Send print job while printer is still off?  

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

It's just a network device as far as receiving files - there's no magic when you upload a print job; it puts the file onto the flash drive (and possibly starts the print). If it's not powered on (it's a hard power cut, not a soft-off), it's also offline, so no way to upload the file.

There aren't observable power surges on startup that I've  seen, so a quality switched outlet you can trigger remotely might be the best middle-ground. I've a few Shelly plugs as well as some esphome reflashed Sonoff S31 (all with power monitoring - I'm a bit of a data junkie) which all work really well (wifi models, nothing fancy) - US models here, but there are options.

I don't use PrusaConnect so can't answer that side of your query; I like my toys to work without the internet.

C

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

Thanks, @cjd. I realize that the printer can't receive anything before it is powered on. I was hoping for a solution on the PC side -- queuing the print job until the printer shows up on the network and is ready to receive it.  (Very much like the job queue for 2D printers under any desktop operating system.) But it seems that PrusaSlicer doesn't offer that functionality.

We are on the same page regarding PrusaConnect. Preferring a local solution is why I have not even tried it yet. (And have canceled a Bambu Lab order early this year, and ordered the Core One instead.)  Maybe a remote power switch is the way to go -- or I just keep going up and down the stairs twice, and consider that exercise...

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

Oh, that makes sense as a feature query - totally misunderstood. I think the "send it" part had me thinking you wanted the queue on the printer side. The subtleties of wording failing to convey ideas properly and all that. Should be a feature request to build a queue so you can just hit "next print" when ready, not have to go fishing (even for when the printer is online).

Most of my treks are two flights of stairs (and tall ceilings no less). Keeps the knees in good shape. Plenty of steps between too! Still learning so I'm making all sorts of "is it still going OK" every layer or two and good thing because it's not been OK - the learning curve for PETG is not fun (and I have a project where I need PA which I understand is even more fun).

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

Mhhh, how about a smartphone app like "Unified Remote", to press the button on the PC, while standing next to the Core One? 

I'm using the full version since 10 years and while I honestly didn't read up about how the data is handled, it works really well. You can stream the monitor to your phone and click on things. 

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

You can use a smart switch to switch the printer on and off from you phone, and then send a file/print to it

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

This is the way. All my printers sit on smart switches, so all I have to do is say "turn x on" while sitting in my office.

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

I would probably go with the remote power socket.

Another option. Keep 2 USB drives. And put the file on the USB drive before going down to the printer. Swap the USB drives while there and start your print. Take the second USB drive back up to the computer for the next time you want to print something but the printer is off.

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

Thank you all! That's three votes for the smart power socket now; I should probably take the plunge. I am a bit reluctant to add more standby consumption to our place, but for the energy that goes into a single print, I can probably keep that remote socket on standby for a couple of months.

Alternatively, the "just take it downstairs on a USB drive" approach will definitely work. It's what I used to do with my old Anycubic printer (which did not have any network capability at all).  I guess I was looking for something fancier... 😉  But this might be the pragmatic way of doing it.

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

I'd also advise a smart plug - switch the printer on remotely from the app, and then send the print job......

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

I've stacked 4 of the Sonoff plugs to test standby consumption and its really low - I seem to recall only the first even registered usage, meaning it took 3 to make it to enough to show. I was surprised given it's a wifi connection. Maybe that's some esphome magic. Not sure. Way into the weeds on home automation power consumption though.

RE:

About smart sockets:
Just a general thing, but think about setting up a second wifi network for these "maybe not really secured" devices, so you can access them, but they can't see devices like your PC in the local network.
FritzBox, apparently, has the "Gast Netzwerk", which is quite convenient and doesn't require a second router.
But I'm yet to use any smart devices, for this very reason. But I'm living in the city with about 30 WiFi networks detected by my phone..

RE: Send print job while printer is still off?

I typically see 500+ ssids at any given moment - cars, random neigbor TV's and of course all the screaming home internet setups beuse shit hardware layout in the home. Multiple segments to my network gfr the reasons you noted. It's not cheap to run either - I have it down to 180w overnight, but thats server, network stack, multiple security cameras... So a mW or three for another IoT switch on standby is not on my list of worries. An evening of sim-racing is more than a days worth of network stack power consumption... Toys and their cost!

Posted by: @raaz-2

About smart sockets:
Just a general thing, but think about setting up a second wifi network for these "maybe not really secured" devices, so you can access them, but they can't see devices like your PC in the local network.
FritzBox, apparently, has the "Gast Netzwerk", which is quite convenient and doesn't require a second router.
But I'm yet to use any smart devices, for this very reason. But I'm living in the city with about 30 WiFi networks detected by my phone..