Encode the image of the stl model in the gcode file. Compatible with Simplify3D and others.
Download and install OpenScad (https://openscad.org/downloads.html).
Install python3 and pip.
Open cmd and install python dependencies with pip:
pip install PyQt5 argparse pillow
Download the python script from this repository and save in on the computer in a non root folder (for example save it in the documents or on the desktop). Open Simplify3D, open the process settings and at the bottom of the script tab, in the post-processing commands area, add the following line:
python "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg\StlToImg.py" --gcodename "[output_filepath]" --codepath "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg"
Where "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg\StlToImg.py" MUST be replaced with the path you have chosen for the file and "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg" MUST be replaced with the path of the direcory where you have saved the code into.
You can also run the code manually by writing the line in a cmd window and by replacing "[output_filepath]" with the path of the gcode file.
That's it, when you export the gcode a tumbnail of the 3D model will be added at the top of the gcode file. I've tested it with klipper and it works without issues.
Download and install OpenScad (https://openscad.org/downloads.html).
Install python3 and pip.
Open terminal and install python dependencies with pip:
pip install PyQt5 argparse pillow
Download the Linux version of the python script from this repository and save in on the computer in a non root folder (for example save it in the documents or on the desktop). Open Simplify3D, open the process settings and at the bottom of the script tab, in the post-processing commands area, add the following line:
python "/home/fabio/Desktop/StlToImg-Linux.py" --gcodename "[output_filepath]" --codepath "/home/fabio/Desktop"
In some cases the gcode file created by Simplify3D is owned by root and so unwritable by the user, in this case add "sudo" at the beginning of the line:
sudo python "/home/fabio/Desktop/StlToImg-Linux.py" --gcodename "[output_filepath]" --codepath "/home/fabio/Desktop"
Where "/home/fabio/Desktop/StlToImg-Linux.py" MUST be replaced with the path you have chosen for the file and "/home/fabio/Desktop" MUST be replaced with the path of the direcory where you have saved the code into.
You can also run the code manually by writing the line in a terminal window and by replacing "[output_filepath]" with the path of the gcode file.
The name of the gcode file must be the same of the stl file (ex: for file cube.stl the gcode must be called cube.gcode) otherwise the program is not going to be able to load the stl file and it will not add an image in the gcode (Simplify3D does not provide an [input_filepath] variables to pass the stl input name to the code so I'm obtaining the stl file name from the gcode file name).
The gcode file MUST be exported in the same folder where the stl file resides (for the same reason above), otherwise you can add the --stlname argument and manually select the stl file as shown in the advanced control section below.
The code can process only one stl file at a time.
I've added a few arguments to the python code to customize different variables:
to select the resolution use the arguments: --height [height] --width [width] (ex: --height 300 --width 300). The default is 600x600.
to manually select the stl file path (if the stl file is not in the folder where the gcode file resides or if it has a different name) use the argument: --stlname [path]
to select the directory of the openscad.com executable use the argument: --path [path] (default is: "C:\Program Files\OpenSCAD\openscad.com" for windows, and for linux is: /usr/bin/openscad)
to select the code working directory (the place where the code will save the temporary files): --codepath [path] (the default is the current working directory)
to select the antialiasing factor: --antialiasing [factor] (default is 2 [the image will be generated at double the specified height and width and then resized by half])
To compile the python code in a single executable file:
pip install pyinstaller
pyinstaller --onefile StlToImg.py
This will create an exe file in the dist folder containing all the required components to run the python script (keep in mind that executing the code in this way will increase the runtime).
Then change the line in Simplify3D with:
python "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg\StlToImg.exe" --gcodename "[output_filepath]" --codepath "C:\Users\fabio\Desktop\StlToImg"