I am not as much new to glowforge but I am new to using the community boards and so this might not be the correct place to post this but…
Is there any feature possibly in the works where once the app calculates the movements and time for a print it would then give you an option to start at a specific time point in it (i.e. 10:23; meaning the point that is ten minute and 23 seconds into the print)? If it calculates all movement and time when you hit print then wouldn’t it know where the laser head would be at a specific time point and be able to just start there?
I certainly might be overlooking something, such as the actual need for it. I just figure that with a feature like that then I could pause the GF in a print, record the timestamp of how much it had left, power off the machine (making sure to not open the lid and move the project) and go off and do other things. Then I can come back, power it on, click print, and then enter in a starting time stamp. It also would have been handy when I had a few times of my GF canceling.
That wish has been requested for a long time and most of us have half engraved scraps where something happened. When cutting out, if it stops and you have the piece firmly in place, you can rerun the cut and it will work decently.
I has only happened to me once where for whatever reason I had to restart an engraving. I can’t even remember why now. Anyhow, I eyeballed a piece of scrap wood over the already engraved area and ran the engrave again. It came out close enough that I couldn’t see where it had previously stopped.
That would be interesting if it did different calculate the same path if there has been no changes to settings or design. I agree there is more then one path to a solution but does it randomly select a solution as opposed to selecting one that has the highest efficiency? And if there are no changes to the setting, file, placement, (basically all app parameters for a print) then the most efficient path would not change.
Although I see if you wait a week or so before restarting then there might be new updates on how the app calculates a path and I could see that being different. Either way, there could be a disclaimer when using the feature and the user can choose to proceed or not.
It doesn’t path sort to create the most efficient solution. The odds are definitely higher that it uses the same path ordering if nothing is moved/changed, but I still don’t think it guarantees anything.
That said, I think it’s an interesting idea.
I think the actual solution might be to actually either keep the last job in storage (which could actually accomplish two things: have a repeat job function as well as your time slider/resume idea), or keep the motion plan stored/accessible somewhere on the server.
The first solution would be ideal as far as accomplishing a repeat function along with your idea since it wouldn’t require downloading the motion plan again.
That is a good idea! No doubt there certainly are ideas that would provide a more solid solution. The solution of time based start is one that might be better then nothing and wouldn’t require much app architecture change (from at least what I understand of the architecture).
I had seen other topics in the forms about the ability of controlling when the print starts so that it can be paused and you can power off the GF and return later. All the solutions I came across were ones that would require a good amount of development and integration. I figure telling the GF to start at a time in the print after it calculates would not be the ideal solution but a simplified solution.
Sometimes life happens…for example, your spouses car might break down and they need to you come give them a ride but you are are halfway in on a long print and have to make a hard choice…not speaking from experience or anything (kidding)…but the print was worth it.
You can hit pause. Leave for what you need <hour, come back and hit the magic button again and it will continue from where you left off. (make sure cat or kids cannot come into the room and push the shiny button)
I am not the type to even leave the dryer running when not home I know you are supposed to be able to but I just never leave the house if the GF is powered on. That is just a personal choice because one of my worst fears is there being a house fire and my dogs cant get out.
Can we pleaseeeee live in a world where dogs can go everywhere (and inside any place) that people can go…Yes a house fire from something like leaving the glowforge on is a low probability, but as I said, its a personal choice for me to not accept that risk.
We can continue trying to resolve this example from the past on why there was reason to pause and power off the glowforge. I hope to not deter from my original suggestion of a solution for future cases until a more ideal solution is developed and implemented.
It would take special dogs. Winter Park, FL is such a place. My business partner had such a dog and she was very politically active in creating such acceptance. Her gigantic chow could and largely did go everywhere with her with never a leash. If we went to eat where the dog was not allowed, she would sit him down outside and even if we were three hours eating when we came out the dog would be like a sculpture at the entrance exactly where he was told to wait. One time there was a very young child trying to ride him like a horsey and he was putting up with it, never budging from his place. or having so much as a growl for the child.
There were many other places that had outside dining and there was not only a water bowl for the dogs, but you could order dinner for the dog when you ordered your own dinner.
Quick backstory: The Lightburn software actually come about by someone who had pre-ordered a Glowforge, if I remember correctly. They ended up canceling it at some point and wrote a software package to interface with eastern-lasers utilizing a specific controller.
I’ve never actually used the software, but it seems like it can do some interesting things.
Just from looking at the video though, I can tell that I’d hate the Inkscape type User Interface. But, that doesn’t really diminish some of the cool features.
HI @MyDogsThinkImCrazy - Thank you so much for this awesome feature suggestion—this would definitely be very useful! I’ve shared your suggestions with the product team with a note that it came from a customer request.
Many thanks also to the others who offered feedback and suggestions on this thread!
I know you are supposed to be able to but I just never leave the house if the GF is powered on. That is just a personal choice because one of my worst fears is there being a house fire and my dogs cant get out.
