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Linux BST can't cat serial device — Parallax Forums

Linux BST can't cat serial device

NikopotomusNikopotomus Posts: 5
edited 2011-09-30 18:45 in Propeller 1
I'm wondering if anyone has experience with accessing serial ports from a linux command shell after using BST (Brads Spin Tool). I'm running Ubuntu 11.04 and after programming a propeller on /dev/ttyUSB0 for instance, "cat /dev/ttyUSB0" just returns. echo "command" > /dev/ttyUSB0 does work to send commands to the propeller. Closing BST has no effect and in order to cat the port I need to reboot. In addition when BST scans the serial ports looking for a propeller chip it similarly breaks all the USB ports it scans. Other terminal programs like gtkTerm and the BST serial terminal have no problem. Anyone know of a work-around for this problem?
I don't know if Brad of Brad's Spin Tool will read this... But I really like BST... Thank you Thank you Thank you Brad!!!! BST is really great . Developing in Linux is so much nicer for me than Windows.
Thanks
Joel

Comments

  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-09-30 00:49
    Hmm...something up here. I managed to hang BST 0.19.3 on Linux.

    I don't have a Prop here but I do have a USB serial adapter.
    I plug it in and it shows up as /dev/ttyUSB0.
    I can cat from that and it will patiently wait for chars to arrive.
    Quit the cat and run BST.
    Selecting "Compile->Detect Propeller" now hangs BST completely.

    Never seen BST do that before. Not even when it fails to detect a connected Propeller.
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2011-09-30 03:54
    Hm. Will try to reproduce this in the weekend, just to get another data point.

    I'll also second what Joel said - BST is great. No, it's more than great, because with no BST I would not have worked with the Propeller chip. I bought my first Propeller because I knew about BST, and wouldn't have if there were only Windows tools available - I don't own a Windows computer (and at work the whole development section only use Linux computers).

    -Tor
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-09-30 04:07
    Tor,

    Same here. BST is a wonderful thing.

    I was on the verge of giving up on the Prop due to the inconvenience of having to find a Windows machine, or dual boot one. Even running Windows in a virtual machine is a pain just for that simple task.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-09-30 18:45
    Well, I loaded up BST on my Ubuntu machine and I see that in SOME cases you might have to select which USB port to use. Could it be as simple as having overlooked that?

    And I love the BST as I don't have to jump in and out of my dual boot.
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