Getting Started with the Arduino GCode Firmware

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