Printer selection in Prepare tab - confusing at best

Bambu Lab Software Feature Requests
1

Hi,

In Bambu Studio there are two places to select current printer, in ‘Prepare’ tab and ‘Device’ tab.
I wish they would do the same thing, namely switching between my printers (H2D and X1C).

The change in ‘Device’ tab is ok, the one in ‘Prepare’ is confusing, it wont really change the active printer.
I understand it allows to prepare the prints for the printers you don’t have, but maybe there could be some other way to do it - like adding virtual printer, available in both tabs?

Some of the current disadvantages:

  • you can have different printers set in ‘Device’ and ‘Prepare’ tabs, it is quite confusing, a waste of time to check, and generate errors if set incorrectly
  • I usually prepare multiple prints for two different printers, in multiple Bambu Studio instances; since Bambu Studio retains the last used printer as default, when I start the new instance I often have to change the printer, and to do it I have to go to the ‘Device’ tab, change the printer, then go back to ‘Prepare’, sync the printer… after tenth time is starts to be very annoying
  • when loading profiles from MW I usually end up with different printers in both tabs, and it would be more convenient to change it in ‘Prepare’.
1 Like
2

I dont use bambustudio, but I’m not sure why this is necessary? The device tab is to monitor active jobs. Just do it all in the prepare screen? Are you saying you need to re-bind your printer every time you open studio?

3

They are used for two different purpose.

Knowing why is beneficial.

Prepare Tab

Here you are deciding which print will be used to print this set of build plates and the models placed on them.

You do this so you know where you can and can’t place things. The A1 mini has far less printable area than any other printer. The A1 can print more than the P or X series. Knowing this and getting it right helps you print successfully and if you share these profiles with others, they will have things ready to print on their printer.

You can select a printer you do not have to see how it might work on that.

You are preparing the models ready for printing.

Device Tab

Here you are controlling the printer or multiple printers you have connected. It has nothing to do with the job you are preparing.

You are setting filaments and more if you do it here rather than the directly on the printer.

You can set value for temp and other factors related to where the print head is. You choose if this printer, the one you are talking to having set it, has optional settings like AMS auto refill, these are performed by printer, if you have more than one, you need to set if for each.

Use

When you are ready to print, you use what you set up in the Preview Tab, to slice to the Preview Tab to confirm what you planned will work. You then tell it to print to one of the printers you controlled in the Device Tab.

Conclusion

What you do in the Prepare tab is all about setting up the things you wish to print.

What you do in the Device tab is all about configuring and monitoring your print.

These are two different things for two different purposes.

3 Likes
4

I agree that it makes sense, clean and logical, up to the point :wink:
Worked great when I had just one printer, I suppose several of the same type will be also ok.

But now I have X1C and H2D, and half of the time BS opens with the wrong printer active.

I change often change filaments in the AMS between prints, also nozzle sizes, and it makes sense to sync the printer before setting everything (in Prepare), but first I have to check the active printer (in Device).
Even if I get the correct printer, I don’t see it in Prepare and have to go to Device to check it.
Syncing the wrong printer screws the object arrangement due to different plate sizes (thanks god for Alt+Z).

It gets even worse with multiple instances of BS, two printers busy printing, while I prepare several prints in advance. I try to keep up, but… there must be better way to do it.

I would like to at least see what printer is active in Prepare, maybe with some indicator if it is the same as selected in drop down menu.
It would be even nicer to be able to change it without switching tabs.
Doesn’t need to be implemented in current drop down menu, could be separate field.

A it is, I can’t setup the model in Prepare without going to Device.
Or can I? Maybe I will just change my workflow… now I see that syncing the printer before setting up the model is just a shortcut, setting filament type, nozzle size etc. by hand won’t be that cumbersome :thinking:

I will see how it plays out.

Thank you guys for the discussion, I had to write it down to see it more clearly.

5

I have five active printers of two different types. As I have two types with two different build volumes, I need to remember what I am doing with each, but that is my job to do.

We can’t expect the software to guess what is in our mind, which is our job to manage.

When I read this I guessed like many, including me, you have multiple instances open at the same time. It can make it easier to manage things when you wish to be running multiple projects at the same time. I often have 10 or more instances open simultaneously with my five printers, so I can manage active prints and lending jobs.

I was correct, you run multiple instances.

You may be unaware that the last instance closed or saved sets the values for the next instance opened.

It isn’t using the wrong printer in the device tab, it uses the last instance saved or closed.

Maybe if you understand that it may help you know how it works.

Yes you can, that is what it is used for.

If you are setting up a job ready to print on your x series printer, do that. You can begin a print without ever going to the device tab. Slice the build plate and set it to print, select the printer you wish to send it to, matching the one you designed it to use.

You can setup the filaments and nozzle sizes directly on each of your printers if you wish, again, never going near the device tab.

I am not saying you shouldn’t use the device tab, I a, just saying you should learn when it is required in your workflow and when it is unnecessary.

I suggest you utilise the Bambu Lab Academy Courses to learn more about your printers and Bambu Study. Not only will you gain a fuller knowledge of your equipment, you can earn some extra points.

https://bambulab.com/en-us/support/academy

6

Thanks again.
I am in the middle of the academy, don’t have time to take it in one go.
You are right, it is better if I adapt to the software (pretty good overall) that the other way round.

7

I have changed the way I prepare models, even organized files on the disc differently.
Easier to manage, faster, worth a while.

But it still does not make sense to have Sync button in one tab, and Current printer on the other tab. I have to go back and forth before starting every print.

Having both controls in both tabs would be more convenient (IMHO).
Especially in Prepare, both printer type dropdown/picture (as it is), and active printer next to sync button.

8

The Sync button is ONLY there to save you the time of manually setting up the pool of filament choices in the Prepare Tab. Once synced, there is no association between the device and the Prepare Tab.

It takes a snapshot of the AMS contents for the currently selected printer from Device Tab, you could then swap one spool for another and the Prepare Tab would have no idea, as you have not synced (snapshot of the AMS) it afterwards.

There is no connection between the filaments in an single printer you have connected and the pool of filaments you have shown in the Prepare Tab.

You may not understand the reason why these are two different things for two different purpose, but that doesn’t make it untrue.

Everything I said above are the reasons and purposes.

One is to set up models to be printed and the other is to control the printer.

9

Well,

it is not about me understanding the logic, it is about me having to check/change what printer is active in Device tab, before going back to Prepare and clicking ‘Print’.

Actually, in my opinion it goes against what you say - Device tab is for monitoring the active print, not for preparing the print, right?

I just want to stay in Prepare/Preview up to the print start - and it is not possible just now. Well, maybe sometimes. In my case there is 50% chance that I have the wrong printer active.

Anyway, it is just an idea. There are some dialogs I don’t use, maybe ‘active printer’ menu in Prepare would be appreciated by some people, while ignored by others :man_shrugging:.

And I don’t want to discuss “ONLY there to save (…) time” - that’s the whole point :smile:

10

There is no need to interact with the Device Tab in order to print something you have set up in the Prepare Tab.

As you prepare to set up your model to print, you choose the printer your Profile will use, set your filaments, either manually or using Sync, slice your print, and select the printer from that window to print.

Not once have you needed to go to the Device Tab.

Another example, assuming you have not used the Sync button or even bothered to match any filament.

As you prepare to set up your model to print, you choose the printer your Profile will use, randomly select filaments, slice your print, and select the printer from that window to print. Now, you manually match the model filaments to those on your selected printer.

Not once have you needed to go to the Device Tab.

You also need to remember that the Prepare Tab is used to support printers you do not have. This is perfect for those who need to verify their models will work on the build surface of other printers. It is also required when you download a model, and the author of that profile had a printer set that you do not have. It is the printer that is used to start with, before you make changes to work with your printer.

You must remember that the software is designed to perform multiple roles and use cases that you have not experienced. The fact that the software is performing many jobs and that you are struggling to understand how to use it doesn’t mean it is wrong.

More time with it will hopefully provide a better understanding.

11

We are going in circles.
Just to close the discussion.

I don’t want to remove anything, nor question the usefulness of the existing setup.

My point is that I get unnecessary (IMO) errors, not always, only from time to time, and you can easily replicate this in your setup:

  • lets assume that BS is started with printer 1
  • you setup the print for printer 2, just as you suggest, bells and whistles, nozzle set, filaments sorted, checked everything in preview, ready for print
  • click Print, and the warning pops up - alas, wrong printer

Entirely my fault for not checking. 20 seconds lost. It is not a big thing, I can live with it. But is is still annoying.

Now, tell me that it never happens to you… or are you a robot?

If the active printer was at least indicated in Prepare, it would quickly become a routine to glance on it before print, no hassle, problem solved.
May be even on the title bar, next to the filename, I don’t care.
Just one additional info to make life easier - without ruining anything?

This is not about me criticizing Bambu.
I really like the software, and i don’t have the feeling that I struggle with it.
Unless you can show me the option for it that I missed?

And while I appreciate your insight, I find your horse a tad too high :wink:

1 Like
12

This assumes you have decided to ignore the printer drop-down in the print window, as I stated earlier.

Screenshot 2025-09-03 at 01.53.55
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I have to assume that you “setup the print for printer 2” that you intend to use printer 2. When the print window appears, showing a printer choice dropdown as a choice:

  • Printer 1
  • Printer 2

You select printer 2.

You are off to the races, you are printing, no wasted time, and you used the software as intended.

Those are two separate questions.

Nope, because I chose the printer from the drop-down.

As I mentioned, it doesn’t happen, but that doesn’t mean I am not a robot.

I am the son of a microwave and a toaster after all.

I just did.

You are welcome.

Hopefully, you can jump on my very tall horse now.

13

New instance of BS, last saved project was for X1C

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Print prepared for H2D

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Slice plate, Print plate

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oops…
haven’t checked active printer in Device tab… again…

BTW, the title of this topic is no longer relevant, after your explanation I no longer find the dialog confusing, but I still would have to see active printer in Prepare, and maybe change it without going to another tab

15

You said you set it for printer 2, yet you are now complaining you didn’t set it for printer 2.

Using your printer names:

  • You setup a print for the H2D
  • You slice
  • You go to print
  • The drop-down shows the X series
  • You get confused
  • A little angry

You should have done this:

  • You setup a print for the H2D
  • You slice
  • You go to print
  • The drop-down shows the X series
  • Select the drop down
  • Choose H2D

Why are you not doing that?

Unless you are telling me despite setting the printer in the Prepare Tab to H2D, you wanted it to be the X series.

If so, why didn’t you set the printer in the
Prepare Tab to the X series in the first place?

Remember, the prepare is all about choosing the build plate size rather than a printer, it only uses the printer name to simplify the meaning.

16

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you mean, “you go to Device”
and after choosing H2D go back to Preview and start the print

This is exactly my point.

I know how to do it.
I just wish for an alternative (for me quicker) way to do it.

17

No

If I meant that, I would have said that.

Why are you refusing to select the printer name in the PRINTER window after pressing Print?

You do not, I repeat, do not, need to go to the Device Tab.

For the avoidance of doubt, I have not suggested you go near the Device Tab. In fact, I have repeatedly said not to, so don’t.

Read what I say, do that, don’t pretend I said something else and learn the thing I am desperately trying to yea h you for your benefit and clearly not my health.

As I said earlier, when you click the printer name, assuming it is wrong, you are presented with a list of all your printers.

  • Select
  • Choose
1 Like
18

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What part of this message do you not understand?

You can select the printer in the Prepare tab, or you can select it after you choose Print but before you hit Send.

1 Like
19

oh, now I get it!

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you cropped it so close I did not get… well… the full picture

ok, I can live with it

no buts this time :+1:

1 Like
20

:person_facepalming:
I didn’t read the red part through…

Now i feel plain stupid…

It is not obvious from the first look of that window that there is a drop down menu, and not just the picture of active printer.

The interface feels like point and click adventure game sometimes…
I guess I need to complete the Academy ASAP, or I will go crazy.

21

thanks again, guys
especially MalcTheOracle for exceptional patience :wink:

I have changed the solution for Ikraus reply, it sums it up in one sentence