Questions about OctoPrint Operation

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1

What is the problem?
I don't know how to do it or how it works.
What did you already try to solve it?
I looked all over the forum docs and in the FAQ. Couldn't find the answer.
Additional information about your setup (OctoPrint version, OctoPi version, printer, firmware, octoprint.log, serial.log or output on terminal tab, ...)
RP3B, OctoPi 1.4 OctoPrint 1.3.6

  • Is there any way to move files in the files list into folders created? Plug-In Found here
    I know you can upload them into the folder but don't see a way to move them. Perhaps there is way to move them outside of OctoPrint. I was expecting to be able to drag and drop them from the list to the folder. Moving folders is also desireable.
  • How many people can log into OctoPrint with read only access at the same time? I'd like to open it up for others to have a look, see.
  • Can only one person log in with full access?

It might be nice to have some built in help or at least a link to the docs. :slight_smile:

2

you can move the files via comandline

3

Is there any way to move files in the files list into folders created?

Available from the plugin manager (click the wrench at the top of the window)

How many people can log into OctoPrint with read only access at the same time?

Probably only limited by the hardware of the system running octoprint.

It might be nice to have some built in help or at least a link to the docs. :slight_smile:

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No?

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4

I was working on a post about the FileManager plugin, but @cmh beat me to it.

If I recall, there was a minor incompatibility with this plugin and OctoPrint version 1.36. The files were hidden unless you chose the "mixed" option from one of FileManager's options.

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5

Way down there? I never wander clear down to the bottom of the screen! :grin:

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6

How about this one? I would think the answer is only 1.

7

That I've got no idea, only have one user set up on my instance. Best way to test would be set up two users with full access and login as both from different browsers and see if they can both do stuff.

8

I login to my octopi's as admin from multiple computers all the time. I've got a computer in the garage and one in my office. Often I'll start something on the garage pc and go back to the office and monitor it from there.

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9

It seems to me that OctoPrint is missing some very basic "How does it work" kind of help. There should be a High Level overview of how it all operates. There should be a "Quick Start" guide. All the documentation is very technical (and very good at that level) but needs some help for the non techie.

10

I agree. But I can't do that as well on top of everything else and it certainly is something that everyone at least slightly familiar with OctoPrint could help with. Any takers? :wink:

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11

I would think that someone's done this, there's so many YouTube channels out there, and blogs and such... a quick search on YouTube found a bunch of "how to set it up" which mostly covers installing it, but then I found this one which seems to be pretty detailed at 30+ miniutes for each, (not such a quick start) but it might be promising.

...it certainly is something that everyone at least slightly familiar with OctoPrint could help with. Any takers? :wink:

Heh, like one of my coworkers used to say when someone would complain about something: "I look forward to your results." :laughing:

I think this could be done a couple ways - first would be to search out all the guides - video or otherwise - which fit the "Quick Start" criteria, and then compile a list somewhere that could be referenced. The other way is to say "that's all crap" and start from scratch.

Notice how I've creatively avoided actually volunteering. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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12

Can only one person log in with full access?

I have 2 browsers on the same computer, each logged in to octoprint as a different user so I would assume you can have multiple people logged in at the same time.

That being said, you really only want ONE person who has full access, otherwise 2 or more people might try to start a print at the same time, or one might try to move the printer and delete files while another is trying to start a print.

first would be to search out all the guides - video or otherwise - which fit the "Quick Start" criteria, and then compile a list somewhere that could be referenced. The other way is to say "that's all crap" and start from scratch.

And where would this guide be / how is it presented? Is it a read-only document somewhere here that only one of us (looks around suspiciously) has edit access to and has to maintain, or a public wiki somewhere that anyone can contribute to, ending up with a mix and match of high level info, low level info, and weird stuff that probably may not even apply.

Then of course there's translations into other languages, but I suppose that's the easy part with google translate or something.

I started on something, then with every step I realised newbies don't know anything and so the rabbit hole goes even deeper.

For example, simply editing your wifi password. Just open the file in a text editor, then you have to explain why you can't use MS Word, or any other rich text editor, or how to edit it via the command line if they've booted up the pi with an HDMI monitor and usb keyboard. "Just open the text file" seems so simple, until you realise the user you're explaining this to has absolutely no clue why wordpad will break it or that "nano" even exists, or why "sudo nano" is required. Then you have to explain to them that "sudo" is bad, why it's bad, and why copy / pasting commands you find elsewhere on the internet is bad.

Documentation is hard yo.

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13

Personally, what I'd like to have is a simple quick start guide as part of docs.octoprint.org that includes stuff like "this is the interface, your files are here, if you want to do X click Y" etc. There are a multitude of YouTube videos out there but a) I can't keep then from spreading misinformation and b) YouTube content can't be googled. Something in text forum would really help a lot.

What I think we don't need is the 100th iteration of "how to install OctoPi", but rather "how to use this now that it is installed". Well. And maybe one definitive "how to install OctoPi" in text forum as part of the first start guide or next to it or something (because you wouldn't believe how many of those videos and writeups out there get this wrong the one or other way... e.g. "Then run raspi-config to expand your SD card" - nope, it does that on first boot - but no "change your password", or even some convoluted way of configuring the WiFi instead of just editing the text file that is there for that reason).

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14

Gina,
Agreed, docs.octoprint.org is the proper place for it. Perhaps there should be a Quick Start for both users and server installers? Perhaps copy or a direct link/quote of the Quick Start for users could also be in the App such that any changes to the docs.octoprint.org section are always reflected/updated in the App.

I'll volunteer to participate in doing that. I'm a newbie to OctoPrint/Pi but I do have some experience writing code and developing apps. I've got my OctoPi set up and ready and I don't even have my 3D printer yet! :hushed: I also have experience in using Macs, PC's, and unix machines. This could be developed here in the forum with a wiki type topic. I don't have sufficient privileges to create one yet so someone who does could get it started, or get a separate topic for both Users and Installers. I'm sure plenty of folks will chime in with suggestions and content or edits.

15

I'll be happy to contribute however I can as well.

16

that link that @cmh posted is a pretty good set-up video (though last I checked it still had the unneeded "expand the file system via raspi-config" instruction). I've referred a number of people there, since there is a whole series of videos ranging from basic set-up to more advanced subjects. Here's a link that will call up the whole play list of videos the same author has done on various OctoPi/OctoPrint subjects.

I'm hoping he plans an update when OctoPi 0.15 comes out, since a few things are changing.

17

Here's a couple more Operational questions:

  • If connected to OctoPrint without logging in, can one watch what is going on with a printer that someone else is controlling?
  • If more than one user is logged in to OctoPrint, are they only allowed to connect to an unused serial port and thus one piece of hardware at a time?
  • Is there a description of the "Terminal Tab" somewhere? What you can and can't do with it?

Please note that I don't have a printer hooked up to my OctoPi yet so I can't try some of these things for myself. Did I see somewhere that there is a "virtual printer" that you can use to try things out?

18

The virtual printer needs to be manually enabled because it's more of a tool for developers to use, rather than something a regular user needs to interact with. It's more just for testing stuff without having to press print on an actual printer and wait for things to heat up, the bed / hot end on the virtual printer "heat up" in a matter of seconds (even though nothing actually gets hot).

If connected to OctoPrint without logging in, can one watch what is going on with a printer that someone else is controlling?

At the moment: yes, when the new permission system comes out then I believe you can dictate who can see what.

If more than one user is logged in to OctoPrint, are they only allowed to connect to an unused serial port and thus one piece of hardware at a time?

One octoprint instance can connect to one printer, you can run multiple sessions but that's getting into advanced territory and out of any sort of quick start guide.

IMHO a "quick start" guide should be at most: How to connect wires (usb printer <-> pi, wifi/ethernet pi <-> router <-> PC/ipad/eyepatch/neural implant/future tech here) and a brief overview of the main UI. Just enough to get you started. Anything more should be in the full user manual. All some people need is a push in the right direction, how many times have you gone to do one simple thing and found a youtube tutorial on it that goes into far too much depth and you waste 2 hours watching a video that could have been 5 minutes long?

Is there a description of the "Terminal Tab" somewhere? What you can and can't do with it?

It's where you see printer output, and gcode being sent to your printer, and also where you can send it manual gcode commands. It's a bit more of an "advanced" feature and frankly could be totally disabled in some sort of "simple mode" and you wouldn't really lose any functionality for the most part. It's not a tab you really need to spend a lot of time at. Yes, it's good for diagnostics so you want to keep it around, but I just mean it's not something you need to ever look at during a normal print.

19

Can you switch to a different printer in a session or are you locked in once you select a port or start controlling thru it?

I asked about the "Terminal Tab" because I think the description is missing from the docs. Is it only a terminal TO the hardware?

20

I should have said instance, not really session (edited previous post to reflect that).

  • It's one printer per instance, you can disconnect your previous printer and connect another, but that first printer will then just be sitting there doing nothing. Printer won't move by itself (which should be obvious), it needs some sort of input from somewhere.
  • You can't disconnect mid-print if the printer is being controlled by octoprint.
  • You can potentially start a print on your printer from it's internal SD card via octoprint, and then disconnect, but any attempt to reconnect later during the print may reset the printer (because of how most 3d printer control boards are wired), so this method is highly discouraged.
  • You can run multiple instances of octoprint on one hardware box, be it a raspberry pi or pc, but there isn't currently a user friendly way to do this except through certain plugins that may also add additional features you don't need (leading into bloatware territory).
  • More than one instance will require more system resources

Is it only a terminal TO the hardware?

I told you what it is in the previous post, it's where you can see the commands going to your printer, any output it might return, and where you can send manual gcode commands. Not sure how to make that any more clear? What are you confused about?