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Can't open port. — Parallax Forums

Can't open port.

ShidimaShidima Posts: 4
edited 2008-05-07 14:13 in BASIC Stamp
I decided to dust off the ol basic stamp 2 and play with it. Well I've upgraded my computer and installed vista since the last time i've used the stamp. After i downloaded the new stamp editor, yes I got the vista version, all I get is the error message "can't open port" nothing on the Version, Loopback, or Echo sections. I am guessing that this has somethign to do with vista, it always does. Any advice, other than "go back to using windows xp" would be nice.
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Comments

  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2008-05-06 22:38
    Hello,

    How are you connecting to the PC, Serially or via a USB to Serial Adapter? No loop back indicates no hardware connection to one of our development boards. Which board are you using? How is it powered?

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
  • ShidimaShidima Posts: 4
    edited 2008-05-06 23:23
    Serial connection to comport 1. I only have one comport on this computer. Stamp is plugged into a Board of education, powered with a ac to dc converter. Its the same set up i have always used on my old computer. With the error message reading "can't open port" I would guess its not even getting to the stage to check for loopback or a echo that is why the fields are empty.
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2008-05-07 00:32
    Can't open port usually means you are trying to open a port already opened by something else.

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    - Stephen
  • ShidimaShidima Posts: 4
    edited 2008-05-07 02:21
    So then how do I fix it?

    How do i find out if something else is using the comport?

    There are no other comports listed other than comport 1. Is there a method to reassign them?
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2008-05-07 02:49
    Do you perhaps have a "PDA" program running, which uses COM1 ?
  • ShidimaShidima Posts: 4
    edited 2008-05-07 12:11
    Well i never could get my comport to work, I even figured out how to change it from com1 to com2 then to com3, ect ect. I was about to give up when I remembered that my vex kit came with a serial to usb converter. I plugged that up and it works great. I am guessing that my serial cable must have just been bad.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2008-05-07 14:13
    Allan was on the right track (as was Franklin)...Can't Open Port could indicate some error with the port driver or hardware. Now if it says, "Can't Open Port, In Use" then some other process already has the port open. This is typically Active-Sync/Hot-Sync or other programs such as Weather Bug which are known to monitor COM Ports for a Palm Pilot or PDA.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
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