Cameo 4

This printer is new and has been available on the market since November 2019, I think. I am trying to get it to work with Inkcut. I am assuming that this printer uses GPGL. Is this correct? I'm wondering about the following:

• Because I had difficulty cutting with similar software writen in Python running through inkscape, I am assuming that Silhouette changed or extended GPGL, or am I mistaken? The difficulty I am seeing is I can't use tool #2.

• Is there a developer's guide for GPGL? How can one learn some of the specifics or features of this protocol?

Thanks!

StratO

Looking though the code of gpgl.py:

from inkcut.device.plugin import DeviceProtocol


class GPGLProtocol(DeviceProtocol):
    def connection_made(self):
        self.write("H")

    def move(self, x, y, z, absolute=True):
        self.write("%s%i,%i"%('D' if z else 'M', x, y))

    def set_velocity(self, v):
        self.write('!%i' % v)

    def set_force(self, f):
        self.write("FX%i,1" % f)

    def set_pen(self, p):
        pass

It looks like when we set the pen, we don't set the pen. I assume this is because we don't know how to do that?

Looking at Jan Henrik's code for converting hpgl to gpgl at github.com/Jan--Henrik/MP2300-Tools/blob/master/hpgl2gpgl.py I see code for selecting a pen:

elif c[:2] == "SP":
        fOut.write("j")
        fOut.write(c[2:len(c[2:])-1])
        fOut.write('\x03')

I might be inclined to try replacing the last two lines with:

def set_pen(self, p):
        self.write("j%i" % p)

I'll give it a shot when I can.

StratO

Thanks frmdstryr. So I think if I were to make that change I would also edit one of the enaml files and place a tool selector (dropdown 1-8) on it and default it to 1. Then during the initialization, if there is a non-1 present I would send a set_pen() with whatever number was selected.

I don't have time to do that right now as I am learning to use the machine in Windows using Silhouette Studio but once I'm comfortable with using the machine and understand its quirks I will hopefully get to it.

StratO

The Silhoutte Cameo line is widely used in the "Hobby Toilor" communities (intensively here in Germany) for printing sewing pattern without the need for glueing a couple of special marked DIN A4 sheets together.
The Cameo 3 - first cutter with 2 tools, blade + pen - was special designed for this community to allow them to cut a pattern incl. seam allowance and paint the sewing line at the same time.
The new Cameo 4 cutters are also developed for this community to allow them not only cutting patterns but also cutting fabrics directly.
So the Cameo 4 does not only support Graphtec like blades and pens but also "Kraft-Blades", rotary blades (for cutting fabrics), sketch pens and punching tools.
The downward pressure of Cameo 4 is 10 times!! more as on Cameo 3 - 5kg!!
Further announed are two more versions, plus/pro with 15"/20" width.

That looks correct, except that the J needs to be uppercase. I tested it with:

echo "J2" | sudo tee /dev/usb/lp0
echo "J1" | sudo tee /dev/usb/lp0

and the head moves each pen into position as expected.

There's some old documentation of the GPGL protocol ; the Cameo 4 also uses many other commands that don't appear in that command set.