MagIO2- Let's get ViewPort working. Can you try to set ViewPort's baudrate to 115kbps? Also, make sure you're using the right clock frequency for the Propeller.
Hanno
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here), 12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
Of course I set ViewPort to 115kpbs and I use a 5MHz crystal (it's the gadgetgangster propeller board). Made the same experience as Nick ... it seems to load the RAM correctly, but then ends after several tries to connect.
But the Thumb behaviour even get's stranger ... in the same evening after my initial test the Thumb did not work with the PropellerTool again. Nothing changed! It is recognized by windows, but I don't find a propeller anymore.
How does Viewport control the DTR line?
The Thumb just outputs the DTR signal to the Reset line, which works for Programming with the PropTool, but
not for communication with a Terminal other than the PST (see Timing Diagram).
If you open and close a COM port with standard API functions, the DTR is controlled like in the second part of
the diagram. The PropPlug generates a short Reset-puls at the positive edge of the DTR, so no Reset happens
on COM-Open, only at Close. But the Thumb resets the Propeller while the COM is open.
I have attached a HEX file which generates a Reset puls with the Thumb similar to the PropPlug.
Perhaps MagIO2 can test it with the Thumb(s) he has.
To install this you need the HID Bootloader, and load the hex with it, like in Starlinos description, that Nick has
posted some posts ago starlino.com/usbthumb_firmware_upgrade.html
@Ariba - I tried it, but still no luck. Your firmware still worked with the Propeller Tool and the Serial Terminal, but same problem with viewport. I wonder what Mag's USB2SER & the USBThumb do that doesn't get along with viewport...
Ariba: You mentioned problems with the new proptools downloading larger files. I recently ran into this. Do you know of any progress or threads on this issue? I didn't find any posts in a search. If not, I will start one.
Is it possible that you can fry the pin that drives the reset-line on the USBThumb when you push the reset button on the PropellerPlatform?
The thumb is fine on PC side ... I can do a firmware update, but the propeller tool no longer detects the propeller. And it worked on the first test. As I said ... no hardware change since ... I only tried the starlino-mod by adding a cap, but it did not help.
I'll finish the second thumb this evening and try that .... and definitely without using the reset button ... just for the case.
No luck with anything I tried ... I have the second thumb running ... did firmware updates back and forth ... used another propeller platform ... reinstalled the driver ... put a USB hub in between ...
Scope says that reset pin is pulled low - and obviously the first thumb still works as it pulls the reset line low as well.
Maybe I'll give it another try on another PC the next week. For this week I think I lost attraction in the thumbs ... currently I prefere to waste my time with my own projects ;o)
Do you have problems with a USBThumb and a large file or in general with large files and newer PropTools?
WRT USBThumb: I think it is a timing problem. One of the timeouts must be set to low in the newer PropTools.
The USBThumb has only a 64 bytes buffer between the USB and the serial part, the FT232 has a much larger (256 or 384).
I found a way to increase the buffer a little bit to 96 bytes but that don't help. But if I hardcode the Baudrate to 230kBaud,
then I can download a big file! So perhaps it's possible to make a tricky code, which detect a download inside the PIC
and increase the baudrate only for this download. But it will be much better if we can get Parallax to increase the timeout
in the PropTool a bit....
Attached is the error message that I get from the PropTool.
I work now with the old PropTool version 1.05.5 which works well, also with big files, and also BST has no problem.
@MagIO
I don't know how the USBThumb code handles the Reset output, but my version with the pulsed Reset out, is programmed
as OpenCollector output with an internal Pullup, so the Reset switch should not destroy the output buffer.
To be safe you can add a serial resistor of 220R..1k in the reset line.
Andy: The error message I get is a "Propeller Lost on Com X" at the end of downloading a large file. This happens on my Propplug (for Propmodule 1x1) and Demoboard with the latest version of Propeller Tool (1.2.7 r2). On my other laptop which still has 1.2.6, I don't have any problems. I haven't tried digging deeper yet, but will in the next few days when I am off. I will start a new thread or contact Parallax if it persists. ps. I don't have a USB Thumb as of yet.
Ariba,
ViewPort uses the Propellent library to load files to the Propeller. So, it should use the same sequence as the Propeller Tool to LOAD the file. After it loads the file, it attempts to connect to an instance of "conduit" running in your program. This requires the clock settings to be set right, the com pins to be 30 and 31, and communication that's stable for full-duplex at 115kbps.
Hanno
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here), 12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
Hanno
I have downloaded the ViewPort demo and made some tests.
The propellent part seems to work right - the code is loaded into the Propeller. But then ViewPort can't make the connection
with the Conduit.
The Conduit code is not easy to understand [noparse];)[/noparse], but I see you measure the length of the stop bits somwhere. Does the
conduit expect that bytes always follows right after the previous with no pauses in between, if a bulk of bytes is sent?
I think the USBThumb can not guarantee that, because the bytes are sent in packets over USB. Can this be the problem?
Comments
I tried to run em with ViewPort. Unfortunately it doesn't work.
Hanno
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
Looks like it programs correctly, but it doesn't connect (error: no configuration found).
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Propeller Forums RSS Feed!
Gadget Gangster - Share your Electronic Projects
But the Thumb behaviour even get's stranger ... in the same evening after my initial test the Thumb did not work with the PropellerTool again. Nothing changed! It is recognized by windows, but I don't find a propeller anymore.
Have to prepare the second Thumb.
The Thumb just outputs the DTR signal to the Reset line, which works for Programming with the PropTool, but
not for communication with a Terminal other than the PST (see Timing Diagram).
If you open and close a COM port with standard API functions, the DTR is controlled like in the second part of
the diagram. The PropPlug generates a short Reset-puls at the positive edge of the DTR, so no Reset happens
on COM-Open, only at Close. But the Thumb resets the Propeller while the COM is open.
I have attached a HEX file which generates a Reset puls with the Thumb similar to the PropPlug.
Perhaps MagIO2 can test it with the Thumb(s) he has.
To install this you need the HID Bootloader, and load the hex with it, like in Starlinos description, that Nick has
posted some posts ago starlino.com/usbthumb_firmware_upgrade.html
Andy
@Mag - did it work for you?
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Propeller Forums RSS Feed!
Gadget Gangster - Share your Electronic Projects
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
The thumb is fine on PC side ... I can do a firmware update, but the propeller tool no longer detects the propeller. And it worked on the first test. As I said ... no hardware change since ... I only tried the starlino-mod by adding a cap, but it did not help.
I'll finish the second thumb this evening and try that .... and definitely without using the reset button ... just for the case.
Scope says that reset pin is pulled low - and obviously the first thumb still works as it pulls the reset line low as well.
Maybe I'll give it another try on another PC the next week. For this week I think I lost attraction in the thumbs ... currently I prefere to waste my time with my own projects ;o)
Do you have problems with a USBThumb and a large file or in general with large files and newer PropTools?
WRT USBThumb: I think it is a timing problem. One of the timeouts must be set to low in the newer PropTools.
The USBThumb has only a 64 bytes buffer between the USB and the serial part, the FT232 has a much larger (256 or 384).
I found a way to increase the buffer a little bit to 96 bytes but that don't help. But if I hardcode the Baudrate to 230kBaud,
then I can download a big file! So perhaps it's possible to make a tricky code, which detect a download inside the PIC
and increase the baudrate only for this download. But it will be much better if we can get Parallax to increase the timeout
in the PropTool a bit....
Attached is the error message that I get from the PropTool.
I work now with the old PropTool version 1.05.5 which works well, also with big files, and also BST has no problem.
@MagIO
I don't know how the USBThumb code handles the Reset output, but my version with the pulsed Reset out, is programmed
as OpenCollector output with an internal Pullup, so the Reset switch should not destroy the output buffer.
To be safe you can add a serial resistor of 220R..1k in the reset line.
Andy
Post Edited (Ariba) : 3/30/2010 1:12:50 AM GMT
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
WBA-TH1M Sensirion SHT11 Module
Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, Mar 20, 2010
ViewPort uses the Propellent library to load files to the Propeller. So, it should use the same sequence as the Propeller Tool to LOAD the file. After it loads the file, it attempts to connect to an instance of "conduit" running in your program. This requires the clock settings to be set right, the com pins to be 30 and 31, and communication that's stable for full-duplex at 115kbps.
Hanno
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
I have downloaded the ViewPort demo and made some tests.
The propellent part seems to work right - the code is loaded into the Propeller. But then ViewPort can't make the connection
with the Conduit.
The Conduit code is not easy to understand [noparse];)[/noparse], but I see you measure the length of the stop bits somwhere. Does the
conduit expect that bytes always follows right after the previous with no pauses in between, if a bulk of bytes is sent?
I think the USBThumb can not guarantee that, because the bytes are sent in packets over USB. Can this be the problem?
Andy