Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Identify Failure — Parallax Forums

Identify Failure

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2001-04-12 00:38 in General Discussion
Phil-

I don't have an 'e' so I may be way wrong in the following. I
suspect you're using stampw.exe and have your preferences set to some
Stamp model other than the BS2e.

Here's why this might explain things. If memory serves, the
{$STAMP...} directive overrides the model selected under
Preferences in the Edit drop-down menu. So you may have "BS2" or
"BS2SX" or whatever selected as your preferred, default Stamp model,
but still program a BS2e successfully because of the directive.

Now consider that you don't need any program loaded in the editor in
order to use the identify command. That tells me the editor is not
looking at the source code (including the {$STAMP...} directive) to
determine what flavor of Stamp to look for. If your preferences are
set for something other than a BS2e, and there is a BS2e at the end
of your programming cable, the identify command will probably always
fail. In other words, if the editor is looking for a BS2SX with the
identify command, but there's a BS2e connected, you get the
"...detected but not responding...".

I do know that the identify command causes a truncated programming
sequence...the programming preamble is sent and things stop just
short of actually sending tokens. That's why you see what you
called a soft reset.

At the nitty gritty level, successfully programming your Stamp
entails successfully sending the identify sequence which is then
followed by eeprom data and tokens and stuff. So if you can program
your Stamp, the identify command works. Why it's not working all by
itself may be explained by the above. I hope that helps.



Regards,

Steve

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-04-11 17:54
    All,

    I have been working with Parallax technical support to try and understand
    why my BS2E fails the Identify command. I am able to load and execute
    programs without any problems, but the Identify command returns with the
    error:
    BasicStamp II Detected but not responding on COM1!
    Check power supply

    Executing the Identify command causes my program to begin execution. It
    apparently causes a soft reset.

    So far they have had me make sure that that my programs contain the
    '{$STAMP BS2E} command and verify the that it is not a wiring problem.

    So I am turning to the group for possibly some better answers:
    1) If I am able to download and execute (including using the debug command
    which utilizes COM1) how would a wiring problem effect only the Identify
    command?
    2) What is the Identify command doing different than the Run command?
    (besides the obvious of compiling, loading and executing a program)

    And the real question:
    3) Why do I care if Identify fails? What is its use and what will I miss if
    I fail to debug the problem?

    Thanks for your thoughts and advice,
    Phil

    PS I saw in a previous thread that a couple of other people have also
    experienced this problem and one solution was to exchange the Basic Stamp.

    ====== My evironment ==========
    * WIN98 SE
    * AMD K6-350
    * 196Meg Ram
    * stampw v 1.1
    * BS2E (home built bread board)
    Vin = 7.5v, using BasicStamp regulator for 5v generation
    * Modem on COM3.
    Removed from STAMP configuration. Only COM1 & COM2 are available.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-04-11 21:52
    It looks like my first posting didn't make it. I waited a couple of hours
    and still no show. I apologize in advance if this is a duplication to some.

    All,

    I have been working with Parallax technical support to try and understand
    why my BS2E fails the Identify command. I am able to load and execute
    programs without any problems, but the Identify command returns with the
    error:
    BasicStamp II Detected but not responding on COM1!
    Check power supply

    Executing the Identify command causes my program to begin execution. It
    apparently causes a soft reset.

    So far they have had me make sure that that my programs contain the
    '{$STAMP BS2E} command and verify the that it is not a wiring problem.

    So I am turning to the group for possibly some better answers:
    1) If I am able to download and execute (including using the debug command
    which utilizes COM1) how would a wiring problem effect only the Identify
    command?
    2) What is the Identify command doing different than the Run command?
    (besides the obvious of compiling, loading and executing a program)

    And the real question:
    3) Why do I care if Identify fails? What is its use and what will I miss if
    I fail to debug the problem?

    Thanks for your thoughts and advice,
    Phil

    PS I saw in a previous thread that a couple of other people have also
    experienced this problem and one solution was to exchange the Basic Stamp.

    ====== My environment ==========
    * WIN98 SE
    * AMD K6-350
    * 196Meg Ram
    * stampw v 1.1
    * BS2E (home built bread board)
    Vin = 7.5v, using BasicStamp regulator for 5v generation
    * Modem on COM3.
    Removed from STAMP configuration. Only COM1 & COM2 are available.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-04-11 22:35
    > I have been working with Parallax technical support to try and understand
    >why my BS2E fails the Identify command. I am able to load and execute
    >programs without any problems, but the Identify command returns with the
    >error:
    > BasicStamp II Detected but not responding on COM1!
    > Check power supply

    If that is the message you are getting, it indicates to me that your
    setting under preferences/editor operation is "BS2" rather than
    "BS2e".


    > Executing the Identify command causes my program to begin execution. It
    >apparently causes a soft reset.
    > So far they have had me make sure that that my programs contain the
    >'{$STAMP BS2E} command and verify the that it is not a wiring problem.


    The Identify command is based on the setting under
    preferences/editor operation, and has nothing to do with the type of
    program you have in the top window nor with the '{$STAMP BS2E}
    directive in that program.

    > So I am turning to the group for possibly some better answers:
    >1) If I am able to download and execute (including using the debug command
    >which utilizes COM1) how would a wiring problem effect only the Identify
    >command?

    unlikely

    >2) What is the Identify command doing different than the Run command?
    >(besides the obvious of compiling, loading and executing a program)

    It sends the same stuff as the programming (RUN) preamble, except
    that it aborts without sending any data. The preamble is an exchange
    of information between the stamp and the PC, that identifies the type
    of stamp. As you observed, it does a soft reset of the stamp. If
    you are interested, you can find technical details of the exchange at:
    http://www.emesystems.com/BS2clone.htm

    >
    >And the real question:
    >3) Why do I care if Identify fails? What is its use and what will I miss if
    >I fail to debug the problem?

    You might expect the PC actually to identify the type of stamp
    connected, if any, and to tell you what it is.

    Unfortunately, that is not the way it is implemented in stampw.exe.
    If your stamp is in fact connected, but it does not match the device
    selected under preferences/editor operation, then it only gives you
    the dreaded message
    BasicStamp II_ Detected but not responding on COM_!
    Check power supply

    Which of course might not have anything to do with the power supply.
    You might just have a BS2e connected instead of the BS2.

    Parallax is aware of this shortcoming, and I think it is a great
    source of confusion.

    It is possible to identify the stamp, as Steve Parkis did in the
    Stache firmware. The Stache is able to respond appropriately for the
    type of stamp connected, which is what allows it to store up programs
    simultaneously for different kinds of stamps.

    I hope that helps. Of course, the problem could be something
    completely unrelated.

    -- regards,
    Tracy Allen
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    http://www.emesystems.com



    > Thanks for your thoughts and advice,
    >Phil
    >
    >PS I saw in a previous thread that a couple of other people have also
    >experienced this problem and one solution was to exchange the Basic Stamp.
    >
    >====== My evironment ==========
    >* WIN98 SE
    >* AMD K6-350
    >* 196Meg Ram
    >* stampw v 1.1
    >* BS2E (home built bread board)
    > Vin = 7.5v, using BasicStamp regulator for 5v generation
    >* Modem on COM3.
    > Removed from STAMP configuration. Only COM1 & COM2 are available.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-04-12 00:24
    Steve,

    BINGO! You hit the problem straight on the head. In my configuration I
    had the default setting to BS2 instead of BS2E. It now replies that it :
    "Found BS2p1.-IC (firmware v)."
    Not sure what the BS2p1 is but the program seems happy now.

    Also because of you explanation I now understand why I was able to execute
    programs but not "Identify". The program forced the proper ID but the
    Identify program relies on the default setting in the editor.

    I still do not understand what purpose the Identify function performs.
    The only advantage I can see is that it appears to read back the firmware
    revision level.

    Thanks for your help.
    Phil
    Original Message
    From: S Parkis <parkiss@e...>
    To: Phil Keller <phil@p...>; <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 11:04 PM
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Identify Failure


    > Phil-
    >
    > I don't have an 'e' so I may be way wrong in the following. I
    > suspect you're using stampw.exe and have your preferences set to some
    > Stamp model other than the BS2e.
    >
    > Here's why this might explain things. If memory serves, the
    > {$STAMP...} directive overrides the model selected under
    > Preferences in the Edit drop-down menu. So you may have "BS2" or
    > "BS2SX" or whatever selected as your preferred, default Stamp model,
    > but still program a BS2e successfully because of the directive.
    >
    > Now consider that you don't need any program loaded in the editor in
    > order to use the identify command. That tells me the editor is not
    > looking at the source code (including the {$STAMP...} directive) to
    > determine what flavor of Stamp to look for. If your preferences are
    > set for something other than a BS2e, and there is a BS2e at the end
    > of your programming cable, the identify command will probably always
    > fail. In other words, if the editor is looking for a BS2SX with the
    > identify command, but there's a BS2e connected, you get the
    > "...detected but not responding...".
    >
    > I do know that the identify command causes a truncated programming
    > sequence...the programming preamble is sent and things stop just
    > short of actually sending tokens. That's why you see what you
    > called a soft reset.
    >
    > At the nitty gritty level, successfully programming your Stamp
    > entails successfully sending the identify sequence which is then
    > followed by eeprom data and tokens and stuff. So if you can program
    > your Stamp, the identify command works. Why it's not working all by
    > itself may be explained by the above. I hope that helps.
    >
    >
    >
    > Regards,
    >
    > Steve
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-04-12 00:38
    Tracy,

    That was exactly my problem. I had the BS2 selected as the default
    instead of the BS2E It now responds with:
    "Found BS2p1.-IC (firmware v)."

    Your explanation, along with Steve's, was right on the money and I now
    understand both what I did wrong, and why it failed the way it did. I
    really appreciate the time that you took to both explain the cause and
    the effect of the mis-configuration.

    Thanks for your efforts,
    Phil

    Tracy Allen wrote:
    >
    > > I have been working with Parallax technical support to try and understand
    > >why my BS2E fails the Identify command. I am able to load and execute
    > >programs without any problems, but the Identify command returns with the
    > >error:
    > > BasicStamp II Detected but not responding on COM1!
    > > Check power supply
    >
    > If that is the message you are getting, it indicates to me that your
    > setting under preferences/editor operation is "BS2" rather than
    > "BS2e".
    >
    > > Executing the Identify command causes my program to begin execution. It
    > >apparently causes a soft reset.
    > > So far they have had me make sure that that my programs contain the
    > >'{$STAMP BS2E} command and verify the that it is not a wiring problem.
    >
    > The Identify command is based on the setting under
    > preferences/editor operation, and has nothing to do with the type of
    > program you have in the top window nor with the '{$STAMP BS2E}
    > directive in that program.
    >
    > > So I am turning to the group for possibly some better answers:
    > >1) If I am able to download and execute (including using the debug command
    > >which utilizes COM1) how would a wiring problem effect only the Identify
    > >command?
    >
    > unlikely
    >
    > >2) What is the Identify command doing different than the Run command?
    > >(besides the obvious of compiling, loading and executing a program)
    >
    > It sends the same stuff as the programming (RUN) preamble, except
    > that it aborts without sending any data. The preamble is an exchange
    > of information between the stamp and the PC, that identifies the type
    > of stamp. As you observed, it does a soft reset of the stamp. If
    > you are interested, you can find technical details of the exchange at:
    > http://www.emesystems.com/BS2clone.htm
    >
    > >
    > >And the real question:
    > >3) Why do I care if Identify fails? What is its use and what will I miss if
    > >I fail to debug the problem?
    >
    > You might expect the PC actually to identify the type of stamp
    > connected, if any, and to tell you what it is.
    >
    > Unfortunately, that is not the way it is implemented in stampw.exe.
    > If your stamp is in fact connected, but it does not match the device
    > selected under preferences/editor operation, then it only gives you
    > the dreaded message
    > BasicStamp II_ Detected but not responding on COM_!
    > Check power supply
    >
    > Which of course might not have anything to do with the power supply.
    > You might just have a BS2e connected instead of the BS2.
    >
    > Parallax is aware of this shortcoming, and I think it is a great
    > source of confusion.
    >
    > It is possible to identify the stamp, as Steve Parkis did in the
    > Stache firmware. The Stache is able to respond appropriately for the
    > type of stamp connected, which is what allows it to store up programs
    > simultaneously for different kinds of stamps.
    >
    > I hope that helps. Of course, the problem could be something
    > completely unrelated.
    >
    > -- regards,
    > Tracy Allen
    > electronically monitored ecosystems
    > http://www.emesystems.com
    >
    > > Thanks for your thoughts and advice,
    > >Phil
    > >
    > >PS I saw in a previous thread that a couple of other people have also
    > >experienced this problem and one solution was to exchange the Basic Stamp.
    > >
    > >====== My evironment ==========
    > >* WIN98 SE
    > >* AMD K6-350
    > >* 196Meg Ram
    > >* stampw v 1.1
    > >* BS2E (home built bread board)
    > > Vin = 7.5v, using BasicStamp regulator for 5v generation
    > >* Modem on COM3.
    > > Removed from STAMP configuration. Only COM1 & COM2 are available.
    >
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Sign In or Register to comment.