtWidgets import os, sys, subprocess import time import FreeCADGui as Gui


 * 1) Parameters that can be changed
 * 1) Parameters that can be changed


 * 1) Smoothing management

deviation=0.01 doitLancerFichier=True # if True, it will be proposed to launch the stl file. # otherwise put False
 * 1) deviation : default value that will be displayed in the dialog box.
 * 2) 0.5 is the default value in FreeCad, 0.05 allows a stronger smoothing.
 * 3) 0.01 is perfect from a smoothing point of view.
 * 4) The lower the value, the better the quality,
 * 5) but the larger the size of the stl file
 * 6) the value must be between 0 and 1


 * 1) Automatic program launch,
 * 2) Automation of the production line

delaiMax=10 # if the user enters a delay greater than this value, # it will be reduced to delaiMax

#Typically for example a home automation program, #turn on your printer or/and a light etc.   #Use the following syntax by adding a line below, in commands=[....:
 * 1) To launch programs of your choice
 * 1)  [ ['command to execute', 'param 1', param 2, ] ,'.extention','question to ask', waiting time],
 * 2) 'command to execute' : the command you want to execute.
 * 3) 'param 1, param 2,...' : if your program needs parameters.
 * 4) These parameters will be taken into account only if extention=''.
 * 5) 'extention': if not empty then the first parameter will be replaced by the name of
 * 6) your FreeCAD file but with this extension.
 * 7) 'question to ask': the question to display in the dialog box
 * 8) time_wait : optional : nb of seconds to wait after execution
 * 9) allows for example to wait for the printer to start before asking it  to heat the plate
 * 1) time_wait : optional : nb of seconds to wait after execution
 * 2) allows for example to wait for the printer to start before asking it  to heat the plate


 * 1) Note the double \ in place of \ (because the special characters
 * 2) must be preceded by an \ in python). ditto for the apostrophe for example
 * 3) the lines in question are to be inserted further down after commands=[...
 * 4) Examples of possible launches:
 * 1) Examples of possible launches:

""" [ ['calc.exe'                                        ] ,    ,'Launch the calculator ?'], [ ['C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\mspaint.exe','dessin.jpg'  ] ,    ,'Launch  Paint ?'          ], [ ['C:\\Program Files\\Ultimaker Cura 4.8.0\\Cura.exe'] ,'.stl','Launch  Cura ?'           ], [ ['curl','http://pidomotique/connecte.php'           ],    ,'Connect the printer ?'], [ ['C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe','https://octopi.local'],,'Launch Octoprint ?'], On linux: [ [   'firefox','https://octopi.local'                ] , ''   ,'Launch Octoprint ?'      ],

Example of printer control via octoprint (if you have it...): temperature setting of the plate - Replace the XXX after X-Api-Key: by your API key (found in the octoprint parameters) - Replace http://octopi.local by the url with which you access octoprint - Change the value 050 in "M140 S050". S050 indicates that you need to heat to 50°. if you want 60°, replace S050 by S060 - 6 lines to copy after having adapted it: [     [  'curl','-H', 'Content-Type: application/json','-H', 'X-Api-Key: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX', '-X', 'POST', '-d {"command":"M140 S050"}','http://octopi.local/api/printer/command' ]          , '','Warm up the printer plate ?' ],

"""

commandes=[ [ ['curl', 'https://pijeedom/core/api/jeeApi.php?apikey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&type=cmd&id=4042','--insecure' ], ''   ,'Turn on and connect printer ?',10], [ ['curl','https://pijeedom/core/api/jeeApi.php?apikey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&type=cmd&id=4048','--insecure'  ], ''   ,'Heat the bed ?'], [ ['C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe','https://octopi'],'','Launch Octoprint ?'],
 * 1) insert your lines here.
 * 2)  [ ['calc.exe'                                         ] ,''    ,'Lancer la calculatrice ?',2],
 * 3)  [ ['C:\\Program Files\\Ultimaker Cura 5.2.1\\Ultimaker-Cura.exe'] ,'.stl','Lancer Cura ?'           ],
 * 4)  [  ['curl','http://pidomotique/connecte.php'              ], ''   ,'Allumer et connecter l\'imprimante ?',4],
 * 5) 2 jeedom command that I use. Put a # at the begining of the 2 lines.


 * 1) an example for octopi (heat the bed). Replace XXXX with your octopi API key. See explanations above
 * 2) and remove the # at the begin of the next 6 lines
 * 3)      [  'curl','-H', 'Content-Type: application/json','-H', 'X-Api-Key: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx', '-X', 'POST',
 * 4)            '-d {"command":"M140 S050"}','http://octopi.local/api/printer/command'
 * 5)      ]
 * 6)           , '','Warm up the printer plate ?'
 * ],
 * ],

]

dictionnaireOrigineDeviation={} mw = Gui.getMainWindow indiceCommandeEtParam=0 indiceExtFileNameParamCommandeALancer=1 indiceTextAutreCommandeALancer=2 indiceDelai=3
 * 1) Initialisations
 * 1) Initialisations

class BoiteDialogueSTLGuiClass(QtWidgets.QDialog):
 * 1) UI Class definitions

def __init__(self, parent=None): super(BoiteDialogueSTLGuiClass, self).__init__(parent) self.initUI

def initUI(self): self.tabCheckboxTextCommandes=[] # table of checkbox commands to run self.setGeometry( 250, 250, 400, 150) self.setWindowTitle("Export and launch software") lay = QtWidgets.QGridLayout(self)

# checkboxs self.checkboxGenererSTL = QtWidgets.QCheckBox("Generate STL ?", self) self.checkboxGenererSTL.setCheckState(QtCore.Qt.Checked) lay.addWidget(self.checkboxGenererSTL, 0, 0) if doitLancerFichier : self.checkboxLancerSTL = QtWidgets.QCheckBox("Launch the slicer ?", self) self.checkboxLancerSTL.setCheckState(QtCore.Qt.Checked) lay.addWidget(self.checkboxLancerSTL, 2, 0)

for posLigne, cmd in enumerate(commandes, start=3): textCommande=cmd[indiceTextAutreCommandeALancer] self.checkboxTextCommande = QtWidgets.QCheckBox(textCommande, self) # storing this checkbox in a table : self.tabCheckboxTextCommandes.append(self.checkboxTextCommande) self.checkboxTextCommande.setCheckState(QtCore.Qt.Checked) lay.addWidget(self.checkboxTextCommande, posLigne, 0)

# numeric input field self.label2 = QtWidgets.QLabel('Accuracy (param deviation)\nbetween 0.01 and 1\n' +           '0.01 for high quality', self) lay.addWidget(self.label2, 0, 1)

self.precision = QtWidgets.QDoubleSpinBox(self) self.precision.setValue(deviation) self.precision.setRange(0.01,1) self.precision.setSingleStep(0.01) self.precision.setToolTip('The larger the number, the larger the file size\n' +           'and the better the accuracy.\n' +            'See the deviation parameter in FreeCAD') lay.addWidget(self.precision, 0, 2)

butBox = QtWidgets.QDialogButtonBox(self) butBox.setOrientation(QtCore.Qt.Horizontal) butBox.setStandardButtons(QtWidgets.QDialogButtonBox.Cancel | QtWidgets.QDialogButtonBox.Ok) lay.addWidget(butBox) butBox.accepted.connect(self.accept) butBox.rejected.connect(self.reject)

self.setLayout(lay)

def octopi(api,commande,urlOctopi,apiKey) : """   Function that returns the parameter to pass to subprocess.Popen if you want to run an    an octopi API. Not used here. But for memory purposes and a future evolution
 * 1) functions
 * 1) functions

Arguments : api : the api to run ex: '/api/printer/command' commande : the command of the API in question ex: '{"command": "M140 S050"}' urlOctoprint : the url of your octopi ex : 'https://octopi.local' apiKey : the API key you find in setting/API of octoprint Returns :

Example API running a gcode. Here the heating of the printer plate subprocess.Popen(                         octopi( '/api/printer/command', '{"command":"M140 S050"}', 'https://octopi.local', 'XXXXKEYXAPIXXXXXXXX')) ,close_fds=True)   """    commandeCurl=[    'curl','-H', 'Content-Type: application/json','-H',         'X-Api-Key: '+apiKey,         '-X', 'POST',        '-d '+commande,urlOctopi+api    ]    return commandeCurl

def nameFileStl(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation,mw=Gui.getMainWindow): """   Function that determines and returns the file name including path    where the stl will be saved    The FreeCAD document containing the dictionary objects must be    opened and saved

Arguments : dictionaryOrigineDeviation (dictionary) : a dictionary whose keys are FreeCAD solids. the filename will be obtained from the filename of the of the document containing the first object (solid) of this dictionary

Returns : '' if the document does not exist, otherwise the name of the file where the stl will be saved

Example """

doc=list(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation.keys)[0].Document if doc is None: QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(mw,'Warning',\           "You do not have a document open") return '' if doc.FileName=='': QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(mw,            'Warning','Save your document before restarting the order') return '' return(os.path.splitext(doc.FileName)[0]+'.stl')

def memoriseObjEtDeviation(selection,deviationImpose): """   Memorises the solids that are contained in selection and their    deviation property and replaces it with the value    of deviationImpose    It imposes a subsequent recompute by a touch.    Recompute must eventually be run after

Arguments : selection: a selection of objects deviationImpose (float): value that we want to impose to deviation.

Returns: a dictionary containing the object in key and the deviation in value Returns {} if there is no suitable object in the selection

Example: memoriseObjEtDeviation(Gui.Selection.getSelection,deviation) """   dicoObjDeviation={}    for objData in selection :        if objData.isDerivedFrom('Part::Feature') \          and not objData.isDerivedFrom('PartDesign::Feature')\          and not objData.isDerivedFrom('Part::Part2DObject'):            dicoObjDeviation[objData]=objData.ViewObject.Deviation            objData.ViewObject.Deviation=deviationImpose           # pour imposer un recompute même si la déviation est plus petite           # qu'avant :            objData.touch            for o in objData.ViewObject.claimChildren:                    o.touch    return dicoObjDeviation

def restitueDeviation(dicoOrigineDeviation): """ Function that replaces the deviation property in the objects   It imposes a recompute by a touch. recompute must be    run after

Arguments: dicoOrigineDeviation a dictionary containing the object in key and the value to be imposed in the deviation property of the object in value

Returns: Does not return anything

Example: restitueDeviation(dicoOrigineDeviation)

"""   for ob2 in dicoOrigineDeviation:        ob2.ViewObject.Deviation=dicoOrigineDeviation[ob2]        # to impose a recompute even if the deviation is smaller        # than before:        ob2.touch        for o in ob2.ViewObject.claimChildren:            o.touch

def openFile(fileName): """ function that launches a file depending on the operating system   checked for now only under windows

Arguments: fileName (string) the name of the file to run

Returns Does not return anything

Example: openFile(unfichier.stl) openFile(calc.exe) """   if sys.platform == "win32":        os.startfile(fileName)    else:        opener ="open" if sys.platform == "darwin" else "xdg-open"        subprocess.Popen([opener, fileName],close_fds=True)

def recalcul(dicoObjs): """   launches a recompute for each Document of the dico objects    only if it has not already been done    Arguments:        dicoObjs a dictionary containing the object in key

Returns Does not return anything

Example: recalcul(dicoMesObjets) """   docDejaRecalcul=[]    for obj in dicoObjs:        if obj.Document not in docDejaRecalcul:            obj.Document.recompute            docDejaRecalcul.append(obj.Document)

def lanceCommmandes(commandesAlancer,fileStlName,formBoiteDialogueSTL): """   launch the orders    Arguments:        commandesAlancer in the form of an array of arrays        [ ['command to execute', 'param 1', param 2, ] ,'.extention','question to ask',delay ],          ['command to execute', 'param 1', param 2, ] ,'.extention','question to ask',delay ],          ...        ]         'command to execute' : the command you want to execute.         For example 'myProgram.exe' if need, put also its path.         param 1, param2... ' : if your program needs parameters.            Will only be taken into account if extention=''.         'extention': if not empty, parameter param 1 will be the name of your              FreeCAD file but with your extension :         question to ask': the question to display in the dialog box         delay: waiting time in seconds before going to the next command.

Returns Do not return anything

Example: lanceCommmandes(commandes,fileStlName,formBoiteDialogueSTL) # lance les commandes que l'on a décrites dans commandes """

for tbktc in formBoiteDialogueSTL.tabCheckboxTextCommandes : if tbktc.isChecked : i= formBoiteDialogueSTL.tabCheckboxTextCommandes.index(tbktc) commande=commandesAlancer[i] commandeEtParam=commande[indiceCommandeEtParam] extFileNameParamCommandeALancer=commande[indiceExtFileNameParamCommandeALancer] textAutreCommandeALancer=commande[indiceTextAutreCommandeALancer] delai=0 try : if commande[indiceDelai:indiceDelai+1]!=[] : #si l'utilisateur a rentré un délai delai=commande[indiceDelai] except : print ('Délai non pris en compte car valeur numérique non valide'+                     'pour la commande '+ textAutreCommandeALancer) if delai > delaiMax : delai=delaiMax

if extFileNameParamCommandeALancer!='': if commandeEtParam[2:3]==[] : # Il n'y a aucun paramètre. # On ajoute un paramètre pour y mettre notre nom de fichier # avec notre extension. commandeEtParam.append('') commandeEtParam[1]=  os.path.splitext(fileStlName)[0]+  extFileNameParamCommandeALancer subprocess.Popen(commandeEtParam,close_fds=True) print(commandeEtParam) time.sleep(delai)# Pause de durée delai secondes

def run(objs=Gui.Selection.getSelection, dev=deviation): """   main function    Arguments:        doc: the active document        objs : the objects that have been selected beforehand        dev : the value of the deviation property which will be              imposed before the generation of the stl

Returns Returns nothing

Example: run """

#check if at least one solid (body and similar) has been selected nbBody=0 for objData in objs : if objData.isDerivedFrom('Part::Feature') \ and not objData.isDerivedFrom('PartDesign::Feature')\ and not objData.isDerivedFrom('Part::Part2DObject'): nbBody=nbBody+1

if nbBody==0: # if we haven't found any solids, we have to have an active one try: objs=[] objs.append(Gui.ActiveDocument.ActiveView.getActiveObject('pdbody')) response=QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(mw, 'Warning',\           '-You did not select a solid. Automatic solid selection : '+objs[0].Label +            ' by the macro..\n-If not adequate, select one or more solids before running the macro',                  QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Ok | QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Cancel ) if response==QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Cancel : return except : QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(mw, 'Warning',\           '--Select one or more solids before running the macro') return

formBoiteDialogueSTL=BoiteDialogueSTLGuiClass(mw) if not formBoiteDialogueSTL.exec_ : return dev=formBoiteDialogueSTL.precision.value # we memorize the selected solids and their deviation, # we make a touch of their child to be taken into account in recompute : dictionnaireOrigineDeviation=memoriseObjEtDeviation(objs,dev) if len(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation)==0: # si on a trouvé aucun solide QtWidgets.QMessageBox.information(mw, 'Warning',\           '-Select one or more solids before running the macro') return # we get the name of the file where we have to save the stl fileStlName=nameFileStl(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation) if fileStlName == '' : return #The solids in dictionaryOriginDeviation are passed as parameters if formBoiteDialogueSTL.checkboxGenererSTL.isChecked: Mesh.export(list(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation.keys), fileStlName) print('Export done') # restitution of the original property deviation for all solids : restitueDeviation(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation) recalcul(dictionnaireOrigineDeviation)
 * 1) Dialog box of what we want to do

if formBoiteDialogueSTL.checkboxLancerSTL.isChecked: #runs for example cura if cura has been associated with *.stl files openFile(fileStlName)

lanceCommmandes(commandes,fileStlName,formBoiteDialogueSTL) # runs the commands described in commands

if __name__ == '__main__': run