Tutorial: Using settings management with slice properties

Applying laser properties from presets to slices that already have some properties set

When working with slice properties, the regular settings management has additional functionality to merge properties loaded from presets with any properties already existing for the selected slice stacks.

Some commands apply properties to their output. For example, multilasersplit assigns laser indices. With the settings management in slicing, properties like these indices may optionally be preserved.

Slice property presets are stored in %APPDATA%\netfabb\parameters\slice_properties.xml.

For the regular settings management functionality, refer to the dedicated help article.

Jump to:

• 1. Preparation
• 2. Using the parameter preset

1. Preparation

This step sets up a slice stack with a property and makes a preset available that can then be applied in later steps of the tutorial.

Creating the slice stack

1. Launch Netfabb.
2. From the main menu choose the part library.
3. Select a model such as the Torus, click Part configuration in the context view and accept default values with Generate part.
4. In the project tree, drag the Torus part entry from the Parts section to the Slices section and accept the default slicing parameters.
5. Right-click the Torus slice stack in the project tree and choose Add property > Manage all properties to open the Manage all properties dialog.

   Notice the Current values entry under Manage settings. This is different from the regular settings management where this entry by default would read New setting or the name of any other custom preset previously created, representing that respective existing preset.

Keep the Manage all properties dialog open.

Creating the preset

1. Activate the checkbox for Mark speed and change the value from the default 100 mm/s to 150 mm/s. Do the same for Jump speed.
2. In the Manage settings section, click New setting, specify a name like my settings, and click OK.

   This saves the current property modifications right away to a new preset.

Keep the Manage all properties dialog open.

Finishing preparation of the slice stack

1. Uncheck the Mark speed property.
2. Check the Jump speed property and change the value from the default 150 mm/s specified earlier to 120 mm/s.
3. Click OK to close the properties dialog and apply only the change for Mark speed.

You now have the two components set up that you need for this tutorial:

• a slice stack with the laser parameter Mark speed set to 120.00 mm/s
• a properties preset with the laser parameters Mark speed and Jump speed set to 150.00 mm/s

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2. Using the parameter preset

1. Right-click the Torus slice stack in the project tree and choose Add property > Manage all properties.
2. In the Manage settings dropdown, switch between Current values and my settings.

   Note how the property selection and the parameter values change depending on your selection.

3. Select the my settings entry.
4. Uncheck the Mark speed parameter.
5. From the Manage settings choose Setting options > Merge active values to current values.

This adds all parameters with an active checkbox to the parameters already set for the slice stack and closes the dialog. Note how the slice stack's Mark speed parameter was preserved at 120.00 mm/s even though the preset contained it set to 150 mm/s and how there is now also the property of Jump speed set to the value of 150 mm/s.

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