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Propeller IDE failure to download — Parallax Forums

Propeller IDE failure to download

rikkirikki Posts: 53
edited 2019-12-04 12:23 in General Discussion
Are there instructions on the site to facilitate troubleshooting when Propeller IDE fails to download?
I have searched, but I've found nothing.

I am using Propeller IDE ver 0.33.3, in Ubuntu Linux, with a Prop Plug.

My code is a minimal snippet used only to verify downloading:

OBJ
pst : "Parallax Serial Terminal" ' import serial utilities

PUB mainLoop

CON
' enable use of the external clock/crystal
_clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x
_xinfreq = 5_000_000

When I click the WRITE (download) button, the dialog opens for a couple seconds, then declares "Download failed", then the dialog closes.

Comments

  • Does Propeller IDE find your com-port correctly ?
    And is the com-port available (I mean, to make sure the comp-port is NOT open in some other application).

    It you have any other port-consuming software open (such as Terminal, SimpleIDE, etc...), try closing all those, and then re-start Propeller IDE, and try again. IF Propeller IDE has a com-port dropdown to choose the port, make sure you've got the right one selected.

  • Also, for linux, make sure you've got permissions set for Propeller IDE to access the com ports (dial in group ?)

  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 14:06
    VonSzarvas wrote: »
    Does Propeller IDE find your com-port correctly ?
    And is the com-port available (I mean, to make sure the comp-port is NOT open in some other application).

    It you have any other port-consuming software open (such as Terminal, SimpleIDE, etc...), try closing all those, and then re-start Propeller IDE, and try again. IF Propeller IDE has a com-port dropdown to choose the port, make sure you've got the right one selected.

    Thank you, VonSzarvas for your response.
    The com port does appear in the Propeller IDE.
    If I unplug the Prop Plug, the listing for ttyUSB0 does not appear.
    When the Prop Plug is plugged into a USB port, it does appear in Propeller IDE.
    VonSzarvas wrote: »
    Also, for linux, make sure you've got permissions set for Propeller IDE to access the com ports (dial in group ?)

    I (my user-name) am included in the dialout group.


  • Is there a "how-to" or "Getting Started" document which describe the procedures for downloading, with troubleshooting guide or suggestions?
  • I'm not aware of any such document for Propeller IDE.

    The other thing this could be is faulty target hardware, faulty USB cable, or un-powered target hardware.

    They would be some quick things to trouble shoot.

    1. Try a different USB cable.
    2. Make sure the target hardware (not the prop-plug, but whatever you are plugging that into) is powered up.
    3. Make sure the target hardware has the tx/rx pins the right way round, and that the RESn pin is connected too.

    OK... I realise in asking all this that we missed the first obvious question... What are you plugging the prop-plug into ? Can you share a photo or schematic if that's a non-Parallax board?


    Another thing you could try is putting a jumper wire between the PropPlug tx and rx pins, and then open a linux serial terminal, type some characters, and see if those characters echo back again. That won't prove that the RESn pin is working, but it will at least prove that linux is communicating with the PropPlug data lines ok. That said... this seems like it could be a target-hardware issue more than a PropPlug issue.



  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 18:29
    Thank you much for that information.

    I am connected via the Prop Plug to a Propeller Spinerette.
    I apologize that I had not posted that previously.

    The Spinerette is powered ok.
    I did verify that the Prop Plug is connected correctly.
    VonSzarvas wrote: »

    Another thing you could try is putting a jumper wire between the PropPlug tx and rx pins, and then open a linux serial terminal, type some characters, and see if those characters echo back again. That won't prove that the RESn pin is working, but it will at least prove that linux is communicating with the PropPlug data lines ok. That said... this seems like it could be a target-hardware issue more than a PropPlug issue.

    Thank you also for this suggestion.
    I will give it a try as soon as possible and post the results.
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 22:02
    With a jumper on the Prop Plug from the Tx terminal to the Rx terminal,

    I can write into the terminal $ echo "1" > /dev/ttytUSB0

    With no jumper, the blue LED on the Prop Plug flashes.
    With the jumper in place, the blue and the red LEDs flash.

    I have not managed to get a terminal open as yet.
    I will do so and repeat.

    I especially appreciate and value your time.
    I appreciate your suggestion, which would not have occured to me to do.

    Noted in my journal.
    If I can get a good take on the required procedures and info then I'll publish it here.

    Somewhere there is a logfile, or can be.
    I will search for it and include what I see from PropellerIDE connection events to that interface.

    ETA: I'm not too concerned with the Spinerette. I only wanted a quickie simple time-of-day/season thing for some lighting.

    I have also a Project Board and a Mini, only not at hand for the moment. I'll get them in-hand and try also with the Mini if need be, and the Project Board.

    I'm convinced that purchasing a Project Board to mod for use as a downloader /terminal adapter is something I want to do. Worth it I think.

    I was connecting/downloading successfully to the Prop product 14 months ago.

    Just gotta document the solutions to development connectivity.


    I've clock-calendar 'breakout boards' to be integrated with the Project Board or Mini when/if needed.
    I just want to get on with that - clock-calendar functions on any of those products. Whichever gets me there first.

    -I don't know anything about the rtcc on the Spinerette, though I did download all the manufacturer's docs.

    -the rtcc breakout-boards I purchased are well documented..
    I'm just as yet ignorant of the libraries' integration in the Prop.
  • The spinerette has a jumper connecting or disconnecting /reset.

    it has to be connected for programming.

    maybe that?

    Mike
  • msrobots wrote: »
    ...
    maybe that?
    Mike

    Yes it is, thank you for suggesting it.
    The pgm enable jumper at J2 (the programming plug port)
    is in place.

    Added also to checklist.
    thanks for your input.
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 22:38
    Success..

    I downloaded a flash routine from somewhere on the site.

    The downloader reports success.


    It isn't flashing the LED, but I can go from there.
    If it reports successful download, OK..

    I had only opened the Propeller ide terminal and got lines of ^.
    Seem to recall that's probably incorrect baud rate set somewhere? (it's been almost 2 years for me)

    The Terminal window will lock up if I open it to change the baud-rate... hm?


    '____CODE:________

    OBJ
    pst : "Parallax Serial Terminal" ' import serial utilities

    CON
    ' enable use of the external clock/crystal
    _clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x
    _xinfreq = 5_000_000


    PUB LedOnOff
    dira[23] := 1
    repeat
    outa[23] := 1
    waitcnt(clkfreq/2 + cnt)
    outa[23] := 0
    waitcnt(clkfreq/2 + cnt)

    '
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 22:41
    This is an interesting data-point:

    I ran propelleride from the terminal/command-line and a successful download produces this report:


    ( I know this is from Propman. I plan to learn to run a binary directly, as a test procedure.)

    note the report of a "Device Not Found" error.. in a successful download.
    I assume the Prop forces a disconnect after a download?

    It seems to report the same on a successful download and on a not-successful download:

    _____________dump from propelleride_____________________

    propeller.manager: opening "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: attaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) to "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: detaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) from "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: attaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) to "ttyUSB0"


    [PropellerManager] ttyUSB0: Downloading image (1156 bytes, 5740 ms)

    [PropellerManager] ttyUSB0: ERROR: Device not found
    propeller.manager: detaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) from "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: attaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) to "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: detaching PropellerSession(0x171b570) from "ttyUSB0"
    propeller.manager: closing "ttyUSB0"

  • So your using the old spinnerete web server. Maybe the board is bad. Try using the propeller spin tool and ID hardware F7
  • J3 enable program jumper on spinnerete board
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-04 22:48
    Except I closed that terminal, tried it from the user desktop.
    It failed.

    Closed that and opened another terminal.
    ran $ sudo propelleride and it ran again,
    but failed the download now also.

    Back up the chain..

    Tried once again inputing: $ echo "1" > /dev/ttyUSB0
    No problem, the red LED flashes for 1/4 second.

    Again opened $ sudo propelleride
    and it fails to download.

    There is no other program or service competing with Propman for that interface.

  • For the 32203 spinneret web server there are some spin files such as Webcam Demo etc.
  • Have you reviewed the old user guide
  • Eh, I do have the Spinerette user guide.
    May have missed something..
    As soon as traffic is less, I'll go after my Mini and Project Board.


    It is downloading ok now, however.
    I commented-out most of the code except
    PUB LedOnOff

    Now it downloads fine.
    Didn't report an error before other than "download failed".
    That's ok though. Now I know.

  • And now not ok.

    Perhaps a unit-swap will tell me something here... the tools aren't.
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-14 22:55
    Sorry for failing to update (urgent family matters).

    I can report that my problem seems to be either the Spinerette or the Prop Plug
    (I had downloaded to the Spinerette successfully a year ago, don't know what changed )

    I am able to download OK to a Propeller Project Board from my present Propeller IDE setup/configuration.
    To do: Test the Prop Plug. Try downloading to a Propeller Mini.

    .
    .
  • Are you downloading to the internal RAM or the EEPROM? If it’s the EEPROM that you are downloading to, then it may have broken down somehow??
  • rikkirikki Posts: 53
    edited 2019-12-16 12:25
    Are you downloading to the internal RAM or the EEPROM? If it’s the EEPROM that you are downloading to, then it may have broken down somehow??

    Thanks for that.
    The answer is, I do not know.
    Didn't think of it at all.

    I've had my Parallax products for almost two years and have not been able to immerse myself in them yet.
    That process has been interrupted each time I've made a start at it.
    This recent exercise to download test code to the Spinerette was the most recent run at it, and now I'm interrupted again (due to family medical emergency).

    So I had forgotten there was any option to download to either RAM or EEPROM.
    I do appreciate you bringing it to my awareness.

    I'll take another look with that in mind.
    Thanks for responding.
  • 2019-12-29

    Again, I regret that I'm as yet not able to add any additional value to this thread.

    When I know more then I do expect to update here, to try for a more comprehensive solution.

  • Try testing SimpleIDE with your PropMini as soon as you can get ahold of it. That will either confirm or deny the working status of the PropPlug.
  • I am having similar issues. The only difference is that my target is a Propeller Microprocessor. Not a development board. I have stripped it down as far as possible to make sure I have a minimal setup. Using PropPlug for communications. I have attached pictures of the breadboard and Prop Plug connections.

    The red rails are 3.3 volts, and the blue rails are ground on both sides of the breadboard.

    I have 2 propellers, Both fail in the same way.

    I am running PropellerIDE 0.33.3 on Ubuntu Linux 20.04

    When I try to download a very simple spin file that only turn on a single LED, I get Download failed! then the window goes away.

    When I run propelleride in a terminal, the error is [PropellerManager] ttyUSB0: ERROR: Device not found.

    I am in the dialout group, and ttyUSB0 is recognized in PropellerIDE. If I disconnedt the Prop Plug, the download button and other associated buttons are greyed out. When the Prop Plug is connected, the buttons are active.

    I connected tx and rx from the Prop Plug, and typed letters and numbers in a serial terminal connected to the same port (not at the same time that PropellerIDE is open), and I got the characters echoed back.

    I tried a second Propeller microprocessor with the same results.
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  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2020-11-03 11:24
    Bypass caps bypass caps bypass caps!

    Even just one, as close to the pins as possible.
  • Tried 10uf cap on each rail right by the jumpers. no change. Also tried to put one immediately adjacent to power pins. no change. Do you have a suggestion on the appropriate size cap? I have several sizes from .1uf to 10uf
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2020-11-04 07:30
    Small ceramics from 10nf to 1uf and typically 100nf or 0.1uf. it has to be right next to the supply pins on the chip so bring those wires back so you push the cap in nice and snug with very short leads. 10uf has poor high frequency response but is fine for bulk bypass that doesn't have to be as close. What supply are you using? (overall photo maybe)

    Ideally you should have the one ground rail, not one on each side. So jumper that ground across at the Prop pins for good measure as well as Vdd. A bad ground can also kill the PLL in the chip, so that's another good reason.
  • The comment about it quit working after 1 successful download makes me wonder if you are trying to use P30 or 31. These are used by the serial comms. P29 and 30 are for the EEprom. I avoid using these 4 pins for anything else.
  • I found my issue. Apparently the breadboard I am using has split power rails. Power applied at one end only travels half way down the board. Once I jumpered the rails, everything worked as expected. Sorry for sending this discussion down a rabbit hole.
  • hinvhinv Posts: 1,252
    Shouldn't this be in the Propeller 1 category?
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