I don’t use Bambu Studio or a Bambu Labs printer, but I decided to upload a print profile to MakerWorld today. Or at least, I tried to. Apparently I can’t upload gcode. This makes no sense to me. Sure, accept 3MF files, but I’d like to be able to upload gcode too. This probably has to do with the fact that other users can open the file and slice it for their own machine. Well, I don’t use Bambu Studio (I use PrusaSlicer) and so I don’t have a Bambu 3MF. Gcode uploading seems to be fine for platforms like… everywhere else.
The print profile system is built around their cloud platform. While people can download print profiles and all that the more traditional way, it also works in conjunction with the cloud and the app, where it slices the file in the cloud and sends down the gcode to the user’s printer. A print profile is a project file, essentially. Because of it’s integration in the cloud, it needs their slicer software to create it.
You’re talking about trying to upload gcode? But I don’t see how that’s useful. Especially because this is a Bambu focused model repository… What printer is this gcode you’re talking about even for? And it’s a pre-sliced model, but what if someone has an A1 mini vs a X1C? They are different enough that you can’t just shove the gcode from one into the other and expect the same magic.
I never got the reason to include gcode files, as that can be a bit too specific to a printer. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to reject gcode files.
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Gcode is not printer-agnostic, and pre-sliced gcode can be different depending on the target printer.
You don’t need to use Bambu Studio to upload 3MF files; There are different ways and even Prusa embraces the 3MF format:
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To prevent users running gcode generated for printer X on printer Y and damaging hardware as a result.
It might be fine sometimes if printers are similar enough, but the times it’s not will be expensive.
I believe you see them on printables just to provide time estimates, but even then I see almost every author warning against using them and slicing themselves.
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That’s exactly why 3MF is a thing. It allows the addition of curated settings and features, the user just needs to slice the file to the target printer and print it.
On the upload page it says “Only 3MF files produced by Bambu Studio are supported.” Is this true or will a PrusaSlicer 3MF work?
To prevent users running gcode generated for printer X on printer Y and damaging hardware as a result.
Sure, but it says what printer it’s for. It saves the step of slicing it.
There’s your answer.
(This is specifically meant towards print profiles. Actual Models don’t need to be a Bambu 3MF.)
I didn’t see the utility of sharing gcode until I found a use case where I’d like to share post processed gcode with users of a specific printer (such as the X1C).
Normally it wouldn’t be a good idea to run gcode from the internet but gcode can be previewed in the slicer before running and MakerWorld could tag the gcode as being only for certain printer models for safety.
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