Output contents of file to console

adavidm

Thinking about the request for help thread here:

https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/5909/guide-for-posting-requests-for-help/11

It occurred to me that a lot of the information gathering could be done using a macro, IF there was a way to A) Echo the contents of a file to the console with a g-code, and B) use M28 to capture output from commands.

You could do something like:

(Note, M930 does not exist, just using it as a placeholder for a function that echos file contents).

M28 tech_support.txt ; Open tech_support.txt for writing
M118 S"------------ BEGIN Technical Support Readout -----------------"

M118 S"---- Main System Files Output -----"

M118 S" -- /sys folder contents ---"
M20 P"/sys"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- config.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/config.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- config-override.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/config-override.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- homex.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/homex.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- homey.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/homey.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- homez.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/homez.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"----- homeall.g -----"
M930 P"/sys/homeall.g"
M118 S"--------------"

M118 S"---- Diagnostics Information -----"
M122 ; output diagnostics for platform, move, heat, gCodes. network and webserver modules

M118 S"------------ END Technical Support Readout -----------------"
M29 ; Finish SD card writing

M118 S"A file called tech_support.txt has been created on the root of your SD card "
M118 S"Please attach the file to your support request"

Obviously there are ways to improve this - pretty-printing, adding extra files/diagnostics, verbose/concise mode, etc. There are also far more sophisticated ways of packaging the data using DWC rather than a console. The upside of this approach is that DWC doesn't have to be up-and-running, you just need an operational console connection and the ability to put a file on an SD card.

When/If branching in gcode becomes available, a more sophisticated approach will be possible as the macro could detect kinematics/drive strategy, etc and finesse the output accordingly.

Thoughts?

dc42

Is there a reason why you don't just use the Edit or Download facility in DWC?

adavidm

This was intended to be an easy way to gather useful information for people posting problems here, as per my post in the linked thread. As with many support forums, a lot of effort is expended getting standard information from the people requesting help. I thought a simple way to gather that info would be of some use.

My reason for advocating a generic gcode approach was to make it possible to get the info even if DWC was not available for some reason e.g. the network is not available.

dc42

You can get config.g echoed to the console by sending M503.

T3P3Tony

@dc42 the idea would be a single gcode to create a log file of everything and save it to the SD card for attaching on the forum