"Export to G-Code" rather than "Send to Connect" ?  

RE: "Export to G-Code" rather than "Send to Connect" ?

I have seen this after I add a new or change an old printer.  To correct it: 

In PrusaSlicer, Click Printers at the top,

Select the Printer you want to use,

Click the Gear icon to the right of the X,

Host Type needs to be changed to PrusaConnect,

The hostname will automatically populate,

Add your printers API in the correct box.  

Select OK

Hope this works for you.  It has worked for me several times in similar situations.

RE:

1. This happens when you are logged out of PrusaConnect. There is a login button in the top right corner
2. If you don't want to use PrusaConnect (which does a round-trip over the internet) you can use PrusaLink instead. This sends it directly to the printer over your local network.
3. There are many reasons why exporting g-code is useful. One would be that you use an application like OctoPrint to control the printer. Without going into too many details, OctoPrint allows you to run various plugins that can interpret and modify g-code before it is sent to the printer. This has many uses for intermediate to advanced users. Also, there are 3d party scripts or web applications that can modify the g-code to make corrections that PrusaSlicer currently does not implement. Sometimes I have the need to pull the g-code into an editor like Visual Studio Code so I can inspect or debug it. 

RE: "Export to G-Code" rather than "Send to Connect" ?

Posted by: @hyiger

• There are many reasons why exporting g-code is useful. One would be that you use an application like OctoPrint to control the printer. Without going into too many details, OctoPrint allows you to run various plugins that can interpret and modify g-code before it is sent to the printer. This has many uses for intermediate to advanced users. Also, there are 3d party scripts or web applications that can modify the g-code to make corrections that PrusaSlicer currently does not implement. Sometimes I have the need to pull the g-code into an editor like Visual Studio Code so I can inspect or debug it. 

And there is the "low-tech scenario" where the printer is not connected to the network at all, and you want to carry a USB stick with the g-code over to it. This might be because the printer is out of reach for a network connection (in the garage or such), or because one does not want it on the network for confidentiality reasons (in some company settings).

You've had connections explained and some examples of advanced use - but there are simple reasons too:  If you have a part you expect to print several times at unpredictable intervals then saving the g-code to a usb drive makes the repeat routine.  If you have a print farm and an order for a few thousand prints then copying the file and storing it on a drive in each machine greatly simplifies the workflow.

The usual advice for tricky slices with complex settings that may be re-used or refined is to save a project file, a .3mf wrapper, which allows you to re-slice without having to set up parameters again or to tweak one setting without touching the others and make a fresh g-code file  — but if it's working well then saving g-code saves a step each time.

Cheerio,

RE: "Export to G-Code" rather than "Send to Connect" ?

Posted by: @jurgen-7

And there is the "low-tech scenario" where the printer is not connected to the network at all, and you want to carry a USB stick with the g-code over to it. This might be because the printer is out of reach for a network connection (in the garage or such), or because one does not want it on the network for confidentiality reasons (in some company settings).

Yup. Completely forgot about "sneakernet"