Getting Started with the Arduino GCode Firmware

From RepRapWiki

To use the Skeinforge or other GCode software, you will need the Arduino (or Sanguino) Gcode Firmware.

Here's how to set it up:

You will need:

• The latest Arduino software (from http://www.arduino.cc/)
• The latest firmware from the RepRap SVN repository (where you got the host software)

The firmware directory contains several different firmware versions. The one you want is in: /firmware/GCode_Interpreter

There are actually several other versions : /firmware/Arduino/GCode_Interpreter, /firmware/Arduino/GCode_Interpreter_Experimental, /firmware/Sanguino/GCode_Interpreter.old-version. These all appear to be older versions.

Within the /firmware/GCode_Interpreter, several of the header files are supplied as .dist (distribution) fies. Each .dist file should be renamed and carefully edited to add your specific values: for example,

pins.h.dist should be renamed to pins.h and edited to match your pin layout used on your Arduino/Sanguino.

extruder.h.dist should be renamed to extruder.h and edited if required.

parameters.h.dist should be renamed to parameters.h and edited: This contains whether you're using a sanguino or arduino, your speeds for each axis, endstops, etc. It's important that these are set correctly (It defaults to a Sanguino)

thermistor.h contains the thermistor or thermocouple settings.

Once all the header files are tweaked to your satisfaction, the code can be loaded into the Arduino software and *should* compile. It can then be uploaded to the Arduino.

Skeinforge [[1]] will produce a .gcode file. You can then use one of the fabrication tools, like ReplicatorG [[2]] - see the Skeinforge fabrication section. The fabrication tool will take the .gcode file and feed it to the arduino firmware.