Put OctoPrint in Your Pocket with Printoid, a New Mobile App for Android

3D printer controller OctoPrint already has plenty of fans. The free, open source software, which offers a web interface so that users can control and monitor their printers from anywhere at any time right from within their browsers, has earned its popularity with its versatility and extendability, and now one particularly enterprising fan has developed an app to make it even more accessible.

Anthony Stephan is an Android software engineer based in France, and he’s also an unapologetic OctoPrint fan. It only made sense, therefore, to combine his work with his passion, and develop an Android app for OctoPrint. Printoid offers direct access to the OctoPrint server via a smart, user-friendly interface that includes all of the tools for controlling any RepRap 3D printer. Features, according to Stephan, include:

• Full axis and tools control
• A smart files manager
• Video streaming
• Gcode and SSH commands sender
• 3D visualizer for Gcode and STL files
• Android wear module

Stephan began developing Printoid in June of this year after finding himself dissatisfied with the existing OctoPrint applications for Android. He released the first version of his app after only three months, and since then has been improving and enhancing it with the help of a growing community of users.

“What I can say about Printoid is that I’m developing the application for all the users of OctoPrint and for the one not yet convinced by this awesome tool,” Stephan told 3DPrint.com. “Also, most of the users help me to make Printoid better day after day. I’m listening for all the requests and issues, and most of time the users work with me to find the best solutions. In a word, Printoid has become a great community of 3D printing enthusiasts, with more than 2000 users all over the world, and more than 50 of them invested in the project.

“During the last 6 months, Printoid has reached a great level of stability, and the application can practically replace any computer to use a 3D printer. Many useful features are still under development, like a real 3D STL slicer, a Thingiverse’s things browser, etc.”

The latest version of Printoid, Version 5.06, was just released on November 28. A trial version of the app is available for free, allowing users to test the main features for an unlimited amount of time, while the Pro Version can be purchased for $3.49 and includes additional exclusive features. A Premium Version, designed for professional users, is $5.99 and features several advanced tools such as the ability to control Printoid via a physical keyboard or Android Debug Bridge (ADB).

The app is easy to download and connect to your printer; all you’ll need is a Raspberry Pi and a USB cable. (Stephan suggests the Raspberry Pi 3 as it has multiple USB ports for connecting the printer, a webcam, and your Android device.) You can read full instructions for installing the app here.

Stephan is continuing to improve the app at a rapid pace; in November, he released a new version every few days. As his community of users continues to grow and offer feedback, Printoid only gets better. If you’d like to be part of that community, give Printoid a try; Stephan is very receptive to feedback and dedicated to making his app as comprehensive, user-friendly and professional as possible. Discuss in the Printoid forum at 3DPB.com.