Parallax Serial Terminal - Possible Bug

Penguin-fach

I am in the process of teaching myself SPIN using the PE kit and have encountered a problem with the Parallax Serial Terminal (PST) locking up so perhaps I am doing something stupid but I would appreciate it if someone more knowledgeable could see if it can be replicated. I should mention that I have found the same problem with V1.2.7 and now V1.3 of the Propeller tool (the latter with V1.2.4 of the PST I think).

The problem showed up in module 6: Objects Lab when running DisplayPushbuttons.spin.

If I open the Propeller Tool software and the PST, then open DisplayPushbuttons.spin and load it into the development board then all works fine. I can enable and disable the PST as required or open and close the PST completely and everything works as it should.

However if I open the Propeller Tool, load the software into the development board and only then open the PST then it locks up completely. Nothing is displayed (on the PST), the Disable button does not work and the PST cannot be closed down without using Windows Task Manager. This is true even if the development board is reset, disconnected and the Propeller Tool is closed so it is a definite lockup.

Seems like a software bug to me. I have tried reinstalling, downloading a new version and tried it on another PC, all with the same result. It would be helpful to know if anyone else can duplicate the problem.

Regards, Frazer

$WMc%

Frazer
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What O.S. are you using?
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Are you using a usb adapter?
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Post the code your using.
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A little more info might help with your bug.
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Welcome to the forums.

Kye

I had this problem before. You need to go into the windows registery and delete everything about the propeller serial terminal in it. PST will then recreate its registery entries and should work.

Penguin-fach

Thanks for the reply Walt,

OS is XP Pro SP3. Comms is via a Prop clip to/from a standard USB 2.0 port with no other adapters in use. The USB lead is the one supplied with the Propeller Education Kit. I am presently working on an older Dell Precision M70 laptop but with no special modifications.

The code being tested is all as installed when downloading the Propeller Tool. The exercise in question is DisplayPushbuttons.spin which uses the Parallax Serial Terminal. Not much else I can tell you apart from the original description of the procedure and the problem. If I open the Propeller Tool and the PST first before downloading the code to the Propeller Education Kit breadboard then it all runs fine. However if I download and run the code on the Propeller before opening the PST then the PST locks up completely.

I have attached the two files just for completeness.

Regards, Frazer

DisplayPushbuttons.spin
Parallax Serial Terminal.spin

Penguin-fach

Thanks for your reply Kye,

It is certainly worth trying but before playing with the regaitry can you be specific about the specific entries that need to be deleted?

Regards, Frazer

kaloalex

DisplayPushButtons.spin, you say?


Here's my story:
The code is a direct lift from downloaded content, PE kit.


F10 drops the code into RAM and the terminal faithfully displays buttons states but nothing else.


No "Pushbutton States"
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Just three binary digits faithfully and dynamically reflecting my three button positions.


Odd. What happens if I hit the reset button on the PPDB?
Whoah. Lights on: nobody home. Apparent total disconnect between board and terminal server.
No errors, no indication of a problem, just three binary digits no longer responding to button presses.


OK. ...already broken it. Might as well poke around...
... disconnect termserv|engage... disconnect|cycle board power|engage...
Nobody home. OK. Try to reburn the RAM. Give it the old F10...again.
Better. Back to the three digits responding but no text problem. Back to cases.


Poke around, lock up the board a few times, reload RAM to repair.
Then burn the program into ROM. The old F11.
And you know what? It all just works now.


Pushbutton States

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000

No worries.

-K