Serial Port and Javalin IDE

Ali E. · 2007-02-08 06:06

I have been trying to use Javalin development board and IDE on several laptops and desktops, however it seems like the IDE does not detect the board on some controllers. The Javalin and IDE work perfectly on my high end gaming system at home with NForce4 SLI Intel chipset, but will not work on a PIII and a PIV desktops with VIA chipset. I have bought and been trying two different USB to serial adapters and I have had no success getting it to work. I have tried using Windows XP more, however it will be nice if i could get javalin working with my laptop which has Suse Linux on it (I have javalin IDE working using Wine already, but no comunications with the Javalin through the USB to serial adapters i have been testing).

Is there any specific tricks or settings that need to be set for the serial port? Especially it is essential for me to get this board working at the university (Windows XP and Fedora Core5) or with my laptop (which only had linux on it).

Is there any special help available on this subject?

Thanks

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Peter Verkaik · 2007-02-08 07:13

Be sure the USB2SER adapters work on a winxp machine
(not all adapters work but those with FTDI chipset do).
See this thread
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=630533
to program javelin directly from linux.

regards peter

aprunicki · 2007-02-08 18:32

You might want to check out Javelin Tools. It supports Linux only at this time, and was developed on Suse/Fedora, so it should work fine for you. Check it out at:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/JavelinCode/files/JavelinTools/

It also includes some documentation on hardware that may be of use to you given your hardware issues.

- Andrew

Ali E. · 2007-02-09 01:52

I am not a yahoo user. are these information available anywhere else? (or i have no choice but to sign up with Yahoo)

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Ali E. · 2007-02-09 02:16

I get errors like "Wrong Javalin Firmware version" when i try to use Javalin Dev. board on the computers at school. There are two computers (a PIII 1.2GHZ with Via Chipset and a PIV 2.4Ghz both with 1GB RAM) and i get that message on both of them (using the on board serial ports).

I can run Javalin IDE and program everything at home on my gaming PC, even using VMWare, however I get the same message as the computers at school with one of the two different USB to Serial adapters i have (one does not even recognize the javalin).

This is all happening in Windows XP. I got to at least have the serial port issue fixed in windows before I even consider using Linux (Even thou i will evantually have to do it).

Our groups micro controller is the only one that is not working on those computers (and we are the only group ever attempted to use Javalin) and that does not help us when we complain about something being wrong with the serial ports on the two desktops in the lab. If there are any information at all about Javalin IDE chipset compatibility with different motherboards or some specific configurations that can be changed in windows please let me know.

Has anyone ever had problem connecting Javalin to a desktop before? (the odds seem to be good since 2 out of 3 desktops are not working for me!!

)

If this is not resolved then I have to deal with the Worse case scenario which is very horrible... that is program javalin at home, and travel 1hour to the lab and test it there, or to take my $3000, 29Kg desktop on the road with me every time

. And we are on a time leash too to get this resolved by next week.

I just don't know who to beg for help anymore! (I hope my team will not see this post since i'm managing this project for now!!! )

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GAME OF FUTURE INC.

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Peter Verkaik · 2007-02-09 02:44

For computers without a serial port, Parallax offers usb to serial adapters
that are guaranteed to work with all Parallax stamps.
http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28030
http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28031
These adapters have FTDI chipset.
I myself have a prolific usb to serial adapter.
That didn't work until I installed the latest drivers from the manufacturer.
Search your manufacturer website for·updated drivers.

What bothers me is that the serial ports on your school computer do not
recognize the javelin properly.
Have you installed the latest IDE?
If not, download it from here (version 2.03)
http://www.parallax.com/javelin/downloads.asp

What sometimes works, is to open the IDE, have the javelin
board connected to the comport, then apply power to the javelin.
Then try to identify.

Since the javelin is recognized on your own computer, have you
tested the serial ports on your schools computer? You could make
a little adapter that connects pin2 to pin3 (TX to RX) and then
open hyperterminal with local echo off. If anything typed appears
on the screen, the port is working.

If you get one of your usb adapters working, you can use that same adapter
on the usb port of your school computer.

regards peter

Ali E. · 2007-02-09 14:04

Thanks for the tips. It seems like I do have the wrong USB adapters since i wanted to make sure they were Linux compatible (and they are, but not Javalin compatible

). The good one is IOgear GUC232A and works under linux as well as windows.

I'm gonna bring our network admin down to the lab and of he can't get Javalin to work and proof to us that the serial ports on these computers work we're gonna gang up on him and teach him a lesson (I'm kind of reaching that point)!!! Today is the day to get that thing working!!!

USB-Serial Controller D

Manufacturer: Prolific Technology Inc.


Class 0  ((Defined at Interface level))
Subclass 0
Protocol 0
USB Version 1.01

Vendor ID 0x557 (ATEN International Co., Ltd)
Product ID 0x2008 (UC-232A Serial Port [noparse][[/noparse]pl2303])
Revision 0.00

Speed 12 Mbit/s
Channels 0
Max. Packet Size 64

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Post Edited (Ali E.) : 2/9/2007 2:41:28 PM GMT

Peter Verkaik · 2007-02-09 14:45

I checked the driver for the IOGear:
http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=dm&driver&Item=GUC232A

It lists the chipset as PL2303 (I have this chipset too)
Driver from Prolific
http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?ID=31
That is the driver I use with my usb2ser cable and that works with javelin.
(winxp is first entry on page)

regards peter

Ali E. · 2007-02-09 18:07

School just shut me down

!!! These id10t's (understandably to some extend) do not give us access to change anything on the systems. I have to get that USB thing to work or pring my desktop to school. Funny thing is that other people program their microcontrollers (mostly Motorola 68HC11 family). it seems like only crappy stuff work here!!!

I just gave the bad news to my partners... they are not impressed and we are already 1 week behind.

Thanks peter. I'll try that USB thing to work and see how it goes. I hope it works.

I have issues installing Java SDK on my Suse Linux laptop so i can't install JavalinTools for Linux. I have Javalin IDE working using Wine. Has anyone had any success with that setting in Linux? (especially with the IOGear USB2serial thing)

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Ali E. · 2007-02-09 18:36

Thank you Peter!!! I got Javalin working with the iogear USBtoserial on a notebook. you are a life saver [noparse];)[/noparse]

Edit: Well... it somewhat works. It is being recognized however i cannot program it. Gives me a timeout error:
Error reading from the serial port (timeout).
The serial port could not be read from.

did you ever experience this?

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Post Edited (Ali E.) : 2/9/2007 6:41:27 PM GMT

Peter Verkaik · 2007-02-09 18:38

You mentioned having trouble installing JavelinTools for linux.
Does that mean you can now download programs from Wine directly
using your usb2ser cable?

regards peter
·

Ali E. · 2007-02-09 18:42

Javalin IDE runs in Wine but does not detect the javalin board (it could be because i'm using the USB also, even tho the drivers for the iogear have been picked up and is working).

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GAME OF FUTURE INC.

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Peter Verkaik · 2007-02-09 18:48

I just saw your edited post. I figured that would most likely happen.
You must now get the JavelinTools installed.
That will let you download programs to the javelin.
Prolific and IOGear did not list a linux driver.
See this page, it might help
http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/linux/linux-kernel/2001-46/0963.html

regards peter
·

Ali E. · 2007-02-09 20:04

Hi peter. I just want to make sure there are no confusions. I got the USB to work on my partner's laptop that has windows XP. I got the programming issue in Windows, not linux. I have not gone that far yet.

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GAME OF FUTURE INC.

Unleas Your Imagination, See the Future

www.gameoffuture.com

aprunicki · 2007-02-09 20:25

Ali,

I am not sure your usb to serial adapter will work with JavelinTools, as I tested it with a regular mainboard uart and a usb to serial adapter using the FTDI chipset, which is built into recent Linux kernels. I used the USBG-232 from USB Gear (http://www.usbgear.com), although the Parallax-supplied adapter should work equally well since it uses the same chipset.

If you do attempt to install JavelinTools on your Suse laptop, the distribution includes documentation (installation, usage, hardware requirements). Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any difficulty installing it. I would greatly appreciate any feedback you have whether it be related to the program itself, documentation, or whatever.

Also, if you don't have a yahoo account I can send it to you via email.

- Andrew

Ali E. · 2007-02-12 05:59

Thanks Andrew

I will attempt to install JavalinTools on my laptop again. It's just that i tried to follow the instructions and i didn't find the folders that are specified to copy the library files to. It might be because they are stored somewhere else in Suse.

For now since we are so behind in the project and I'm being pressed so hard I ended up taking a desktop computer to school. I managed to buy a lock and get permission to have the desktop chained down in the lab so i don't have to take it back and forth

. I am not allowed to connect that computer to the school network anyways, so I ended up taking a router there too (and manage to steal internet connection from them

).

I have installed Windows Server 2003 Web Edition from MSDN on it along with Suse 10.2 (Dual boot). I have been going to the lab Saturday and Sunday to set all that up and Javalin IDE worked perfectly with Win Server 2003 on the desktop with Intel chipset.

I'm planning to develop Kernel modules for Serial Communication through UART. I am planning to use the server to be able to control an Induction motor over the internet using TCP/IP. I may end up asking you for help when the time comes since you seem to know more about programming in Linux (oh yea... this is the 4th year thesis and i sure got myself into a serious mess). For now i got to figure out how to implement a 3phase AC PWM with variable frequency on Javalin. Thank you all for all your help, and I'm pretty sure I'll be asking for more!!!

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GAME OF FUTURE INC.

Unleas Your Imagination, See the Future

www.gameoffuture.com

Serial Port and Javalin IDE

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