Still trying to figure out this Repetier thing

The firmware of course tells the mainboard how to operate and use all of it's inputs and outputs. Yes there is a custom version of Repetier host that works on this printer. It does away with the cartridges although you could still use them. it just does not check for them. I just reflashed mine a few days ago and love it now. Much better print quality.

As far as how a host works. You load it with an STL file. It then will slice that STL file based on your settings which generate G-code in a separate directory on your PC called Composition.gcode. Then in the client you would select load and select that gcode file. No I assume you can load already sliced gcode the same way. But I prefer using Slic3r which come with the host as it works well.

Once you load it, you go to the manual control tab and turn on your heaters to heat to what ever setting you want. I keep it the same as the gcode so it will print as soon as I click run job. That way I don't have to wait while it cools or heats more. Once it starts printing it sends code from the host over a usb line to a small buffer in the printer. The issue is that the printer uses the data slower than it is sent so it need a buffer to store unprocessed data.

On this setup using Rep firmware and Rep host if you unplugged the USB it would still print for a few minutes until the buffer was empty and then crash. It would stop moving and the heat may or may not stay on. Depends on if the last commands in the buffer turned it on or off before the crash.

Rep host allows you to start and store prints on the memory card as well. In fact it uses the memory card as an EEPROM to store settings since the mainboard does not have one like most do. If you start a print from the memory card then you could unplug it and it would still print because the source of the data is still there.

As far a remote stop, Rep host has an Emergency stop button in the upper right corner. But it does not seem to work real time. it takes a moment for that command to reach the machine. About 30 to 45 seconds. The it will stop. So yes you could log into pc that is driving it and stop it with a delay. But if you are printing from the card I don't know if that will work. Nothing beats just being able to hit the power switch if something goes bad.

The stock setup does allow you to print without the computer once started. However you have very little control over the print parameters and you will never be able to print down to .10 layers with the stock setup. I read the other day that some have even got this machine doing .05 layers with the Rep setup.

You have to preheat the the extruder and the platform before you click run job. What is happening in your case is the system is waiting for the extruder and platform to heat. If you watch the display you should see the temps rising when you do your method.

Once you slice, click load and find the composition.gcode file. If you look in the little window at the bottom of the screen it tells you where the slicer puts the file after you slice. I changed it to t an easier to find directory in the settings.

Once you load that file got to manual controls. Makes sure all axis are home then click heat extruder and heat printbed. Wait for them to reach your set temp. In my case it is 210 and 110. Keep an eye on them as you don't want the machine to idle at operating temps too long as the filament in the nozzle can over heat and clog.

Once the temps are reached then click run job and you should see things go into action.

If you're heating things manually. Heat the bed first until it is within 10 degrees of the target temp. Then heat the extruder. The bed takes much longer to get to temp and you don't want the extruder baking your filament in the mean time. And you can slice while you're waiting for the temps.

Pretty much, this is typical of any printer. The Da Vinci software is more or less printing for dummies. As gunner noted heat your bed first as it does take about 10 minutes or so to reach temp. Once it is as he said with in ten start heating your extruder. It only takes it a few minutes to reach temp and will probably still reach temp before the bed.

Yes you can just hit run job but it will just sit there the entire time while the head and bed heat. The issue you have there is unless you just sit there and watch the temps rise you don't know when it will start and it could start while you are not there and for some odd reason the head may be too low or the bed may be too high and it goes plowing across the surface. Or it never sticks. I like to be there when it lays the first layer so I can tweak the bed height if needed and hit the power switch if things go bad.

So to refresh,

Heat.
slice.
load composition.gcode.
wait for temps.
run job.
pray, dance, or whatever you do to increase luck.