Locking out Settings?
Hello,
I help manage a fleet of Prusa i3 MK3 machines at a large company, and we have issues with users running calibrations and changing calibration settings. Has anyone found a way to lock out these menu items? I don't know if it's possible, but figured I would ask in the maker spirit.
Or if anyone has any other strategies that may work? We would still like users to be able to unload and load filament, but not change settings.
RE: Locking out Settings?
Have you tried looking on github to see if anyone has opened up a Feature/Enhancement Request to be able to lock down printer settings, and/or LCD panel selections? If not, you can open open a request and see what the developers have to say. This is probably your best bet. I think the link is to the right firmware.
Quality is the Journey, not the Destination. My limited prints->
RE: Locking out Settings?
Depending on how many printers and how important it is for you (and your skill level), a not-that-great workaround I can immediately see would be:
- Use Prusa factory firmware to do all set up and calibration as normal
- Make the few minor edits to the source code to elide showing the particular LCD menu items you want to prevent access to, then compile
- Install your custom version of the firmware with the edits - now no one can change those settings since there's no corresponding menu items while simply using the printers
Downside: in order to make any changes again to those settings, once you've flashed your edited version, you'd have to flash back to factory again
If you always base your edited version directly on Prusa's released version, you won't lose any settings or parameters, and you could always flash back to factory or upgrade to a later version of the factory firmware just fine
RE: Locking out Settings?
Indeed, I am considering forking the firmware and modifying it to lock out these menus. If I can figure it out, I want to add an "Easter egg" that allows admins access to the menus by pushing the knob a certain number of times, or something.
The main problem that I've had is that there doesn't seem to be a way to test my code changes without flashing the Prusa.
RE: Locking out Settings?
@uclamathguy
If you’re worried about your code locking you out, you might consider a timed delay after power on before the lockout takes effect. When done with testing, you could the compile out that delay. Though it might be simpler to reflash the original Prusa FW and try again.
DJ
RE: Locking out Settings?
There are a few unused einsy pins, you could wire one up to a secret switch or locking switch and alter your firmware to check the pin state on whether to show the menu... Won't stop a determined person but should be sufficient to keep out the curious if that is all you're aiming for...
RE: Locking out Settings?
Rather than a simple switch you could use a keyed switch, like a car ignition. Someone could still rewire things but it'd be one step harder than finding the switch and flipping it.
RE: Locking out Settings?
This seems to change in the settings, although I’m definitely not sure.