Archive Comparison¶
Compare 2-5 archives side-by-side to understand setting differences and optimize your prints.
How It Works¶
Archive comparison extracts settings from 3MF files and displays them in a table with differences highlighted.
Starting a Comparison¶
Method 1: Context Menu
- Right-click an archive
- Select Compare
- Select up to 4 more archives
- Click Compare
Method 2: Multi-Select
- Select 2-5 archives (Ctrl+click or Shift+click)
- Right-click the selection
- Choose Compare Selected
Comparison View¶
Archives are displayed in columns with settings in rows:
| Setting | Benchy v1 | Benchy v2 | Benchy v3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layer Height | 0.20mm | 0.16mm | 0.20mm |
| Infill | 15% | 15% | 20% |
| Speed | 100mm/s | 80mm/s | 100mm/s |
| Material | PLA | PLA | PETG |
Highlighting¶
- Bold values indicate differences from other archives
- Makes it easy to spot what changed between prints
Compared Settings¶
Print Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Layer height | First layer and subsequent layers |
| Wall loops | Number of perimeter walls |
| Infill pattern | Grid, gyroid, honeycomb, etc. |
| Infill percentage | Fill density |
| Top/bottom layers | Solid layer count |
Speed Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Print speed | Overall movement speed |
| Travel speed | Non-printing moves |
| First layer speed | Initial layer speed |
| Infill speed | Internal fill speed |
Temperature Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Nozzle temp | Hotend temperature |
| Bed temp | First layer and subsequent |
| Chamber temp | Enclosure temperature |
Material Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Filament type | PLA, PETG, ABS, etc. |
| Filament brand | Manufacturer |
| Color | Filament color |
Support Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Support enabled | Yes/no |
| Support type | Normal, tree, etc. |
| Support pattern | Grid, lines, etc. |
| Support interface | Interface layers |
Results Comparison¶
Beyond settings, compare print results:
| Metric | Benchy v1 | Benchy v2 | Benchy v3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2h 15m | 2h 45m | 2h 10m |
| Filament | 45g | 42g | 48g |
| Result | Success | Success | Failed |
This helps correlate settings with outcomes.
Difference Filtering¶
Focus on what matters:
Show Only Differences¶
Toggle to hide settings that are identical across all archives.
Group by Category¶
Organize settings by type:
- Print settings
- Speed settings
- Temperature settings
- Material settings
- Support settings
Copying Settings¶
Found better settings? Apply them to future prints:
- Note the settings from the comparison
- Update your slicer profile
- Or use the K-profiles feature for pressure advance settings
Export Comparison¶
Export the comparison as:
- CSV - For spreadsheets
- Markdown - For documentation
Comparison History¶
Recent comparisons are saved:
- Access from the comparison page
- Re-run previous comparisons quickly
- No need to re-select archives
Use Cases¶
Troubleshooting Failures
Compare a successful print with a failed one to identify what changed.
Optimizing Quality
Compare prints with different layer heights to see the quality/time tradeoff.
Material Comparison
Same model in different materials - compare settings and results.
Speed Tuning
Compare prints at different speeds to find the sweet spot.
Profile Validation
Compare prints from different slicer profiles to ensure consistency.
Limitations¶
- Maximum 5 archives per comparison
- Requires 3MF file (not all settings available for imported archives)
- Some slicer-specific settings may not be parsed