RESOLVED thanks to the forum: RS232-Using Hyperterminal

Wurlitzer

I have a program which I have verified the serial comm using the USB Plug & FullDuplexSerial & Hyperterminal and it works perfectly.

There are about 15 lines of setup information sent upon boot and hyperterminal displays this with no problem again using the USB.

Now I am trying the 3 transistor RS232 configuration shown on the Parallax site and I can successfully load RAM and verify, load EEPROM and verify however when using hyperterminal I get nothing displayed after boot when again it should display the same 15 lines of setup info.

I am not changing the program between the two comm setups. I did however, play with all 4 modes of FullDuplexSerial with no positive results. After downloading the program using the RS232 setup, I went back to the USB plug to verify that the program was still working and sending the setup info.

I have Hyperterminal set to comm1, 9600, 8,n,1 and I have played with all flow options none of which work. I am using the VT100 emulation with the default settings just as I did with the USB connection.

It would seem the Propeller IDE has zero problems communicating over this 3 transistor setup yet something in Hyperterminal is not set right.

I have a series of LEDs on some clock, strobe, data lines that verify I have passed the setup information in the program and that the required cogs are running.

Post Edited (Wurlitzer) : 11/6/2009 1:45:46 PM GMT

Peter Jakacki

The problem is that the Spin tool cheats with the transistor circuit by making DTR negative so that the transmit back to the PC swings negative. Normally when you open a serial port the DTR will go positive which is what happens with Hyperterminal. The easy solution to this is to simply ground the resistor that normally goes to DTR. You won't get a negative swing but the PC doesn't need it anyway.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
*Peter*

Wurlitzer

Peter, that did it! Thank you very much. I would expect I need to remove the ground on the DTR resistor when using the IDE to load a new program correct? If so, I can simply add a small switch for that purpose.

Thanks again Peter.
Craig

Cluso99

You can also use PST (Parallax Serial Terminal) or PropTerminal. Both handle the reset (DTR) better and co-exist with the spin tool. Likewise, the bst compiler also has an in-built terminal screen.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Links to other interesting threads:

· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)
· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBladeProp is: www.bluemagic.biz/cluso.htm

Wurlitzer

Thanks Cluso99 I'll give that a try!
Craig

Dr_Acula

I've used hyperterminal and teraterm and some others. I'm searching deep into my memory banks and I think one issue might be that you need CTS and RTS joined (pins 7 and 8), and/or have the flow control set to "none" (one of the setup questions). Otherwise hyperterminal will refuse to send/receive as it is being told by the RTS/CTS that it can't. I have a feeling teraterm isn't so fussy (I'm using a 4 wire connection to teraterm at the moment, DTR, Gnd, Tx and Rx) on the triblade circuit and it is working ok) Which way are you testing the data - from the prop to hyperterminal or the other way? If all else fails, build a loopback cable out of a spare D9 - join pins 1,4,6. Join 7 and 8. Join 2 and 3. Then try typing something in a hyperterminal screen and it should appear on the screen. Then you can build it up from there in stages, eg then undo the joined pins 2 and 3, and replace with a line from the prop printing out a character endlessly.

I've got an old-school dos batch file that runs BST to compile a program then runs teraterm ready to talk to the prop. So compile/run is a single step operation. Teraterm does change the DTR line when it boots and resets the prop, but that doesn't matter as it comes just after a download anyway.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
www.smarthome.viviti.com/build

Post Edited (Dr_Acula) : 11/6/2009 5:03:31 AM GMT

Wurlitzer

Dr_Acula, communication is prop-->Hyperterm and as was suggested grounding the resistor for DTR did work well.

However, the Parallax Serial Terminal works without grounding DTR and is a much nicer interface than Hyperterminal (should have know Parallax would do a better job).

I have used teraterm in the past and as I recall it was a very nice tool also.

In any event thanks to everyone as that completes this project.

Craig

SamMishal

Hi Guys,

Does anyone actually know exactly how the PST avoids the reseting (DTR) problem. It does not require the
grounding of the resistor or anything.

How is it that it upon starting it stops the DTR from going High then low when it release the posrt
which resets the propeller???

I would appreciate the knowledge...

Samuel