Now for the important announcement: Synth Printer now works in the browser! Absolutely NOTHING to install anymore.
Just Click the little “launch binder” button in the link above to try it out! (Note that it might take up to 5 minutes to load if i just pushed a git commit and you’re the first person to click since)
And not only that - in the Jupyter interface, if you go to api-doc/synthprinter.html you will find detailed API docs that include pics and detailed explanations:
Let me know what you think as i make a push towards version 1.0. Once it’s ready for a wider audience i plan to also record a video showing you how simple it is to use synth-printer.
Thank you. I think the need to download special software would never stop someone who would find this useful but it would 100% stop people who think “maybe I’ll try it out”
I’m fact, even before, when all you needed was to download an all in one exe, i still had someone tell me they didn’t want to deal with python dependency hell.
So I’m moving all my communication in this direction - runs in your browser, nothing to install.
It remains easy to run locally, though, albeit undocumented. Just make a venv, install requirements + jupyter, start jupyter.
I’m making a big push towards version 1.0 and it’s reaching the point it’s pretty well documented. Care to try it out? You might have useful things to say if you do try it out.
I insist to see whatever you do with it, even if it’s just a boring experiment!!
Please also let me know if the speed feels acceptable… The trade-off of having nothing to install is that you will end up on a server with a pretty wimpy CPU.
The fine folks of the CadQuery Discord helped me figure out how to have a much nicer viewer (after an horrifying episode of Python Dependency Hell), and i’ve added very detailed docs today. No excuse not to try it out (link in previous post)!
I could really use feedback what’s easy or hard, useful or weird. Be sure to look at the file examples/01 - Getting Started.
The previous ones were just a hack using 3D objects - this one outputs precise SVG files, with units natively in millimeters, and drill diameters printed out. No tolerance baked into those drill templates - you can always make a hole larger.
Now that there is already SVG code for templates, the plan is to bring it further to allow making labels: to print on transparencies or maybe on PCB - you could edit them in Inkscape, or even in CSS if so inclined.
You can already import those templates in KiCAD but as before the scales remain wonky and are off by a few micrometers.
In the long run, the plan is to directly output KiCAD .pcb files that add well-tested footprints (KiCAD .pcb files are just a bunch easily generated S-expressions)
Great stuff. In SVG this becomes a sizable template for many more projects. I need to redesign a custom panel for an H+H amp (on the to-do for too long), now this will make it easier for me.
Love the logo. I wonder, when Behringer release their BX7 clone, if they’ll sue
I haven’t been active in a while (you know how life is) but solving this problem is still holding my interest
A few days ago i started porting synth printer away from its Python-based solution for a fully browser-based app, since the difficulty to install it was really holding it back. I also want a system where you don’t have to write code (but can, for example if you want to spread 20 LEDs in a circular pattern or something like that).
So i’ll remind you of this to see what people think & need.
Haha, i wrote about the Philosophy of it a while ago on my personal blog:
So i’m making good progress on the proper version of the app–though it’s still 100% fully useless, but most of the important systems are in place (except the CAD - i need to port, and improve, the CADQuery Python logic to RepliCAD, the library i’m using now.
It’s only the UI and placeholder data, but if you have early feedback, feel free to play with it: https://synth-printer.pages.dev/
It won’t do anything useful for a few weeks/months, mind, but i’m really looking to hear about people’s needs since we all have different processes and tools.
