Bambu Studio - profile confusion and some clarity

Bambu Lab Software Bambu Studio
1

I am new to Bambu Labs, and am currently learning this system.

It appears there is a design problem with the way ‘profiles’ are managed.

In the documentation there are three types/categories of profile information.

  1. Printer - for physical printer configuration
  2. Filament - for individual filaments
  3. Process - details related to the printing mechanics of a specific object.

In the documentation there are three ways to ‘save’ profile information.

  1. System presets - not changeable (but update able with updates by Bambu)
  2. User presets - these presets are stored locally on the users PC and contain user customization to system presets.
  3. Project presets - these presets are stored inside 3MF files (as an in-bedded profile object) and are distributed with the file as it is shared about the community.

NOTE: There is one other location profile settings are stored and this location is basically not mentioned. I think this detail should be mentioned as it is a key concept to understand the way ‘profile’ information is moved about through the community.

  1. Model presets - these presets are stored inside the 3MF file, but unlike the “project presets”, which are stored as a profile object within the 3MF, the “model presets” are stored with the ‘model itself’ and are applied automatically when the file is opened by the user.

This 4th item is not mentioned and as such is causing confusion. Here is an example of the confusion it is creating.

a. User selects a model from the online collection and ‘opens’ the 3mf file in studio. “NO CHANGES MADE” - Just open the file.
b. The user ‘closes’ the file. (again, no changes made & then studio prompts the user to ‘save’)

Problem: When a user opens a file, and changes nothing, the system should not ask for a ‘save changes’, as there are no changes. This should never happen, I think that is an fair statement.

Reason this Happens:
Bambu studio, when opening a 3MF file, will apply settings saved in the 3MF file (the model presets) to the settings in bambu studio reflecting the choices the model designer chose when they designed the object.

Bambu Studio will register these settings from the 3MF file as changes, and show these changes with via change indicators such as color and reset buttons designed into the user interface. (Fantastic, this is a great feature and works nicely)

Bambu Studio, when closing the ‘unmodified’ file, fails to understand these model presets are already saved and current in the 3MF file the user opened.

Bambu studio instead prompts the user to ‘save’ these ‘model presets’ as either a

  • ‘user preset - saved to config file on disk’,
    OR
  • 'project preset - saved inside the 3MF as a profile object.

Summary.

I think that because we have ‘presets’ that belong to the ‘model itself’ and are stored in the 3MF file, and since this is not actively communicated/described in the documentation, it creates good amount of confusion, ESPECIALLY when a user opens a file, changes nothing, and then goes to close the file and is prompted to ‘save’ the settings.

  1. Update the documentation to include a 4th category detailing where parameters are stored.
  2. Do not prompt the user to ‘save’ the model presets that originate from within the 3MF file. If they have not changed, there is no need to save them.

I hope this is making sense, and I hope this is helpful minimizing profile confusion in this product.

2 Likes
2

Hi @MakeCoolSht2000

I agree that the model settings are stored in the .3mf file. Yet, I always consider that these were considered in the process presets, which permits granular control at global, object, part, and modifier levels, with the smallest level taking precedence:
https://wiki.bambulab.com/en/software/bambu-studio/how-to-set-slicing-parameters#:~:text=the%20following%20pictures-,Set%20Process%20parameters,smallest%20level%20will%20be%20used%2C%20as%20described%20in%20the%20below%20picture.,-Global%20Level%20Parameters

I may have misunderstood the BS presets, as your observation made me doubt.

I just tried replicating the issue with three “random” .3mf files from MW and only got the save prompt when I changed something (e.g. printer model).
Can you share a link for the specific models you tested?

BS: 1.10.1.50
OS: Windows 11 64bit

1 Like
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Yes, no problem.

I am using the same version 1.10.1.50 on Win11 pro 64 23h2.

Here is a simple one for example: disk by user_2307086647 - MakerWorld

In short most if not ‘all’ of the projects from MW seem to have this behavior.

  1. Open project from “Online Models” (and other ways to open also).
  2. Note the updates to the profile settings in the Bambu Studio menus shown as changes. Not all files on MW have such changes, but most that I have seen so far seem to have custom changes like, wall thickness etc.
  3. Close the program without making any changes…
  4. Answer dialog, “Application is closing: Unsaved Changes” and it ask to save modified value or discard modified value… and if save is selected it ask to save as a user profile or a preset inside the project.

The simple model I linked has the changes listed as : sparse infill density and sparse infill pattern. Those two settings are ‘model/designer’ specific and contained in the 3MF file. Yet, if not changed by the user who opens this file, the app should not ask the user to save them imo.

Update: I’d like to add that creating a new project in BS, adding a single primitive such as a cube, and then changing the ‘wall thickness’ to 3 passes (defaulted to 2) then save the file and close the program. Then, when I open this file directly, and just hit ‘close’ the program, it again, prompts me to save this setting ‘wall thickness’. I wouldn’t expect this to be the case if I didn’t change anything.

4

I just tried and didn’t receive a warning when closing.
The difference is likely in the Bambu Studio settings if the rest is the same.

1 Like
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Thanks @JayZay, appreciate your input.

This happens on 3 instances of Bambu Studio I have freshly installed this last two weeks for various family members.

EDIT: maybe you selected the dialog box “Remember my choice” on that save dialog?

If I understand your conclusion is that you do not get this popup dialog, while I do, on several instances of this app installed on different PC’s.

I don’t know of, and cannot think of, a reason/setting in the application which may account for this behavior difference between our instances of Bambu Studio… maybe someone else has a though on this.

thanks agian.

6

This would also be my guess. I don’t recall doing it, but pressing a yes in a prompt is something plausible. But if that is the case, it would solve your request? Note that if I make any change, it will prompt me to save.

1 Like
7

Hidy on this cold day!

I cannot say the ‘Remember my choice’ option here is a solution to the confusion that I see happening and experienced myself with this application. While I have finally sorted this out in my personal mind, it is the person picking up the application for the first times that suffers this confusion.

I would like to see Bambu add a 4th category in the documentation where parameters can be stored, call it like the ‘model/designer’ profile, and change the pop up logic on the ‘save’ dialog to skip the dialog box if the user opens and makes no changes before closing a project.