Anyone working on a firmware compatible with the Microsoft’s 3d printing service?
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/bg183398
Microsoft?
Theoretically, Microsoft should be working on a 3D printing service that’s compatible with our firmware, not the other way around.
Why when Microsoft isn’t the industry standard. Nor will it ever be the standard. If you use windows there already is programs and has been programs for years.
Microsoft once again turn up a day late and a dollar short.
I upgraded to Windows 8.1 because it supposedly had M$s 3D printing stuff built in. All it did was ruin my fonts…
There is an Driver example in development for “rep-rap style printers” I have requested and been given access to the SDK. There are generic print drivers and code. I have not had time to do any work with this, but if someone would like to see what is up pm me.
Full disclosure, I do work at MS, but i do not have any connection to the 3d printing developments. I obtained this through publicly available channels.
Actually i just started reading the “read me” files here is the quote you want.
"The Generic3DPrinterDriver provides basic support for RepRap-style devices using a Marlin firmware including Windows print pipeline integration, a basic slicer, a g-code generator, and a simple host for communicating with firmware over a USB Serial connection. "
I will try to get this up and running with my printrbot simple (it doesn’t look too bad) , I just need to find time
I am not sure why people are so against this initiative from microsoft. It makes sense to have a simple way to print from any application, just so long as it is open enough that it can be implemented on mac and linux without legal issues. Whether or not it takes off is down to developers. I will fire up the laptop tomorrow and see what this generic driver can do (time permitting!)
It really isn’t a quick port to Mac, I literally is the same frame work that the 2d printers use. It would require Mac and Linux to write an integrated slicer, mesh repair tool and host software, then extend the 2d frame work to use those. That is what Microsoft did.
agreed, but if the interface and datatypes are open then it could be incorporated into cups or something like that. I guess it would need to get a foothold in the windows world before anyone in the linux/mac community would show interest.
oh, and as far as the slicer is concerned, why not use the slicers we already have and modify the driver to call them remotely as part of the process? Having not looked at how the driver works yet, I have no idea if that would work. Is it slicing a layer at a time and sending it straight to the printer or slicing it all at once as we have done in the past?
When I get home I will look up more details
Okay, so i cannot post much information out side of what microsoft has already released, but will be playing with this as much as i can.
AAHH, so many dependencies to install…
Now it is building.
Well i can only build 32 bit drivers, and install 64 bit… FML
@Camerin_hahn and everyone else who thinks Microsoft entering 3d printing is a good thing can now see why its a bad thing poorly thought out and 32 bit only in a 64 bit world.
And the software is no better than stuff from 3 or 4 years ago.
@Nigel_Dickinson My incompetence with the compiler is just and excuse you are looking for. I can’t figure out how to make it compile in 64 bit mode. I am sure a solution exists. (i have a partially compiled version) but i cant get one of the tools to compile.
Nigel what is wrong with a company embracing 3d printing? Any company? They are trying to accept and support a community generated printing with the same software as the high end proprietary drivers.
It is not like anything that you have used. It is file print, from autocad, or other programs. That is what is meant to be. It takes time to bring up that setup. 4 years ago you were not able to file print 3d files from any program. The demo script is just that, a program that does suck, but it is a proof of conecpt
Lol why do you need to compile it for windows the apps are out there people want it easier not harder.
Second Microsoft had the opportunity years ago to be involved in 3d printing with HP so why wait till now. Is it because they want there standard to be THE standard by brainwashing people again like they do with word processing and spreadsheets. Its a corporation with thoughts about make stuff people want but telling people want they must use. Apple are of the same mentality and sheepol like you lap it up. Closed source is where Microsoft are and thats where they want you.
@Nigel_Dickinson Because it is a beta version that is going to be released with the SDK. I did some digging and found a way to get an invite. The package that i am playing with is designed to be released to developers, not to consumers.
I have a hard time listening to conspiracy theories. Did you look at anything with respect to the SDK. I spend the last several hours looking though it. What it is is an archetecture. If you want to know how it works is that it uses the printer as a COM port, just like we are right now. It integrates the host software, slicer, and mesh repair into one package (like repieter does) then an API is used to send the model data to these packaged items.
It is just a simpler way to print. It doesn’t prevent you from using the methods you already do. Why is that bad