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How the heck do you get started with Spinneret? — Parallax Forums

How the heck do you get started with Spinneret?

jnankinjnankin Posts: 3
edited 2015-03-14 12:23 in Accessories
I've used parallax products for many years in the past, but primarily the basic stamp line. I'm also a software developer, and my hardware experience is limited.

My question is this: I want to use a Spinneret for a project and I bought a prop plug for development, but where do I start? On the product page I see a schematic for the board and a 7 page doc on the capabilities of the board, but nothing on how to get started and perhaps a tutorial or two...

Essentially I'm looking for a list from Parallax that says something like this:
1. Install xyz software for development
2. Read the propeller manual. Do some basic propeller tutorials.
3. Attempt tutorials for networking with the spinneret - here's what it takes to make the propeller talk over the W5100 chip
4. List of links for further exploration...

Does this not exist? If not, how does everyone know so much about the spinneret? I feel like I must have missed something....

Thanks,
Josh
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Comments

  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-10-16 14:15
    Go here -> http://spinneret.servebeer.com:5000/

    sorry, I can't make it a real link from my iPad.

    This is the Spinneret tutorial that Parallax needs to link to or host for the Spinneret product page.

    There is a gentleman by the name of Mike G who has made all this work for the Spinneret and is a tremendous help to the community.

    By the way, welcome to the forums!!
  • jnankinjnankin Posts: 3
    edited 2012-10-17 09:30
    Perfect! Parallax, get on this!

    Thanks man.

    -jn
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2012-10-17 09:38
    I agree with what you guys are saying - it was poorly supported by us! The internal mantra was "it's a community project, let's see what happens with a contest" but this kinda justification can't even make it out the door. We should be supporting it really well and we never followed through with our promise.

    Here's what I can tell you from a 30K feet elevation about Spinneret. There's plenty of examples about using Spinneret on the internet, starting with the ones mentioned above. Propellerpowered.com has some nice examples and MikeG is the leader with understanding how this device works. But these examples are not in a single place and they're not presented in our typical step-by-step fashion that ensures success with easily modified code. That's where we've failed. But I still think there are enough examples to get you underway with Spinneret.

    In the future, we've got a new product just about finished: a WizNet5200 version that attaches directly to the Propeller QuickStart Board. This redesign uses a parallel or high-speed SPI interface (I don't remember) and there's an application note with some very simple code examples. The prototype PCB has been ordered and we're building them in the next week. We still have to review the application note and code examples (written by MikeG). This was a collaborative project by Parallax Semiconductor, WizNet, and GadgetGangster but the hardware will be built and sold by Parallax. We spared no expense to get it right this time, building on experience, success and failures.

    I can post some files in the meantime if people are interested. E-mail me a reminder to come back to this thread since I might not be able to check back.

    I expect to see this hardware on the market, in your hands by Christmas so we can all be using it on any vacation time.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-10-17 10:04
    Ken,

    Regardless of the improvements that the WizNet5200 might offer, I hope Parallax does not discontinue the Spinneret. Despite whatever documentation faux pas you think that took place, the Spinneret is still a nicely-designed board, and there will always be demand for a compact, single-board server. IMO, there's adequate documentation and examples for it out there; they just need to be collected and organized in an easy-to-find location.

    -Phil
  • JohnCJohnC Posts: 64
    edited 2012-10-17 10:57
    I agree with Phil above...
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2012-10-17 10:58
    Spinneret isn't anywhere near any End of Life process. It will continue even with the WizNet5200 hardware.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-17 12:55
    I always planned to move the W5200 code to the Spinneret. Just need the time to do so.
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-22 16:08
    Hello everyone,

    The beginning of this thread links to the "Spinneret Home" at http://spinneret.servebeer.com:5000/ but when I view the page, all of the links just reload the original link. I don't have this problem from my work computer, but I have it here at my home computer. I get NO error messages, and it's almost as if the web page is working correctly... except that it just reloads the main page no matter what section I try to view.

    Can you folks give me some pointers please? I'm not sure why this is happening, but it's very "unfun" if ya know what I mean :)

    Thanks in Advance,
    Robert
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-10-22 16:55
    Yes, there's definitely something odd going on with Mike G's links on that page. And they change, depending on what page you're on, too.

    Don't use the links in the upper-lefthand corner of the page. Use the ones interior to the content instead. They appear to work okay.

    -Phil
  • twctwc Posts: 107
    edited 2012-10-22 17:32
    It all seems to work fine for me (IE9). The top left acts like a 'home' button, and all the links both at top of page and within the page work.
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-22 17:36
    Heya Phil,

    Thanks for checking the links for me. But- UGHHHHH none of the links are working- they all seem to just reload one page, but I noticed the top line menu header of the menu disappears... so, I'll just wait and see what happens. I'm not sure who to tell this to- is Mike G. the one who maintains that web site? If so, I can shoot him a PM.

    What's so strange is it seems to be intermittent? When I read your response, I tried the Services Home link as you said, and it worked- but only once. Now it's all messed up again. Unfortunately, my skill at all-things-internet are about as robust as my Propeller skill,,, which is to say- well, not much! haha! :)

    Thanks again.
    Robert
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-10-22 17:38
    Robert,

    It seems to work fine for me with Firefox 14.0(beta) and Windows7. Can you provide details on what combination of software works at work and what doesn't work at home? Someone may be able to contribute a solution or Mike G may recognize something in his site that isn't friendly to some browser.
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-22 17:46
    twc- just tried IE9 and IE6 64 bit here and still no luck.

    mindrobots- I'm using Firefox 15.0.1, and have just finished trying IE9, etc... oh, and I'm running Windows 7. I know at work I'm running the exact same version of FireFox and Windows- and I just talked to a fellah there who can view it just fine. AND I just talked to my neighbor who canNOT view it as well using Windows 7 and Firefox something or other (he doesn't know which version)
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-10-22 17:55
    Strange. I guess you'll just have to work on this project at work. We'd be happy to write a note to your boss! :lol:

    I have no further guesses.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 18:35
    The site is running on a Spinneret. The top menu should drop down to sub menus. If not, please refresh the page.

    I deleted a rather large log file - probably 3 months worth of logs.
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-22 19:26
    Hiya Mike,

    Still no luck- the links get all screwy and don't serve up the pages for me. I dunno.... will check at the office tomorrow and see how that works out.

    mindrobots - Oh yeah.... the good ole "permission note" trick always works!! ;)

    FYI- here's a c/p of the stuff that gets served up for me. I'm not real net savvy but maybe this will help determine whether it's a user problem or a spinneret problem??


    [h=1]Spinneret Multi-Socket Manual[/h] The Spinneret is a TCP/UDP board manufactured by Parallax Inc.
    This manual covers how to harness the power of the Spinneret in web and service applications.
    Note: The downloads page contains the source files that go with each section.
    Spinneret Image
    setup.htm
    [h=3]Getting Started[/h]
    [h=3]Services[/h] [h=3]Client[/h] [h=3]Advanced[/h] [h=3]Objects[/h]
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-22 19:30
    Mike G- Oh, and here's something that's odd... when I click the link "Setup your Spinneret" the addy that it throws in my browser window is http://spinneret.servebeer.com:5000/gstart/gstart/setup.htm which just seems odd because of the gstart/gstart portion... maybe it's correct, it just seems odd.

    And Thanks very much for all of your work on this- GREAT STUFF!!!
    Robert
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 19:56
    Looks like the style sheet is not loading. What happens if you click refresh?
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 20:02
    Smile, I must have messed something up. I'll try to reload the site.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 20:09
    Try it again and see if it works any better.
    http://spinneret.servebeer.com:5000/index.htm
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-10-22 21:00
    Mike,

    'Just tried the site again. It not only works much better, but looks much better.

    -Phil
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 21:08
    Sorry all, I figured out what happened. I was goofing around with settings and well, I left bad buggy code loaded on the server. I'm sure the buggy code has been up there for a while as I had to do a diff in source control to figure out what the heck was going on.

    Again sorry :(
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2012-10-22 21:12
    Thanks for verifying Phil. I'm kicking myself for such a blatant - duh- mistake.
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-23 04:00
    Mike G - I haven't tried it from my home yet, but everything works great from my work computer. I'll check it as soon as I'm home tonight. Hopefully it'll work- Spinneret stuff is *always* more fun with a cold, refreshing beverage and tater chips. Thanks!
  • RforbesRforbes Posts: 281
    edited 2012-10-24 12:47
    Mike G- just want to let you know that whatever magic you did on the spinneret hosting all this stuff worked. I can view it perfectly from home now, as can both of my neighbors who had the same problem I had. Thanks again!

    Robert
  • jnankinjnankin Posts: 3
    edited 2013-08-18 11:07
    The site seems to be completely down now. Any plans to put it up somewhere else?
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-08-18 12:42
    The site is not down. Remove the port from the URL.
    http://spinneret.servebeer.com
  • Little-endianLittle-endian Posts: 91
    edited 2014-10-29 13:10
    Mike G wrote: »
    The site is not down. Remove the port from the URL.
    http://spinneret.servebeer.com

    Hi Mike, I realize this is an old thread, but I was wondering if this example is still up and running? It appears I was returned a 1x1 pixel GIF image, is that correct?
  • MJBMJB Posts: 1,235
    edited 2014-10-29 13:52
    and there is now Peter's Tachyon-Forth webserver for the Spinneret ... see the Tachyon thread and Peter's footer
  • Little-endianLittle-endian Posts: 91
    edited 2014-10-29 14:14
    Yes, I've seen it mentioned and plan to take a closer look at it. Right now I'm just trying to do some simple proof of concept testing.
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