Unable to connect in Repetier Server, but successful in Repetier Host

Ott3rman

I have a PrimaSelect P120 V3. It is a Malyan M200/Monoprice Select Mini V2(without the E3D clone hotend) rebrand.

It has the V2 firmware, and the board with the extra fan for the mainboard.
I have no issues connecting it to Cura, S3D, Repetier Host and such. But it just will not connect to Repetier Server. I have a V1 of the same printer, and it connects, allthough not without it's hickups.

How to fix this problem? I the reason I have Repetier Server Pro is to be able to run multiple printers from one location with cameras and all.

Specs:
Windows 7
USB

Tried:
Different drivers
Changing ComPort both phsically and in software
Restarting
Plugging/unplugging
New Cable
Adding Ferrite ring to USB cable
Connecting and printing og Repetier Host, Cura and S3D
All Baudrates

Repetier

Make sure to select the right firmware. Marlin with repetier selected e.g. will not work and vice versa causes problems. Of course baud rate and port must match and no other software must be connected to printer.

Ott3rman

I have tried all this. And as said I can easily connect it to Repetier Host, Cura and Simplify3D. I just don't get why Repetier Server can't connect. It's sending data, but not recieving anything according to the stats. It seems it wait for some sort of greeting/initializing command or something from the printer. It does not restart the printer(the display does not flash or anything) on the V1 eighter. If something happens to the V1 making it lose connection, I have to manually shut the server down and start it up again to have it connect. So it seems not everything is as it should be in the communication.

Repetier

Can you show a log from connection in repetier-host with all log options enabled? Maybe that gives some hints. I think if a company adds some delay before sending "start" that could be a problem. But I would expect it to reset on connect if it happens with host as well. Both toggle the same connection flags (DTR/RTS).

Ott3rman

So here are the logs for the V1 that connects, and the V2 that does NOT connect:

V1 That works:

10:27:20.365 : No start signal detected - forcing start

10:27:20.387 : N1 M11034

10:27:20.387 : N2 M115*36

10:27:20.387 : N3 M10536

10:27:20.387 : N4 M114*35

10:27:20.388 : N5 M111 S698

10:27:20.397 : N6 T0*60

10:27:20.398 : N7 M8028

10:27:20.398 : N8 M105*47

10:27:20.437 : ok N1 P15 B15

10:27:20.455 : NAME: Malyan VER: 3.0 MODEL: M200 HW: HA02

10:27:20.470 : ok N3 P15 B14

10:27:20.470 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

10:27:20.553 : ok N5 P15 B13 T:17.2 /0.0 B:19.8 /0.0 T0:17.2 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

10:27:20.553 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

10:27:20.598 : X:120.00 Y:120.00 Z:41.39 E:-2.50 Count X: 120.00 Y:120.00 Z:41.39

10:27:20.611 : ok N7 P15 B12

10:27:20.611 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

10:27:20.625 : ok N8 P15 B12

10:27:20.649 : echo:Active Extruder: 0

10:27:20.663 : ok N8 P15 B13

10:27:20.677 : ok N8 P15 B14

10:27:20.739 : ok N8 P15 B15 T:16.5 /0.0 B:19.1 /0.0 T0:16.5 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

10:27:23.420 : N9 M10546

10:27:23.488 : ok N9 P15 B15 T:18.4 /0.0 B:20.3 /0.0 T0:18.4 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

V2 That does not want to connect:

11:20:36.213 : No start signal detected - forcing start

11:20:36.234 : N1 M110*34

11:20:36.235 : N2 M11536

11:20:36.235 : N3 M105*36

11:20:36.235 : N4 M11435

11:20:36.235 : N5 M111 S6*98

11:20:36.247 : N6 T060

11:20:36.248 : N7 M80*28

11:20:36.248 : N8 M10547

11:20:36.272 : ok N1 P15 B15

11:20:36.273 : NAME. Malyan VER: 3.7 MODEL: M200 HW: HH02

11:20:36.274 : BUILD: Jul 5 2017 19:38:10

11:20:36.274 : ok N3 P15 B14

11:20:36.274 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

11:20:36.298 : ok N5 P15 B13 T:182.5 /0.0 B:54.7 /0.0 T0:182.5 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

11:20:36.298 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

11:20:36.298 : X:0.00 Y:110.00 Z:41.39 E:-2.50 Count X: 0.00 Y:110.00 Z:41.39

11:20:36.298 : ok N7 P15 B12

11:20:36.298 : Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage.

11:20:36.298 : ok N8 P15 B12

11:20:36.298 : echo:Active Extruder: 0

11:20:36.298 : ok N8 P15 B13

11:20:36.298 : ok N8 P15 B14

11:20:36.301 : ok N8 P15 B15 T:182.3 /0.0 B:54.6 /0.0 T0:182.3 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

11:20:39.273 : N9 M105*46

11:20:39.277 : ok N9 P15 B15 T:179.4 /0.0 B:53.3 /0.0 T0:179.4 /0.0 @:0 B@:0

Ott3rman

Seems they actually TALK a little bit. I set it up like it should be with extruder etc. And when I set an extruder temp over and over again, it finally takes, and the printer heats up. So they talk a little bit it seems...

The connection sumbol changes from RED to AMBER back and forth

Every time the connection state changes to AMBER I have like a window of a couple of seconds to for example adjust the fan speed. So the printer IS listening for what the server software has to say :) It just seems the server software is not listening.

Repetier

I wonder what firmware they are using. They do not send "start" so it seems host also does not reset printer. And M115 does not respond with a known firmware name also it looks a bit like marlin.

Both versions seem to communicate, see no problem there. What I see are missing "ok" replies resulting in " Warning: Missed line detected - correcting buffer usage."

That server switches between amber and red means it sees the port but the response lets it think it is not working correctly. Normally baud rate or firmware mismatch. If you enable logging you might see some communication in the log file.

Ott3rman

I see, but my wonder is why it works like a charm in S3D, Cura and Repetier Host, but not Repetier Server? Is there something that can be done in a future update or something, as it seems to be a weakness of the software more than a problem with the printer.

And yes I see in the log that there is some communication now and then, just seems they are not in sync like the other softwares

Repetier

Have just checked the prima.com homepage and sow nothing about the firmware. From what I see it should connect with Marlin as firmware just as it does with Repetier-Host. But I do not have the printer for testing. Did you manage to get some logs from the server. If enabled it should be in connected.log of the printer. Deactivate printer at some point so that it does not get deleted all the time.

MartinH

Looking at the Malyan wiki page it look like they either use a old (2 year) modified marlin or possibly a makerwaer type firmware.

Ott3rman

< 10:01:42.825: N1 M105

< 10:01:43.831: N2 M105

< 10:01:44.721: M110

< 10:01:44.721: N2 M105

< 10:01:44.721: N3 M115

< 10:01:44.721: N4 M220 S100

< 10:01:44.721: N5 M221 S100

< 10:01:44.721: N6 G92 E0

< 10:01:44.723: M117 IP:192.168.0.116

< 10:01:54.070: N7 M105

< 10:01:55.070: N8 M105

< 10:01:55.520: N9 M106 S235 P0

< 10:01:55.980: M110

< 10:01:55.980: N2 M105

< 10:01:55.980: N3 M115

< 10:01:55.980: N4 M220 S100

< 10:01:55.980: N5 M221 S100

< 10:01:55.980: N6 G92 E0

< 10:02:05.283: N7 M105

< 10:02:05.720: N8 M106 S237 P0

< 10:02:05.930: N9 M106 S247 P0

< 10:02:06.320: N10 M105

< 10:02:06.370: N11 M106 S255 P0

< 10:02:07.230: M110

< 10:02:07.230: N2 M105

< 10:02:07.230: N3 M115

< 10:02:16.571: N4 M105

< 10:02:17.571: N5 M105

< 10:02:18.521: M110

< 10:02:18.521: N2 M105

< 10:02:18.521: N3 M115

< 10:02:18.521: N4 M220 S100

< 10:02:18.521: N5 M221 S100

< 10:02:18.521: N6 G92 E0

< 10:02:18.523: M117 IP:192.168.0.116

< 10:02:27.829: N7 M105

< 10:02:28.820: N8 M106 S227 P0

< 10:02:28.830: N9 M105

< 10:02:29.780: M110

< 10:02:29.780: N2 M105

< 10:02:29.780: N3 M115

< 10:02:29.780: N4 M220 S100

< 10:02:29.780: N5 M221 S100

< 10:02:29.780: N6 G92 E0

Not much, but it is what is in the logfile after adjusting the fanspeed and getting response from the printer

It is MARLIN firmware of some sort, so that is not the issue. As I get it to talk to all other software. But is there a way to make the server software to force communication like the others do? As the other softwares have two ways com it should be possible to make it work.

Repetier

The strange thing here is that there is zero response from firmware. So from that point closing connection and telling it does not work would be correct. Server requires a response pretty soon after connecting or sending commands or it assumes there is no firmware to talk to.

When you connect with host, how long does it take until you see some responses from the firmware?
I have already seen firmwares that start with a fancy intro screen, but showing that blocked communication. Will try adding such a delay and see if I can add a variable to wait longer for such firmwares.

Ott3rman

Sorry for the delayed answer. When I connect with Host there is no noticable delay or anything. It does not boot the printer as far as I can see. It seems it connects by just joining the conversation if you understand what I mean? Is there a command I can send to force the printer to "boot"?

Repetier

No, if it does not boot with toggling dtr it can not from gcode side. Normally that is no problem since we simply send the commands anyway after a timeout. Only in some rare cases firmware is in an error state that makes this not working. Then hitting reset button on printer helps. But your log does not show any answer so that is not the problem here. Will try connecting with a due native port for verificaion that this is still working.

Ott3rman

I must admit this sounds abit over my head, but as I understand you will try to make it work in a new version?

Repetier

I will at least try to reproduce the problem. But that is with a different board and firmware so not sure if it will happen to me. It surely never did till now, but sometimes I add something with unintended side effects. So if this was the case it will then be fixed in next release.

Repetier

Ok, trying with a due on native port is still working.

If you look into server do you see a message like "No valid response seen within 10 seconds from printer, restarting connection" and what does server.log show when trying to connect? Normally you only see

2017-10-20 15:59:39: Connection started: radds

2017-10-20 15:59:39: Reset printer radds

and then communication is working. After 3 seconds it will ask for some data and if it does not get anything after 10 seconds it will show the above error message.

Since you have no response at all I suspect a problem with DTR/RTS function of the serial connection. All printers I know either ignore them or use them to reset the board. So we use it to reset the board as well setting them to false and then to true. Originally they were used for hardware flow control so it may have such a function in your case. Meaning that having these 2 signals high get interpreted as "please do not answer", which would pretty much explain the problem. On due native port for example I can only communicate with DTR set to true. Could you test your connection using coolterm

http://coolterm.en.lo4d.com/download<br/><br/>which is a dump serial terminal. In Options->Terminal select line mode and in SerialPort you can select connection speed and initial state of RTS and DTR pin. Test if can for example issue M119 and get an answer. If with some DTR/RTS combinations you get no answer I know what to do.

Ott3rman

Tested it out. I get answer in any combination with RTS and DTR pin. Here is a dump of the M503 command:

ok N61401 P15 B15

echo:Steps per unit:

echo: M92 X93.00 Y93.00 Z1097.50 E97.00

echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):

echo: M203 X150.00 Y150.00 Z1.50 E50.00

echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):

echo: M201 X800 Y800 Z20 E10000

echo:Accelerations: P=printing, R=retract and T=travel

echo: M204 P3000.00 R3000.00 T3000.00

echo:Advanced variables:

S=Min feedrate (mm/s),

T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s),

B=minimum segment time (ms),

X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),

Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),

E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)

echo: M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z0.40 E5.00

echo:Home offset (mm):

echo: M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00

echo:Invert axis: M562 XYZE

XYZABCD-+-+-+-

echo:PID settings:

echo: M301 P20.00 I0.02 D250.00 C100.00 L20

echo: M304 P10.00 I0.02 D305.40

echo:Filament settings: Disabled

echo: M200 D1.75

echo: M200 D0

ok N61401 P15 B15

Repetier

Ok, so no apparent reason to not connect. And since V1 does work I have no idea what is different in V2 that it wont connect.

On which OS are you trying this with the server?

Ott3rman

Windows 7 I know! It just do not make sense at all. I am "this" far away from a clean install of the server. But I really don't think that will fix it. Well, I'll keep using Repetier Server on a remote desktop for now, and hope You can get to the bottom of it some day. Really love the Server software, so I hope it works itself out.