GPX supports macros in the gcode stream to control GPX settings as well as to access x3g protocol capabilities that don’t map directly onto gcode. The GPX macro syntax is wrapped in a parenthetical gcode comment so that other gcode processing software will hopefully benignly ignore them. Each macro must be at the beginning of a comment and starts with the @ symbol.
Macros can either be of the semicolon “;” or parenthetical “()” form. Some host and/or slicers strip one form of comment or the other. For example, OctoPrint strips all “;” comments, so I recommend using the parenthetical “()” style. The documentation below will show the headings with “;” so we can use the parenthesis to indicate optional parameters regex style.
Set the current machine_type as well as other machine configuration options. All of the parameters are optional and as many as you like can be included.
«TYPE» sets the machine type. It should be one of the following:
c3 = Cupcake Gen3 XYZ, Mk5/6 + Gen4 Extruder
c4 = Cupcake Gen4 XYZ, Mk5/6 + Gen4 Extruder
cp4 = Cupcake Pololu XYZ, Mk5/6 + Gen4 Extruder
cpp = Cupcake Pololu XYZ, Mk5/6 + Pololu Extruder
cxy = Core-XY with HBP - single extruder
cxysz = Core-XY with HBP - single extruder, slow Z
cr1 = Clone R1 Single with HBP
cr1d = Clone R1 Dual with HBP
r1 = Replicator 1 - single extruder
r1d = Replicator 1 - dual extruder
r2 = Replicator 2 (default)
r2h = Replicator 2 with HBP
r2x = Replicator 2X
t6 = TOM Mk6 - single extruder
t7 = TOM Mk7 - single extruder
t7d = TOM Mk7 - dual extruder
z = ZYYX - single extruder
zd = ZYYX - dual extruder
fcp = FlashForge Creator Pro
«PACKING_DENSITY» sets the nominal packing density. Extrusions will be scaled by the packing_density if GPX is configured to recompute extrusions.
«DIAMETER» sets the nominal filament diameter. Extrusions (when recompute extrusions is enabled) will be scaled by the ratio of the actual filament diameter to the nominal filament diameter.
«HBP-TEMP» sets the heated build platform temperature override. It will override any M-code that sets the build platform temperature to something other than zero.
«LED-COLOR» sets the custom LED color
Turns on GPX settings. Currently two settings are supported:
ditto = turns on GPX ditto printing (repeats all commands on the other nozzle)
progress = turns on recomputing progress updates (only applies to offline conversion)
Defines a filament for later reference in other macros such as (@pause), (@left) and (@right). A «NAME» is required, but all of the parameters «DIAMETER», «TEMP» and «LED_COLOR» are optional. «LED_COLOR» is a six digit hexadecimal number indicating RGB.
Examples:
(@filament redpla 1.77mm 205c #7f0000)
(@filament bluepla 195c)
(@filament greenpla #007f00)
### ;@left («NAME») | («PACKING_DENSITY» | «DIAMETER»mm | «TEMP»c)+
Two major forms of this command. The first just indicates a name that references an earlier defined filament via the (@filament) macro. In that case, that filament definition becomes active for the indicated extruder. For single extruder printers @right is the extruder.
The other case just sets one or mor of the parameters for the right extruder.
«PACKING_DENSITY» is a scaling factor for extrusion calculations if you’ve turned on “recalculate_5d” in gpx.ini or via the command line “-w”.
«DIAMETER» sets the actual filament diameter. Extrusions are multiplied by the ratio of the actual filament diameter to the the nominal diameter for the right extruder
«TEMP» is a nozzle temperature in Celsius. This sets an override which will override any indicated temperature for the indicated nozzle. So, for example, after (@right 180c), a later M104 S205 T0 will actually command a set temperature of 180 degrees. By itself, the macro doesn’t set a temperature.
Examples:
(@right redpla)
(@left 0.87 1.76mm 200c)
(@right 1.70mm)
Sets up a pause when the indicated «ZPOS» is reached. This macro should occur after the gcode has set up the coordinate system (by homing and defining that position either explicitly or by recall), but before the first command that moves to or above the indicated «ZPOS» coordinate. It is intended to be used at the end of the start gcode in the slicer.
«ZPOS» is a vertical coordinate in mm usually in distance from the print bed.
«NAME» is an optional parameter that indicates a filament definition from a (@filament) that will also set the current filament at the pause position.
### ;@temperature «ZPOS» «TEMP»c
Changes the temperature at the indicated «ZPOS» position. When the nozzle is at «ZPOS» or greater, the temperature of the current extruder will be set to «TEMP» degrees. Unlike @left & @right, this doesn’t set an override for later temperature commands, it actually emits the command to set the current temperature. If the «TEMP» is greater than 120 then it sets the current extruder’s nozzle temperature to «TEMP» degrees celsius. If it less than or equal to 120 then it sets the heated build platform temperature to «TEMP» degrees celsius.
Sets the target nozzle temperature or bed temperature (120 degrees is the break point, below is assumed to be bed, above is assumed to be nozzle). Can’t be used to set the target temperature to 0.
Or (mutually exclusive with the temperature setting) set the current filament as
defined by an earlier (@filament).
Set the build name. It will be sent to the bot on the first progress (M73) or start build g-code (M136) and will show on the LCD with the progress percentage.
Sets the current flavor of gcode to either reprap or makerbot. The flavor of gcode is the kind of gcode that is produced by your slicer. Either way, GPX generates x3g. ReplicatorG and MakerBot Desktop produce MakerBot flavor gcode. Basically all other slicers produce reprap flavor gcode.
The differences that GPX is aware of are:
In reprap flavor, any Tn changes the current extruder for all following commands. In MakerBot flavor Tn parameters are not sticky (mostly, though it’s inexplicably complicated).
In reprap flavor, M106/M106 turns on/off the part cooling fan. In MakerBot flavor, M106/M107 controls the extruder heatsink fan. M106 enables the fan so that it will come on when the extruder crosses the eeprom temperature threshold (defaults to 50 degrees celsius). M107 turns it off, off.
If you run slic3r auto fan control gcode through as MakerBot flavor, the result may be a jam because of the lack of extruder cooling (plus it didn’t turn on the part cooling fan).
Reprap flavor, M109 means set the extruder temperature and wait for it to reach that temperature. MakerBot flavor, M109 means set the build platform temperature and don’t wait.
Tells GPX that the start gcode is over and the nozzle is no longer at the waiting height. Enables macros.
Looks like these were intended to turn off macro interpretation at the start and the end, but there is a bug where these macros are not recognized by GPX so at the current time, they don’t do anything.
A debugging macro for logging information about the internal state of the GPX parser.