Feature/mixing extruder

[konsumverweigerer]

Support for mixing (n-in 1-out) nozzles. It uses the sync to stepper/extruder and adjusts the rotation distance for the affected steppers.

[KevinOConnor]

Thanks. As high-level feedback, I think it is fine to add a module to facilitate mixing extruders, but I think the code should more closely follow some current Klipper conventions.

Some high-level comments (in no particular order):

1. It would be preferable for this PR to be rebased with the gradient support in a separate commit. I'm fine with adding gradient support; having it separate would ease review though.
2. It looks like this code adds several debug logging lines - as per our contribution guidelines that should be cleaned up and removed prior to merging ( https://www.klipper3d.org/CONTRIBUTING.html ).
3. It's not clear to me why self.printer.add_object() call was added to extruder.py . Can you elaborate on that?
4. This PR adds several new commands. The current convention is to try to introduce fewer commands - using command parameters to allow commands to perform multiple functions if needed. I'd expect there to be just a single SET_MIXING_EXTRUDER command (and possibly a SET_MIXING_EXTRUDER_GRADIENT command with gradient support).
5. The toolhead.move() method is on the "fast path" and I don't think we should incur the overhead of calling send_event() in that code path. As a possible alternative, you may be able to add a "gcode move transform" (see klippy/extras/tuning_tower.py as an example). I'm guessing this is only needed for gradient support?
6. Overriding G1 in a sample config seems a little dubious to me. I'm not sure it is a good idea to recommend that.
7. Why does the mixing_extruder config require both steppers and extruder_name?
8. I think it would be preferable for the user to explicitly specify the "mixing_extruderX" names that are to be used (and allow arbitrary names instead of "mixing_extruder0" through "mixing_extruder15").

Cheers, -Kevin

[konsumverweigerer]

Ok I will look into points 1, 2 and 4 ...

Regarding 3.: I need to poll the initial rotation distance on the steppers and for that I need to make a method call on the ExtruderStepper (I added the get/set_rotation_distance in extruder.py for that) and this was the way I saw to get to the ExtruderSteppers having only their names.

Regarding 6.: Thanks for the pointer. I hadn't seen the this move_transform possibility and with that I could add the position hook only when needed: when an gradient is active (you are right this is only needed for gradients)

Regarding 6.: The G1 is only a demo how flexible the basic command is (eg. the duet g-code flavor also supports a "G1 Ennn:nnn:nnn..." command: https://docs.duet3d.com/User_manual/Reference/Gcodes) and it make manual testing much easier

Regarding 7.: The extruder_name is the extruder which is controlled by the G0/G1 commands and the steppers are the steppers I sync with the extruder. An alternative solution would be that the first stepper in the list is the extruder by convention.

for the 8.: when I do some reorganization I will probably remove the multiple mixing_extruders altogether since they are only for convenience to hold some presets for mixings and that could also easily be done with gcode macros if required

[KevinOConnor]

Thanks.

I need to poll the initial rotation distance on the steppers and for that I need to make a method call on the ExtruderStepper (I added the get/set_rotation_distance in extruder.py for that) and this was the way I saw to get to the ExtruderSteppers having only their names.

I think a simpler way would be to add a get_extruder_stepper() method call to the extruder.py and extruder_stepper.py .

The extruder_name is the extruder which is controlled by the G0/G1 commands and the steppers are the steppers I sync with the extruder. An alternative solution would be that the first stepper in the list is the extruder by convention.

I'm a little confused on the naming. In Klipper today, an "extruder" is the combination of a "hotend heater" and an "extruder stepper". Given that, wouldn't a "mixing extruder" be the combination of an "extruder" and n "extruder steppers"? Why would a mixing extruder have multiple hotends?

-Kevin

[konsumverweigerer]

I need to poll the initial rotation distance on the steppers and for that I need to make a method call on the ExtruderStepper (I added the get/set_rotation_distance in extruder.py for that) and this was the way I saw to get to the ExtruderSteppers having only their names.

I think a simpler way would be to add a get_extruder_stepper() method call to the extruder.py and extruder_stepper.py .

That would be a solution for the extruder.py . But for the extruder_stepper.py that would not help since they are not registered with the printer as far as I see...

The extruder_name is the extruder which is controlled by the G0/G1 commands and the steppers are the steppers I sync with the extruder. An alternative solution would be that the first stepper in the list is the extruder by convention.

I'm a little confused on the naming. In Klipper today, an "extruder" is the combination of a "hotend heater" and an "extruder stepper". Given that, wouldn't a "mixing extruder" be the combination of an "extruder" and n "extruder steppers"? Why would a mixing extruder have multiple hotends?

exacly so extruder_name is the one extruder (which is used for the sync_to_extruder call target) and the steppers list are extruder steppers (where I set the rotation distance); one of which may be that extruder. Possibly I could figure out the extruder_name from the toolhead ...

[KevinOConnor]

But for the extruder_stepper.py that would not help since they are not registered with the printer as far as I see...

All "extras" modules are registered in the printer object via the config name. For example, printer.lookup_object("extruder_stepper my_extra_stepper").

-Kevin

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