bs1usb problem with computer reconizing it as a serial mouse

waltsailing · 2009-01-17 17:35

Hi,
·
I have a problem with a BS1USB which has decided to be recognized as a serial mouse by my computer when plugged into the USB port.
·
Last week it worked just fine.· I could download programs and debug them.· This week, the computer now thinks it is a serial mouse and when you plug in the BS1USB it causes the mouse pointer·to go all over the place.· The BS1USB is currently programmed to blink·a LED (Which it does) ·and then output data to the PC via·a loop with a debug statement.· The loop reads a port, then sends the debug data block into the PC.· The blink takes place for about a couple of seconds to let me know that·the device has started running.·· The program is designed to dump data into the PC so it is pretty simple.· And it worked great last week and has not been reprogrammed, but was removed from the computer.

I have tried to start the programming environment up first then put in the BS1USB but the debug screen will not let me access the port10 which it has assigned to the BS1USB.· I am running the Basic Stamp Editor V2.3.9.·
·
How do I reset the device·or fix the problem in the computer?·
·

Thank You,
Walt,

Franklin · 2009-01-17 19:10

Make sure you have the parallax USB drivers installed BEFORE you plug in the stamp and then plug it into a port you have not used before or go into device manager and remove the existing(and hidden) usb to serial devices then plug it in again.

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- Stephen

waltsailing · 2009-01-20 23:28

Hi Stephen,

Thank you for the answer. I found that after a couple of shut offs of the computer, and starting everything fresh, it seemed to work like last week again with no problems.

I think that I may have unplugged the trackball, and put the BS1USB into the same port without much delay and it locked it up some how.

Thanks,
Walt,

marzec309 · 2009-01-23 07:56

FYI,

Due too how a computer is programed. If you turn on your computer with your stamp running and sending serial data to it, whether connected via USB or the serial port, it will be recognized as user input device. which almost always shows up as a mouse.
So if it happens again try disconnecting or power off your bs2 and reboot your computer. You can prevent this from happening by making sure your stamp is not sending data to your computer when you turn it on.

waltsailing · 2009-01-23 12:53

Hi,

Thanks for the note, this problem is that I have the BS1USB which is a small USB key like device which has a direct connection to the USB for debug purposes. Looks like a memory stick. The program I am writing uses the BS1 Debug to transfer data into the computer from an RF link. It is limited to just over 300 bits per second based on my tests and understanding of the BS1 Debug. If it can go faster that would be great. It wouuld be great if the old style BS1 debug sync data bytes (There are a lot) were removed from this version of the BS1USB. Due to the complexity of the BS1 Debug statement, it transfers a large block of sync data for every memory dump, and the need to bunch up data into all the bytes availble, then dump all variables of the BS1 into the computer, wait at least 300 msec and then get the next block. I can burst serial data into to the BS1USB at 2400 baud ok, it just has to be sent in 14 byte chunks spread appart by the 300 msec. This data block is then sent into VB code where data is utilized or displayed in the debug window. I also have the BS2PX and the Stamp logic analyzer (Works great.. why the analyzer is being discontinued is a puzzle to me) running at the same time. I am thinking that if I put in a delay in the beginning of the program before I use the debug, perhaps 10 seconds I could eliminate the data from coming in when I first get the device plugged in. The best results to correcting the problem have been shut down eveything, remove the BS1USB, then plug in a BS2 (USB) and program it, then without leaving the basic stamp programmer/debuger, load in a BS1 program, plug in the BS1USB and try to program it. Once it is up and running in the development environment it is pretty stable and a couple of hours of programming or debugging can be accomplished.

Have a great day,
Walt,

marzec309 · 2009-01-23 16:35

I'm not too familiar with the BS1USB but its basically a BS1 with an attached FTDI USB converter chip, which is a serial port emulator.

So even if the FTDI drivers are loaded. It is still possible for it to be mistaken as a mouse, because once your program executes it send a continuous stream of data into the PC. Once this happens that port will be held by the computer for use as a mouse and you wont be able to access that port with any other program(VB program or Terminal). So I don't think a pause in you program will work. What i think will work is if you have your BS1USB wait until your VB or you(Via Terminal window) sends a start request to the stamp. By doing this your VB or Terminal program will have all the rights to that port. Preventing the computer from assigning it to another(Mouse Driver). If it is not possible to reprogram your VB code to do this make sure it is running(your VB code) or the terminal window is open and assigned that port, before you connect the BS1USB.

Post Edited (marzec309) : 1/23/2009 5:25:32 PM GMT

waltsailing · 2009-01-23 23:37

With the BS1USB, you can not send data or commands to the device from the USB side, only new programs. It is a carry over from the original DEBUG on the BS1 with the FTDI chip.

What would be great is a USB like platform with a BS2PX or such. I have not used this version myself prior to this and was aware of some of the issues. I figured the FTDI driver would reconize it and then I could access it with custom programs at will. My solution may have to include a data switch or some way to control the data on the BS1usb which can be used to stop the data transfers.

The RF transmitters can be shut off, (They are random bursts of a short block, with these AFSK modules), and the receiver detects data and then transfers it into the PC using the Debug. this works pretty good, but the receiver can generate spurious data which my program deals with just fine. Problem is, I cant use the the data source as a on/off, since the receivers can and do pick up spurious data and the correction and validation is done in the PC. The BS1USB is a bit slow for this.

Walt,

marzec309 · 2009-01-24 00:30

I did a Google search on this problem. Here's how to stop serial mouse detection in XP. If your not using XP let me know.

Do the following after your BS1USB has been detected as a mouse.

For XP:

#1 Right Click on "My Computer" - select "Properties"

#2 Under the "Hardware" tab - select "Device Manager"

#3 click "View" in the tool bar - select "Devices by connection"

#4 find the serial port you are using under "PCI bus" - right click on the mouse device right below that COM port - select "Disable" (Do not uninstall it)
You will get a pop up stating the following "Disabling this device will cause it to stop functioning. Do you really want to disable it?" - select "Yes"

#5 Close any remaining windows and the problem should be gone.

For Windows NT:

See the following Microsoft Article:
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q131/9/76.asp&NoWebContent=1

Well, If one of those didn't work i think I'm out of ideas. Hope I was of some help...

Post Edited (marzec309) : 1/24/2009 12:35:25 AM GMT

waltsailing · 2009-01-24 02:46

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions. I checked this out and looked at the devices and also the mouse configurations, but I am running a dell inspiron e1705 with no com ports, so the interface is all via USB and the mapped device driver, and the system does not show which USB is mapped to what com port. I do use a logictec trackball all the time and this is often stuck into the same port I have been using with the BS1USB. So right now, the best solution I have is to disable the serial data transmission via the debug by adding in a switch and starting my program first whcih will open and have access to the unassigned com10 port. I have a small switch which is put up on the BS1USB.

Here is a view of part of my project. See the attached Utube video of it in operation. This is not the BS1USB part, but you can get the idea. I have used EXPRESSPCB for the boards and the BS2PX as the main processors. The sensors are the parallax dual axis sensors.

Walt,

marzec309 · 2009-01-24 03:52

Nice, looks like it runs pretty smooth. So what is this going in? looks like something to measure Bow, Stearn and port, starboard movements of a boat. Good idea of using the switch to pause your program.

Heckler · 2009-08-15 17:57

I had the same problem...

I had created a simple program that sent continuous debug statements of "motion detected" or "no motion detected"
based on the status of a PIR sensor (Person In Room)

After loading the program and testing it with the Debug window every thing was working ok.

Then the next time I inserted the bs1usb into the computer it did what it was programmed to do... that is, send the continuous debug statements.·

BUT the computer detected this as a Microsoft Ball Mouse.

This was a MAJOR problem because the continuous data stream was interpreted as mouse movement and I could not control the mouse to remove or disable the USB driver in the Device Manager.

This created a classic "CATCH 22" wher I couldn't delete the incorrect driver until I inserted the bs1usb and when I did insert it I could no longer control the mouse in order to delete the driver.

It took me more than an hour of repeatedly pulling up the device manager window with the bs1usb not installed, then installing it and just at the instant of windows recognizing it as a ball mouse, I would right click and try and remove the driver before the mouse movement kicked in.· If I was not quick enough I then lost control of the mouse and was unable to delete the driver.· I couldn't delete the driver with the bs1usb not insalled because the driver would not show up.

Finally I was quick enough and got the driver deleted and then immediatly went and changed the program in the bs1usb to NOT have continuous debug data.

(in my opinion, comments or better ideas are welcome)
The Moral to this story is if you are going to use the debug statement in your program... be careful to provide some sort of control over the flow of the debug data.· One way would be to monitor an unused input pin·of the bs1usb to stop/start or jump over the debug statement when you make the input a 0 or a 1.·

You need to be able to insert the bs1usb into the computer and have it recognized correctly without the debug data confusing the computer into thinking it is a ball mouse.

Then after the bs1usb is set up correctly you can then enable/disable the debug data at will.

Hope this helps...
Dwight

sumdawgy · 2010-01-27 22:30

Ok so... I just hot this & everything discussed I tried...Before I got here....thingis my logging program is so small and simple there's NO delay in the misinterpeted serial data stream. I need to reprogram the BS1 from an actual serial connection to stop this. So....anyone know where on the schematic I need to connect a 3 pin jumper to overide the Bs1's programming?

marzec309 · 2010-01-27 22:42

Are you using the BS1USB?

PJAllen · 2010-01-27 22:54

sundawgy,

The 3-pin connector.· BS1.· The 3-pin connector with the· >>.·

You have to get the serial adaptor adapter (or make one yourself) to use the new IDE.

It's only $5.

Post Edited (PJ Allen) : 1/27/2010 11:00:18 PM GMT

JD · 2010-01-27 23:37

sumdawgy,

There is also a BS1 circuit that you can use; it has·a few transistors and connections if you wanted to build the circuit as apposed to buying the BS1 Serial Adapter. Here is a link to the schematic that could help you if you wanted to build it. Otherwise, the BS1 adapter that PJ Allen suggested is a far·easier and compact way.

BS1 Hardware Support:
http://www.parallax.com/tabid/391/Default.aspx

I hope this helps,

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Respectfully,

Joshua Donelson
www.parallax.com

Post Edited (Joshua Donelson (Parallax)) : 1/28/2010 1:34:42 AM GMT

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 00:01

sorry for delay...
Yeah it's the same BS1-USB.... and yeah I have the serial adapter ..... Paid the $5 rather than bother assembling more than I already am.·

But this fix needs that I solder a three pin header to the corresponding three points on the BS1usb......

yeah yeah, I'm using a wire to connect the 3 pin header. If anyone has already done this or knows of a forum discussion where it was needed.....

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 12:07:08 AM GMT

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 01:29

BEWARE YOU WILL BE VOIDING YOUR WARRANTY BY DOING THIS

OK, The following picture should help you connect the 3pin header. Make your connections at the circled points it will be easier then trying to solder to the BS1 interpreter. You will need some fine gauge wire. I would find a nice place to super glue the 3 pin header(probably on top of the 4M Resonator as shown, laying on its side with the long leads facing the end of the board. this way its out of the way and will be there next time you might need it.)

You also need to power the BS1USB with a regulated 5 Volt source. Don't use the USB port when using the serial adapter, because I can not guarantee you won't have data conflicts if you use both.

Post Edited (marzec309) : 1/28/2010 2:02:27 AM GMT

PJAllen · 2010-01-28 01:40

Good job, marzec.

You have to pick those pins off the board with some fancy re-work.· There isn't a schematic on the product page.

What do you need to do this for (that's two of you guys, now)?

Post Edit -- Still have to use the serial adapter --or-- the way old DOS app and·its own·bit-bang cable.

Post Edited (PJ Allen) : 1/28/2010 1:48:40 AM GMT

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 01:46

There is a minor bug with the BS1usb, if you program it to continuously send serial data to the pc. It gets recognized as a serial mouse. Once this happens XP takes control of the serial port, which prevents you from reprogramming it. The computer only looks at the real serial ports for a mouse during boot-up. Thus allowing you to regain access with the programing software.

Post Edited (marzec309) : 1/28/2010 1:52:43 AM GMT

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 03:46

As long as you don't plug the BS1usb into a USB port on your computer there shouldn't be any conflicts. And you won't have to disable the USB interface. Just piggy back the adapter onto the BS1usb.

I PM'ed Chris Savage and asked him to swing by this thread for you.

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 04:07

<---this post occurred B4 I was able to see the illustrated image marzec309 posted--->

Runaway BS1-usb debug communications redux.

Well, I THINK I've ID'd the points........
But, I still would like input from the more experienced techs here.

Am I looking at having to disable the usb interface somehow? to avoid interference?
I'm not familiar with that chip at all yet.

marzec309>>>>
yes it's the bs1-usb...since that was the orig topic of the thread...I decided here was best place to post.

PJ Allen>>>>
Yes I have the adapter BUT.....it's NOT designed to simply & easily connect to the BS1-usb.

OR.....the BS1-USB is NOT designed to simply & easily connect to the Serial adapter.....

What tangled webs we weave......Of course it makes sense that the Debug COMM would confuse windows Auto-detection when you send the right data in a stream.....IN HINDSIGHT!!!! (It still would've been nice to have a warning.)

so....

Load Bs1-Usb with repeating generic debug transmiting program.
disconnect from computer
'rem do whatever...

reconnect to computer:
watch helplessly as device begins yammering on debug line & get's tagged as a serial mouse.

loop:
groan sadly
kick self
moan (random volume)
if bs1-usb still connected to computer goto loop

remove bs1-usb (staring at it for a magical solution...optional)
frustratedly (random)...goto reconnect to computer:
(Feel free to adlib.. tooth gnashing, hair-pulling, forhead slapping, etc)

Now, that I think about it I seem to rember SOMETHING in the manuals... warning that there were some undesireable effects possible with usage of debug. (undesireable.....understated....)

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 1:56:03 PM GMT

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 04:18

marzec309>>>
hrm...VISTA seems to (no laughs...I'm living the VISTA pain daily already.) check for the serial mouse as soon as the new comm device is activated. I wish It was XP. But my XP laptop was destroyed by a fall off of a table...the replacement...VISTA. (smarter faster better.....aaaaaaagh! that's a whole different tech issue.

Yeah, I'll have to leave it disconnected from USB. ALL I need to do is just get a 3 pin header connected so I can use one of the desktops to slap the program out of it.

lesson.
Never again, allow the dubug to yammer without a signal.
Or at very least......make certain it can SHUT UP.

<---this post occurred B4 I was able to see the illustrated image marzec309 posted--->

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 1:55:27 PM GMT

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 04:20

I think I'm going to have to play with some code. There may be a way to avoid this. A serial mouse begins sending data as soon as it connected. So it might be possible to insert a time-out loop. Make it wait for a set time before data transmission starts. This might give XP time to recognize that this is not a mouse.

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 04:35

Yes, that should do the trick. Just remember you need to use a hardware serial port on your desktop (not a usb to serial adapter), or you will get the same problem you are having now. All hardware serial ports(DB9 connector) that I've used don't auto detect hardware. I use my laptop at work all the time with serial devices, that continuously transmit data. Never once has one of these been detected as a mouse.

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 04:36

marzec309>>>
yes the grafic is exactly what I'm proposing....
I missed that...or it wasn't avail when i checked before I composed my posts that followed it but preceeded this.
Also ...& (I touched on this in earlier post) it seems vista sees it as a serial mouse since the data floods immediately w/o a pause.

I'm thinking that it's flying across the stream that the drivers are trying to use to setup & recognize the device..
I DID manage to once cach & disable the device... I updated the driver to the ftdi drivers.....but then...it refused to start. I'm cetain it's 'THANKS' to the stream of data....

Meanwhile, as to finally reprogramming this thing....
I'll work it out tomorrow and post sometime around 11:30am EST.

PS. As to warranty, there's a nice little silver hole that appeared I enjoyed a·little wiff of burnt silicon scent when, I used a faulty pot. Not really too concerned with that anymore.· One of the ports is a bit Iffy now.·

(looking closer at yer image, the silver seems to be part of the design.· tho I didn't recall prior to the event.)
ugliest soldering in my· history.·

(oh..marzec....did I mention....thanks )

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 2:03:28 PM GMT

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 17:33

marzec >>>>
I just re-read yer post RE: autodetecting serial mouse.....

Obviously, I was in a Frustration/Sleepless state of confusion. I misread your statement...

You're right even Vista won't auto-detect the serial mouse past boot-up when it's connected to a dedicated Com port.

Which, obviously....I'm relying on to get away·from this self inflected torture.

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 5:38:28 PM GMT

sumdawgy · 2010-01-28 18:43

Joshua Donelson (Parallax) said...

sumdawgy,

There is also a BS1 circuit that you can use...· (snip)

...·Otherwise, the BS1 adapter that PJ Allen suggested is a far·easier and compact way.

BS1 Hardware Support:· http://www.parallax.com/tabid/391/Default.aspx

thank you josh...altho your link didn't provide me with the 'required' schematic of·the bs1-usb.

JD · 2010-01-28 19:15

Sumdawgy,

Agreed, I was thinking you needed the circuit, but since then have noticed that is not what you needed. However, I have another idea. Once Windows boots, can you uninstall/disable the device·in the Device Manager?

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Respectfully,

Joshua Donelson
www.parallax.com

marzec309 · 2010-01-28 23:47

Somebody said...

marzec309>>>
yes the grafic is exactly what I'm proposing....
I missed that...or it wasn't avail when i checked before I composed my posts that followed it but preceeded this.
Also ...& (I touched on this in earlier post) it seems vista sees it as a serial mouse since the data floods immediately w/o a pause.

I'm thinking that it's flying across the stream that the drivers are trying to use to setup & recognize the device..
I DID manage to once cach & disable the device... I updated the driver to the ftdi drivers.....but then...it refused to start. I'm cetain it's 'THANKS' to the stream of data....

Meanwhile, as to finally reprogramming this thing....
I'll work it out tomorrow and post sometime around 11:30am EST.

PS. As to warranty, there's a nice little silver hole that appeared I enjoyed a little wiff of burnt silicon scent when, I used a faulty pot. Not really too concerned with that anymore. One of the ports is a bit Iffy now.

(looking closer at yer image, the silver seems to be part of the design. tho I didn't recall prior to the event.)
ugliest soldering in my history.

(oh..marzec....did I mention....thanks )

Post Edited (sumdawgy) : 1/28/2010 2:03:28 PM GMT

Your Welcome, so were you able to reprogram your BS1usb?

Chris Savage · 2010-01-29 18:31

I believe the issue of the BS1 being detected as a mouse can be resolved by disabling serial port enumeration in the device manager. Will this help your situation out? there have been so many back and forth posts that I am unclear what the underlying issue is exactly.

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Chris Savage

Parallax Engineering
Check out the new Savage Circuits TV!
·

sumdawgy · 2010-01-30 01:41

Sorry, I was unable to return to the forum for a bit longer than expected.

Bearing in mind we're discssing the bs1-usb.

Chris...I did call support & it was suggested that it should be avoidable connected to another computer going to try it on one of the xp machines.... (Wondering if the ME macine would be any use here).

Failing that, I've nearly completed mounting the 3 pin header for the standard programming header.

Had no time yet to work either solution.

bs1usb problem with computer reconizing it as a serial mouse

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