Variable layer height  

Re: Variable layer height

As far as I understand, you're only changing the layer height, not the other settings, so picking a different profile for different parts of the print is not currently possible.

If you want to control the layer height more accurately, you can click on "Settings" (after selecting the object) and enter your values in the "Layers" tab.

However, I'm not sure how this interacts with the new variable layer height feature, as changes made with that don't seem to show up there.

(I wonder if you could split the object into two parts by height, then apply different settings to each part via the Settings dialog. If that works perhaps it wouldn't be too hard to add a feature similar to what you are requesting.)

Re: Variable layer height

Actually... it seems that modifier meshes are supposed to allow stuff like that: http://slic3r.org/blog/modifier-meshes

Re: Variable layer height

> However, I'm not sure how this interacts with the new variable layer height feature, as changes made with that don't seem to show up there.

The two features work separately: You either use the table or the interactive editor. The values painted in the editor are not reflected back into the table as the table would be too big and useless.

If you enter the height values into the table, they will be used until you open the layer editor. Then the layer profile will be initialized from the table and since that point, the layer graph will override the layer table. You may revert to the layer table by clicking the "Reset" button on the layer editor.

Since this feature is fresh, I admit I never tested this scenario thoroughly. I did now and it mostly works with a single glitch: When the layer profile is initialized from the table, the model is colorized correctly in the layer preview, but the graph at the vertical bar is not updated until you do the first edit of the layer height profile. I should fix that glitch.

Other than that, I think the behavior is reasonable.

Re: Variable layer height

As far as I understand, you're only changing the layer height, not the other settings, so picking a different profile for different parts of the print is not currently possible.

Yes exactly what I have understood as well. I don't know if it is actually going to be a problem, but when most of my part doesn't need to be that accurate, I can choose "0.35mm FAST" profile as a "template" for the whole part. But then if there is a place that needs to be with more precise layer height and modify that area to be maybe around 0.1mm layer height, all other settings are still for 0.35mm layer height. That includes layer width, amount of top layers etc. I haven't actually tried if that will be a problem, but I believe those are different in the 0.1mm profile for a reason. That's why I think it would be better if I could choose the whole profile for the area.

Actually... it seems that modifier meshes are supposed to allow stuff like that: http://slic3r.org/blog/modifier-meshes

Nice, I'll need to try this out.

The two features work separately: You either use the table or the interactive editor. The values painted in the editor are not reflected back into the table as the table would be too big and useless.

Is it possible to maybe add some indication to the interactive editor to show where is 0.1mm layer height, 0.15mm etc? Maybe just some vertical lines to the editor and text in the top what line is what layer height? Because now the only way I've found out really is to export the g-code to gcode.ws site and check the different Z amount between layers. Not the easiest way imo.

Re: Variable layer height

Oh yeah, one more thing:

> When the layer profile is initialized from the table, the model is colorized correctly in the layer preview

It works nicely if the needed variable layer position is shown "from the outside". I had some threads in a part inside the part where I wanted a bit more precise layers, but finding the correct place in the editor wasn't that easy. I knew the measurements in the Z-direction, but it didn't help during the editing. No exactly "end of the world" sort of thing, but still it is something that could be nicer 😉

Re: Variable layer height

>It works nicely if the needed variable layer position is shown "from the outside". I had some threads in a part inside the part where I wanted a bit more precise layers, but finding the correct place in the editor wasn't that easy. I knew the measurements in the Z-direction, but it didn't help during the editing. No exactly "end of the world" sort of thing, but still it is something that could be nicer 😉

A general cutting plane as in the netfabb would be cool.

Re: Variable layer height

Yes exactly what I have understood as well. I don't know if it is actually going to be a problem, but when most of my part doesn't need to be that accurate, I can choose "0.35mm FAST" profile as a "template" for the whole part. But then if there is a place that needs to be with more precise layer height and modify that area to be maybe around 0.1mm layer height, all other settings are still for 0.35mm layer height. That includes layer width, amount of top layers etc. I haven't actually tried if that will be a problem, but I believe those are different in the 0.1mm profile for a reason. That's why I think it would be better if I could choose the whole profile for the area.

I tend to do the opposite, mostly because I usually want higher resolution at the top and so I need more top layers anyway. I haven't really noticed any problems with the 0.1 profile and most of the print dialed down to 0.3mm.

BTW, when using variable height it would be nice to be able to specify bottom and top layers in mm rather than number of layers.