Setting up OctoPrint on Windows

[RayMO]

I had seen that but much of it was over my head. There is a suggestion there to open a VS Cross Tools command prompt but that fails saying that "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\BuildTools\Common7\Tools\vsdevcmd\ext" is not recognized as an internal or external command. That's not a command, it's a path so I don't know what it's trying to do. LOL

I was able to install OctoPrint on another computer that doesn't have Python or Visual Studio installed. That worked, so I assume there is a conflict on my main computer with Visual Studio itself or an older version of Python. I'm reluctant to arbitrarily start removing things without knowing what might be depending on them.

[Douglas_Blackwood]

New here so sorry if this is a dead horse, I have scrolled thru the comments but didn't find anything about using the UI server commands. Is there a way to use the server commands in the UI to restart OctoPrint or is the only option to kill the server and restart?

[Charlie_Powell]

This post seems to provide some directions about services:

Setting up OctoPrint on Windows

Thanks to all who've contributed to this guide so far! I know Linux is the most common environment for OctoPrint, but given the limited availability of Raspberry Pi units in my area and the fact that I have a Windows PC (old desktop repurposed as backup server, basic workstation for Chrome & Cura, etc.) already running right near my printer, I figured I'd see how well I could make this setup work. The PC in question is shared by multiple users, rebooted periodically, etc., so I wanted to come u…

Though I have no idea if it works well or not, I have never tried it. It is not very simple/easy to do on Windows.

[Edmund_Hurlebaus]

dont know why but i had alot of problems with the specific version of python needed to get a virtual environment running. kept getting an exit 101 error. tried several different versions of python and finally just settled on the bare minimum 3.7 that i could find. both the newest 3.10 and 3.9 versions i was able to find were unable to successfully create the venv. pip package was too old though and no matter what i did nothing could upgrade it. trying the specific version your using 3.9.2. and im back to not being able to make venv. why is this such a pain to get working? do i need to flip flop between different versions to make this work?

[Charlie_Powell]

It's worked on every major version of Python OctoPrint supports for me. 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 3.10 - I've installed with all of them. Perhaps it would be easiest if you were to open a new thread including the actual error messages you've received when trying to install it.

[Edmund_Hurlebaus]

thats just it the initial error message was just the exit 101 error. which is super common and not helpful. it basically amounts to needing to check the install for all users in the installer. which i did and it didn't help. some other people had this issue with python in general and some of them fixed it by going to an older version of python. which i did with version 3.7 but i couldnt install octoprint due to the older files.
got it to work.
how i got it to work was:
make the verv with 3.7 since it was the only one that i could do it with.
then i tried to use 3.10 to install octoprint. the pip was too old for that so i overrode the folders from the 3.10 install to the verv folder.
i could then install octoprint but got alot of yellow warnings about certain scripts being in a weird location in appdata.
i then copied that folder into the verve folder.
octoprint is now working.
its not a good method but it works now.
just need to get the access on another computer working.
and i forgot that the computer im using was on public network settings for some reason. switched to private network and it all works.

[Scooter69]

Hi Everyone,

I am still new to octoprint so sorry if this is a stupid question. But anyways, how does octoprint on windows work if the 3D Printer isn't wireless eg. Ender 3 V2. For Raspberry Pi, it connects straight to the printer, but with windows, it doesn't?? So then how does it connect to the printer? Thanks!

[Ewald_Ikemann]

Hello @Scooter69 !

3D printers usually are connected via the USB port.

[Scooter69]

@Ewald_Ikemann Thank you for the quick response. When I try to plug my USB into the printer and turn it on, it still shows nothing under Octoprint Serial Port.

[b-morgan]

There's a good chance that you are using a USB "charging" cable. You need a USB "data" cable and since its for a Creality printer, it will probably need to be a good one, shielded with ferrite beads.

[Scooter69]

@b-morgan is there any way of knowing if it is a data or a charging cable besides for just plugging it in and seeing if it works?

[Ewald_Ikemann]

It is try and error.

[b-morgan]

If you purchase a new cable, its description should tell you what its purpose is. If you already have the cable, then trying it is probably easier than attempting to test it with a multimeter. If you have other USB devices (cell phone, camera, tablet, etc.) that can transfer data, then they can be used to test cables instead of testing with the 3D printer.

[Scooter69]

Thanks for the advice. I have successfully connected the right USB cable to my printer, and now it is working perfectly. Now I am trying to link my USB camera, but I am still unsuccessful. I have tried using MJPEG Streamer from the Microsoft Store https://github.com/flyinggorilla/MJPEG-Streamer-Universal-Windows-App/, but it wasn't working for me. Thanks!

[JJwen]

Can anyone help me I'm trying to set up Octolapse on my windows server but I get this error
*022-06-21 22:06:50,199 - octoprint.plugin - ERROR - Error while calling plugin octolapse
and also this error
2022-06-21 22:07:00,180 - octoprint.util.jinja - WARNING - Loading plugin template '/webcams/mjpg_streamer/logitech_c920.jinja2' from 'C:\Octoprint\venv\Lib\site-packages\octoprint_octolapse\templates\webcams\mjpg_streamer\logitech_c920.jinja2' without plugin prefix, this is deprecated and will soon no longer be supported.
2022-06-21 22:07:00,191 - octoprint.util.jinja - WARNING - Loading plugin template '/webcams/mjpg_streamer/raspi_cam_v2.jinja2' from 'C:\Octoprint\venv\Lib\site-packages\octoprint_octolapse\templates\webcams\mjpg_streamer\raspi_cam_v2.jinja2' without plugin prefix, this is deprecated and will soon no longer be supported.
2022-06-21 22:07:00,208 - octoprint.util.jinja - WARNING - Loading plugin template '/webcams/mjpg_streamer/logitech_c250.jinja2' from 'C:\Octoprint\venv\Lib\site-packages\octoprint_octolapse\templates\webcams\mjpg_streamer\logitech_c250.jinja2' without plugin prefix, this is deprecated and will soon no longer be supported.
and the octolapse tab doesn't load

[Charlie_Powell]

I know that OctoLapse doesn't support Python 3.10, so if you installed using that then it probably won't be working. Otherwise, it would probably be easier for you to open your own topic to properly troubleshoot.

@JJwen

but I get this error

• 022-06-21 22:06:50,199 - octoprint.plugin - ERROR - Error while calling plugin octolapse

You've managed to not include the actual error there...

@JJwen

and also this error
2022-06-21 22:07:00,180 - octoprint.util.jinja - WARNING

That's just a warning, as it says, not an error.

[pgh3]

Regarding this topic and it's purpose. I am not intending to be offensive or rude here; I'm trying to highlight the nuances of the English language and it's interpretation and how the best laid plans don't always work out as intended.
The level of your astonishment is proportional to your assumption that the reader is on the same page, has the same background, same upbringing, same education, same interests, etc, as your good self. That you are astonished at all should raise flags that you have left some people behind: either in your phrasing or words used. I'm probably three generations away from you in terms of age and I also have my own interpretations of "under", "onto", "into", "out from", etc when it comes to computers and their operation.
You do provide a caveat that alternative methods could make life easier, but it didn't stop me from working down through your procedure in the belief that I could run OctoPrint from my computer directly to the printer. It was only at the end did I realise that I didn't need to go down this path.
Now I turn on my Raspberry Pi (running OctoPi), 3D Printer and open the OctoPrint web page on my Windows computer and go from there.

[Charlie_Powell]

Can you suggest some improvements that might have made the warning at the top of the guide clearer for you? Which specific bits etc. that you didn't understand?

@foosel

This guide will help you install OctoPrint onto Windows.

Do you just want to access your existing OctoPrint instance under Windows?

Then there's absolutely no need to follow this guide, this is for installing the OctoPrint server under Windows, which is probably a rather unusual setup. If all you want is to access your existing OctoPrint instance (e.g. running on a Raspberry Pi via the OctoPi image), fire up your browser of choice and direct it to that instance's URL. Don't know what that is? Read this guide instead.

[pgh3]

Hi Charlie,
I replied via email to you and I thought I would reply here also to be open with this discussion.

My confusion started when I realised I lacked enough knowledge to follow what the author was describing. I can now see what was meant, even though I still don't understand what benefit/s there is by going down this path, ie, using a Windows program to control a 3D printer instead of a web browser to access a Raspberry Pi which then controls a 3D printer.
As the author stated "... is probably a rather unusual setup."

I ended up with the latter suggestion from the author and that is a Raspberry Pi 4B being controlled by OctoPi on the Micro SD card, all being connected to my WiFi network. The control comes from logging in to the IP address from a computer browser, in my case, Firefox.
The last sentence in the Warning section mentions this method as saving some hassle.

Peter

[Bill_Skoros]

Hello all,
I recently moved and just went to use my Windows 10 install, and updated to the current version of Octoprint.

(originally followed the instructions from the video Chris did from Chris's Basement)

Now when I use one of my shortcuts, this is the error I get. Any ideas?

NOTE** If I open a regular command prompt (as admin), and simply type Octoprint serve, it works, but I need to shortcuts for the three different printers this PC handles.

Thanks!

C:\Octoprint\venv\Scripts\octoprint.exe serve --basedir "C:\Users\Bill\AppData\Roaming\OctoPrintL" --host=192.168.1.169 --port=5000
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Octoprint\venv\Scripts\octoprint-script.py", line 33, in
sys.exit(load_entry_point('OctoPrint==1.7.3', 'console_scripts', 'octoprint')())
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\octoprint_init_.py", line 963, in main
from octoprint.cli import octo
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\octoprint\cli_init_.py", line 289, in
from .user import user_commands # noqa: E402
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\octoprint\cli\user.py", line 13, in
from octoprint.access.groups import FilebasedGroupManager
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\octoprint\access\groups.py", line 17, in
from octoprint.access.permissions import OctoPrintPermission, Permissions
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\octoprint\access\permissions.py", line 11, in
from flask import abort, g
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\flask_init_.py", line 14, in
from jinja2 import escape
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\jinja2_init_.py", line 12, in
from .environment import Environment
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\jinja2\environment.py", line 25, in
from .defaults import BLOCK_END_STRING
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\jinja2\defaults.py", line 3, in
from .filters import FILTERS as DEFAULT_FILTERS # noqa: F401
File "C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\jinja2\filters.py", line 13, in
from markupsafe import soft_unicode
ImportError: cannot import name 'soft_unicode' from 'markupsafe' (C:\OctoPrint\venv\lib\site-packages\markupsafe_init_.py)