<p>Just a random thought, and if I wasn't asking the question myself I'd probably down vote it, but...  are screenshots the best way to show printer settings, or would a text version be better? </p>

<p>Ok, yes, a screenshot is probably easier to do and post, and will show a familiar UI and be easy on the eye and make it easy to notice errors/improvements. </p>

<p>However, having a (standardised) text format would make it <em>searchable</em>. After all, other sites always say, "please copy and paste the error rather than post a screenshot" - because the text in a screenshot is not searchable. </p>

<p>Yes, it could/would be a pain to enforce this rule (is it possible to easily export printer settings as a file file?) and/or edit the text version of the settings into the post.</p>

<p>This is probably a daft "thought experiment" of an idea... but I thought I'd float it anyway. </p>

[{'answer_id': 366, 'author': '0scar', 'author_id': 5740, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.meta.stackexchange.com/users/5740', 'pm_score': 0, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>The problem with settings is that there are so much settings, if OP\'s are asked to post certain settings the OP or the one that helps might miss some other parameters that would be visible in a screenshot. I was able to spot a few problems already using the screenshots.</p>\n\n<p>Another thought: "What would you gain by searchable settings?". In case of error messages I am absolutely convinced that you should, but I do not see the advantage for searching/indexing. </p>\n\n<p>What does being searchable actually add? Questions and answers are usually not that long to spot certain text when you are on a page, what does it add if it is searchable for the site? E.g. if I would search for <code>combing</code>, you now get some hits, if everyone posts the settings in text you suddenly have many more you need to scroll through...</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 367, 'author': 'Sava', 'author_id': 12917, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.meta.stackexchange.com/users/12917', 'pm_score': 1, 'selected': False, 'text': "<p>Text would probably be best because it is searchable, so things can be found faster then by just looking at the long list of settings available in any slicer/printer/device available with your own eyes.</p>\n\n<p>However, as far as I'm aware, exporting settings in text format from a slicer/printer is still wishful thinking due to many factors.</p>\n\n<p>I remember a long conversation on the Ultimaker forums a few months ago about this very proposal: being able to export settings in some form, to make it easier for people who are experimenting to follow the various iterations of settings more easily.</p>\n\n<p>Some people asked for text format, csv, odt, etc, but the people of Ultimaker ultimately crushed the hopes of everyone by explaining, in technical terms that I did not completely understood, that it wasn't possible without rebuilding the whole thing from scratch.</p>\n\n<p>Thus why we're stuck with screenshots for the foreseeable future.</p>\n"}]
['https://3dprinting.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/365', 'https://3dprinting.meta.stackexchange.com', 'https://3dprinting.meta.stackexchange.com/users/4762/']