Anyone know any GCode Editor Software? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2014, 08:27:35 pm
content: i'm currently building one as i searched google few days back with no luck. i saw some request from others as well (somewhere 3-10 years back post) but i guess its not in the "workflow". well, hope is still not diminished to find the good one. objective.... to final touch up gcode generated file from 3d printing software such as slic3r et al. capable of point edit move/delete/insert. interactive visualization and editing etc. and to rectify faulty generating slicer software. if it has no such capability please advice the "BEST" or the closest gcode editor you know, thanks.

author: nessatse
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2014, 01:58:09 pm
content: I doubt you are going to find such a beast, at least not one that is any good. GCode is usually the final output, and it is generally expected that you would adjust either your CAD model of post processor rather than the gcode itself. If the gcode is so bad that it needs hand editing, then the problem needs to be addressed further up the line, either at the model, cam app or post processor.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2014, 03:23:17 pm
content: Quote from: nessatse on June 20, 2014, 01:58:09 pmditto. there are 2 causes. first one, gcode is bad (as you said) due to the post processor is buggy (as you said), and the second one, gcode is not bad, post processor is not bad, cam also is not bad but has some limitations.fyi i need to tell in story... i'm modelling with very old AutoCAD, i also have very old 3DS Studio. but the nature of the model, i need to work with AutoCAD for some precision placement and cutting (solid subtractions), but the model also has curvey parts thats not suitable to be modelled in AutoCAD, should be in 3DS Studio using meshes, nurbs or whatnot, actually it can be done in AutoCAD (with some effort) but i have to mix model between 3D solid and meshes which cant be joined or stitch together, dilemaaa... so hard decision was made, everything (top level) workflow is in AutoCAD using 3D solid type. everything is good, except the curvey parts, its just crude approximation. if i export the unioned solid into 3DStudio and try to hand polishing the vertices its like finding needle in the sand, it just its many needles hundreds or thousands of it in somewhat apparently like a spaghetty mess in front of light blazing screen (got the picture?). fyi, it can be done easily with modern softwares, keyword... "variable fillet radius" or "loft extrude", but i got mo money to buy modern software. my hand crafting is better than anything available, but... i think and can do by hand trimming it after i printed the model but... if i want to do volumes then i have another troubles to come. so finally i was thinking, it should be and has to be done in output gcode! not just its easy layer by layer based editing, everythings are already nicely sliced into "coplanar plane" (instead of flying spaghetty), but i also have full control of the final CAM processing ie printing process.my biggest problem is the second one (stated above) the solution comes down to buying a very good and expensive CAD. there is also the first problem but easily solved since we have many free slicers around thanks to OSSW community that do the free job. we just pick the one that do the job well for the particular model. but if i have the robust gcode editor, i dont have to relearn another slicers and dont have to wait next year for the bug fix update. so yeah, if there is no such thing available yet, i'm building one anywayshould be not that hard right? what ye think?

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2014, 03:57:22 am
content: i'm guessing gcode editor in mechanical is like gerber editor in electronics. it has to be in existance. if not how are the fab houses do the editing of the ill designed pcb? such as trimming silkscreen out of solder pad? gerber is the output CAM file, if editing the CAM file is wrong, then the whole electronic industries are at faulti'm guessing why gcode editor is out of sight is because mechanical CAM has been so long is out of reach of mere mortals, gcodes are only generated by bunches of professionals who know what they are doing, not like pcb or gerber designed by the masses. with the growth of hobby CNC and CAM, it has to be in existance to cope with the ill behaving CAD or users. well, i see i'm quite fix right nowhmmm, very well.

author: nessatse
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2014, 09:59:12 am
content: Have you looked at any of the online gcode viewers?[size=78%]http://simplegcoder.com/- lets you preview and edit the codehttp://gcode.joewalnes.com/- 3d previewThere is also a list of viewers at[size=78%]http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Previewing_G-Code, some open source. Perhaps you can use these as a starting point[size=78%].

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2014, 01:48:01 pm
content: yes thank you, i will try and see those links.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2014, 02:26:49 pm
content: haven't read the thread... but anywaysasking for G-code editor is like asking for C,C++,Assembly,Python,Ruby.....whatever editor..you have to know the language - no editor on earth will write the program for your applicationand once you mastered the language , then a simple text editor is good enoughif you want to modify the G-code generated from your 3D model, then the best way is to modify your 3D model accordingly and re-generate the G-code.if you're unhappy with the generated G-code , then try other G-code generator which has better optimization.if you think you can do it better than the generators, then the best way is to "write" your 3D model directly in G-code for your machine.... just my 2 cents

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2014, 10:08:11 pm
content: the above story... long story short... my 3D CAD cannot do variable radius fillet and lofting, but it can do nice precision placement and hence precise solid booleans. so i guess the appropriate question should be.... what software that can do both AutoCAD 14 and 3DStudio MAX7 combined? it will be very nice if its free open source WinXP binary complete download. suggestions are highly welcomed.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2014, 01:00:02 am
content: there... RapR3D Visual GCode Editorhttp://www.soasystem.com/download/r3dgeditspecifically made for 3D printing nuts... in case someone in the world is looking for it...

author: tjb1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2014, 03:27:54 pm
content: This one works quite good, not sure if it will recognize whatever g-code you plan on using as it is mostly for CNC machining codes which are pretty standard for most machines, especially if they use Fanuc controls.Edit: forgot the link...http://www.cnccookbook.com/CCGWizardE.html

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2014, 03:40:26 pm
content: did you try google sketchup, and the gcode stl exporter plugin ?is it a nice combination for 3d editor and export to 3d printer