Prusaslicer: Splitting an STL causes parts to fall down and there's no way to move em across Z axis

[Goury]

Version

2.0.0+linux64

Behavior

Load an STL, right click green thing, click split → to objects.
Expected Results: everything stays where it was, just being split into multiple objects.
Actual Results: everything falls down to the bottom.
Bonus Results: there's no way to change Z position, it just doesn't let you.

Surely splitting to parts doesn't have such problem, but then I can't edit those parts, so it makes this feature useless for this case.

Proposal: let us change Z position and let us not drop everything down.

[WilkoV]

What do you try to do?

[Goury]

To split a multipart STL and then to cut some parts of it

[neophyl]

when you choose to split it to parts you are telling SlicerPE that they are separate objects so it naturally places them all on the bed to make them printable.

Model editing should be done in model editing software not a slicer.

[Goury]

Why are there model editing tools then?
What if I don't want to print something on the bed?

Don't make this harder for everyone.
It is clear that placing everything on the bed should be optional, especially when it was not on the bed in the first place.

[neophyl]

I think you may be missing an option in SlicerPE. There are 2 split options, split to Objects and split to parts. When you choose to Split to Object you are explicitly telling SlicerPE that it should treat them as separate objects. So it does treat them as if you had imported them in as separate stl files.

So they get placed on the bed as you cant print an object that's in mid air. After all you can't print something that isnt connected to the bed in some fashion.
This behaviour is perfectly logical as that's the option you have choosen.

Splitting to parts leaves them where they are and they are still part of the object. This can be seen in the tree hierarchy on the right.

It's great that you want to use Slicer for everything but sometimes its better to use the right tool for the right job.

[Goury]

One way to resolve this issue would be to enable editing of parts.

But placing everything on the bed is still not right and should be optional because I can and do want to print some stuff not on bed.
Software shouldn't dictate us how to use our machines.

[bubnikv]

Surely splitting to parts doesn't have such problem, but then I can't
edit those parts, so it makes this feature useless for this case.

What do you mean with editing those parts?

Proposal: let us change Z position and let us not drop everything down.

Why? The problem we are facing is that we don't understand what you are
trying to achieve with the software.

čt 13. 6. 2019 v 10:47 odesílatel Goury [e-mail] napsal:

One way to resolve this issue would be to enable editing of parts.

But placing everything on the bed is still not right and should be
optional because I can and do want to print some stuff not on bed.
Software shouldn't dictate us how to use our machines.

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[Goury]

What do you mean with editing those parts?

Cutting and rotating them

Why?

I want my machine to print something not on bed.
Why not?

Surely under no circumstances should this be default mode, nor should it be not in the advanced section.
But why are we so against printing some parts not from Z0?

[neophyl]

Sorry but how can a 3D printer print something that is not located on the bed ?

[Goury]

It can print it not on the bed.
For example, I can put something on the bed.
For another example, it can print a lot of spagetti into a box.

Also anything is possible with imagination.

But the real question is why are you so against imagination?

[neophyl]

So I ask an hones6 question about how it’s physically possible to print something in the air and you turn it into a personal attack on my lack of imagination ? Great.

For the record I have plenty of imagination it’s just that if I wanted to print something with one object on top of another I would open up my modelling software of choice, Blender in my case, model the awesomely fantastic things I have imagined and then I would import it in the SLICER and let it do its job of slicing the part to create the G-code. Where in that is a lack of imagination ?

I don’t expect my modelling software to be able to create gcode the same as I don’t expect my slicer of choice to be able to model.

Also with split to parts you can move parts around and modify them include place them in the air in the z axis so to me it looks like the whole ‘issue’ is a lack of understanding on your part on how to actually use the very powerful software tools that we have been given. For free.

I come here to check issues and to possibly help other users because that’s just good behaviour but when it descends into character assassination then it becomes not to be fun anymore. I wish you well in your future printing endeavours. Maybe you can find the perfect slicer for you, or maybe you will end up writing one. Anything is possible with enough imagination as you point out. Good luck.

[Goury]

and you turn it into a personal attack

No, I didn't.
But you did right now by falsely accusing me in personal attack.

I have plenty of imagination it’s just that if I wanted to print something with one object on top of another

Not enough imagination yet.
Imagine now that you don't want another object to be printed.

Also with split to parts you can move parts around and modify them include place them in the air in the z axis

How do I do that?
I set Z to something else and it does nothing.
Also, if that is possible, why does it reset Z position on splitting then?

The very point of that topic is that this doesn't work.

[neophyl]

Add object model that has several separate parts, choose split to parts NOT split to objects. You can then move the separate parts around by selecting then from the tree on the right. You have to select them from the tree though and not by selecting them from the build plate window. You still have to have one of the parts placed on the bed. I don’t care how much imagination you apply you can not print an object in mid air. You will get spaghetti I think you called it. If I wanted to print a tangled mass of filament I wouldn’t need a slicer, I could just write some gcode to move the extruded in mid air while extruding in any text editor.

Also accusing someone of a lack of something when you know nothing about them IS a personal attack.

[bubnikv]

@Goury

But the real question is why are you so against imagination?

We are trying to make an easy to use software. Your proposal may make sense to you, but to the majority it will make the software less intuitive and it will just risk creating spagetti monsters.

@neophyl gave a description of how you may move parts of an object in Z.

Closing.

[zalexzperez]

I was trying to print a design in 2 colors that would be similar to a Prusa lcd cover with engraved text whose bottom will be in another color.

Since the front part will be touching the bed and I DON'T want the whole layer to be in a different color, but only the bridge infill in this case, I have to divide my design in 3 parts.

I first tried Split to objets and found this topic. Now I tried Split to parts but I can't hide the different parts. You can only hide different objects. Why is this?

Anyway, is there an easier way to make a color change only on a bridge infill on a single extruder machine? I actually don't know how to even print something that rests on top of a previous print ...

Thanks

Edit: found a way to do it. Configuring virtual extruders on PrusaSlicer!.