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Clear and reuse a tag

Erase a tag when its spool is used up, so the tag can go onto a new spool. Clearing does two things: it erases the filament data on the tag, and it removes the tag's link from the old spool in Spoolman.

What is erased and what stays

Erased or removed Stays
On the tag All filament data the station wrote The tag's permanent UID
In Spoolman The tag's link on the old spool: the values in the two extra fields nfc_uid and opentag_instance_uuid (if they exist) and, on Spoolman 0.27 or later, the tag in the spool's tag list The spool itself, its filament, its weights and its usage

After clearing, the tag is blank and can be written again. Only tags that hold OpenPrintTag data can be cleared. A blank tag needs no clearing and has no CLEAR / REUSE button. If Spoolman still links a blank tag to a spool, remove the tag from that spool in Spoolman itself, or write the tag for the spool you want (the station moves the link). A tag with other data ("This tag can't be used as it is") cannot be erased by the station.

Steps

Touchscreen

  1. Put the tag on the reader and tap MANAGE TAG.
  2. Tap the red CLEAR / REUSE button. The station reads the tag.
  3. Read "Erase this tag?": "Erases the filament data on the tag and removes its link in Spoolman." and "The spool itself stays in Spoolman." Tap the red ERASE TAG to go on, or BACK to leave the tag as it is.
  4. Keep the tag on the reader. The page shows "Clearing tag" with a block count, then "Removing link in Spoolman" with "The tag is already erased."
  5. Done: "TAG READY TO REUSE", "The old filament information is removed." and "What should this tag become?" Choose one:
    • CHOOSE EXISTING SPOOL to write the tag for a spool that is already in Spoolman.
    • NEW SPOOL FROM A FILAMENT to create a spool from a filament and write the tag for it.
    • DONE to leave the tag blank.

The first two continue with the steps in Write or update a tag.

The station never removes a tag link that belongs to a filament in Spoolman. If there is one, the browser's message after clearing reads "Tag cleared and verified. Spoolman still links it to filament #N; remove it there before using the tag for a spool." Remove it in Spoolman before you write the tag for a spool; otherwise the write is refused.

Browser

  1. Put the tag on the reader. On the Dashboard click Manage tag, then Clear / Reuse.
  2. The dialog "Reuse this NFC tag?" explains: "This removes the filament information and unlinks the tag from Spoolman. Its permanent NFC identifier will not change." It lists the tag, its current material and the Spoolman spool, and says "Review this exact tag before clearing".
  3. Click the red Clear tag, or Cancel.
  4. Keep the tag on the reader and the station powered while the progress line counts the blocks.
  5. Done: the title reads "Tag ready to reuse · verified". Click Write tag for a spool to write it again straight away, or Done.

If Spoolman cannot be reached in the middle

The tag is erased first and Spoolman is updated second. If Spoolman does not answer at that moment, the tag is already blank but the old spool in Spoolman still lists it. The station remembers this, even across a restart, and asks you to finish.

Touchscreen Browser
What you see Page title "Unlink not finished" with "The tag is cleared. Removing its link in Spoolman is still pending." "Tag cleared · cleanup pending" and "Tag blank and verified. Spoolman cleanup is still pending. Retry cleanup without rewriting the tag."
Finish it TRY UNLINKING AGAIN Retry Spoolman cleanup in the dialog. In Manage tag the button reads Retry cleanup.
Give up Red SKIP RECOVERY, then confirm on "Skip recovery?" Red Skip cleanup, then confirm

Finishing needs Spoolman to be reachable again. It does not need the tag, and it does not write to the tag.

Skipping leaves Spoolman as it is. The touchscreen says so before you confirm: "The tag is erased, but Spoolman may still list it on the old spool." If you skip, remove the link on the old spool in Spoolman yourself: empty its nfc_uid and opentag_instance_uuid fields, and on Spoolman 0.27 or later remove the tag from its tag list.

Until this is finished or skipped, the station does not start another tag write or clear. Full details for every unfinished state: Finish an interrupted tag operation.

If something goes wrong

What you see What it means What to do
"Finish clearing this tag" with "Clearing this tag was interrupted. Place the same tag on the reader to finish clearing it." The tag was removed, or power was lost, while it was being erased. Put the same tag back and tap FINISH CLEARING. See Finish an interrupted tag operation.
"Unlink not finished" The tag is blank; Spoolman was not updated. See the section above.
"Spoolman is missing the Spool extra field …" Your Spoolman is older than 0.27 and the two extra fields are missing. The tag is already erased; only the link is left. Add the fields (Required extra fields), then finish as described in the section above.
"Spoolman now links this tag to another spool; unlink refused" or "This tag is linked to one spool by its extra field and to another in Spoolman's tag list; unlink refused" The tag is already erased, but Spoolman links it to a different spool than expected, so the station leaves Spoolman alone. The page shows "Unlink not finished". In Spoolman, find the spools linked to this tag and remove the wrong link. Then tap TRY UNLINKING AGAIN (browser: Retry Spoolman cleanup).
"Spoolman still links this tag after removing it; try again" Spoolman did not keep the removal. Tap TRY UNLINKING AGAIN (browser: Retry Spoolman cleanup).
"This tag can't be used as it is" The tag holds data the station does not recognise, so it will not erase it. Use another tag. See Which tags work.
Any other error while erasing The tag or reader refused the operation. See Tag write or clear fails.