GCODE Text Extraction

About

Reconstructs human-readable text from GCODE files where characters are embedded as geometric shapes rather than stored in metadata. This tool provides a systematic approach for analyzing X/Y coordinate movements, identifying travel and extrusion commands, and visualizing toolpaths to reveal embossed or engraved content. By leveraging Python visualization templates and coordinate parsing techniques, it enables the recovery of hidden strings in complex manufacturing files, making it particularly valuable for CTF challenges, forensics, and verifying 3D print designs.

Key Features

• Python-based visualization strategies using matplotlib for toolpath plotting
• Pattern recognition for identifying baseline, character height, and spacing
• Analysis of Z-lifts and retractions to segment text features
• Coordinate parsing and clustering to identify individual character boundaries
• Geometric reconstruction of toolpaths from G1/G0 movement commands
• 16 GitHub stars

Use Cases

• Solving CTF challenges where flags are hidden in 3D printer movement data
• Recovering embossed or engraved text from legacy CNC or GCODE files
• Verifying the specific text content of a 3D print object before production