COM1 = Built in Serial Port on my Dell GX-280
COM13 = Propeller Plug
COM8 = FTDI USB to Serial converter
Can we also have this change made for the SX-Key IDE v3.2.3? Or will PeterM (PJMonty)·have to make this change? Here's a link to were it was reported as a problem in the SX-Key v3.2.3 IDE software:
Thanks for the testing and the screenshot/data.· I will update the Stamp Editor and Propeller Tool, and ask the associated developer's to update the Oscilloscope and SX-Key software as well (They are all·using my EnumerateCOMPorts routine, I believe).
Thanks!
I'll post a message here when the updates are ready for download.
be carefull.
I just noticed that the integrated COM1 port, that the 1st routine doesn't detect
has an exclamation mark behind it. This is due to an interrupt conflict with
my docking station.
It may be that the 2nd routine just detects all available ports, regardless of
their status. This may lead to a long delay, if a PC has several deactivated
or otherwise not available com ports.
Ugh.· You may be right, that may cause a bad problem.· Unfortunately, I don't have any machines here experiencing this problem and I could create it, but am not confident that the results will be conclusive.·
I think the best thing to do is for you to try it on your machine when I post the new Propeller Tool.
I'll post it here, shortly.
Hi Stan,
Thanks for the compliments!· Appreciation, like yours, for the things we can fix, is sure nice to hear.· In the face of Windows' ever-moving target, writing software that runs correctly on all systems can be a horrific task.· For this reason, I sure do love programming on the Propeller! ;-)· The Propeller makes WORK feel like PLAY. :-)
Well, in light of what Karl found, I'm not so confident this is the best solution now, but here it is, attached,·for you all to try.· Please reply back with more results (did it work, did it fail, did it have trouble with a listed port that has a hardware conflict?).
This version, 1.05.4, includes the following:
· 1) Rolled an enhancement to the COM port enumeration method into the communication routines.· This should now allow the tool to see the occasional COM port device that it did not detect before.· (See Karl's note about a potential problem with this).
· 2) Added an item to preferences.· Edit->Preferences... Operation tab.· Download section now has an option for the Propeller's Reset Signal to be set to DTR (the default), RTS (for those USB-to-Serial devices that do not have a DTR signal), or both DTR and RTS.· I chose to make this an option rather than·fixing it to toggle both DTR and RTS for everyone, on every machine, fearing that doing so·may lead to unexpected problems with other existing devices that may be attached to those machines... and from what we've seen, most USB-to-Serial devices include the standard DTR signal.
Note: The attachement includes only the Propeller Tool itself (no other files) due to attachment size constraints on this forum.· Depending on the results of your testing, I will wrap this up into the installer and release soon.
Thanks!
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ --Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer ·Parallax, Inc.
Post Edited (Jeff Martin (Parallax)) : 3/9/2007 5:53:44 PM GMT
The Propeller Tool that you attached in this thread works flawlessly with my Digi EdgePort/4 USB to serial box. I only tried COM3 on the box but I will try COM4..COM6 later tonight, I don't expect that there will be any issues.
Note: I did have to reboot the PC (Del GX-280 XP SP2) before it would work though. Before rebooting when I would do a F7 to identify, the Propeller tool would hang on 'looking at' COM3 and then the Propeller Tool would exit. However rebooting the PC solved this issue, now it will detect, program RAM/ROM using COM3 on the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial box.
Thanks Jeff, even though there are perhaps some issues with detecting disabled ports the software worked beautifully. I have attached screen captures:-
[list][*] v1com ; V1 enumerator
[*] v2com ; V2 enumerator
[*] f7com ; What the Propeller tools sees (I have disabled the DTR on COM4)
[*] devman ; My setup (notice that I disabled COM3 & COM4)
[/list]
The propeller is attached to COM4 and unless I hold down it's BOOTEN button it won't reset with a DTR signal so you can see from f7com.jpg what the Propeller tool is seeing. Interestingly it says it is unable to open COM3 being the disabled port which does not seem to present itself as a problem. The CP2102 connected Propeller ended up being enumerated to COM4 which is also a disabled PCI comport but that did not cause any problems either.
I haven't tested the RTS signal yet but I will get back to you soon with more exhaustive tests results. Thanks again for your willing support and feedback, and not to be forgotten speedy turn-around. Good work!
Attached is a zip file containing two "test" programs for displaying what COM ports are available.· Please run them both and tell me if they respond differently.· The first one (EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.1.exe) contains the API calls that are currently in the Propeller Tool and the Stamp Editor for enumerating the available COM ports.· The second one (EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe) contains a slight enhancement to the same API calls which may rectify this situation.
IE:· The first one may not list the desired USB-to-Serial port when you click the "Get COM Ports" button, but hopefully the second one does.
Also, please indicate if there are any other issues you note (like ports listing that you don't actually have, or items that are not really COM ports, etc).· BTW: The change I made goes against Microsoft's example of how to do this, which tells me that some USB-to-Serial port driver·manufacturers are not following the standard way of doing things... but perhaps we can safely work around that.
If the others that reported the same problem with other USB-to-Serial devices could try the same tests and report your results here (screenshots appreciated), I would be very thankful.
Thanks.
·Jeff, ······· I checked both of your programs also!· PGM 1.1·nothing!· PGM1. 2·· picked it·up!
·Using Mtty.exe earlier when I was trying to figure this out I found that the status line was different,with the Usbtoser ALL status boxes had ticks with the other only the CTS·shows a tick. Both with the Same setting!
Peter,
I am using the Propeller successfully with standard COM ports, Silabs CP2102 and CP2103, and Prolific USB-RS232. I haven't had a problem with any of these products at all.
Well, in light of what Karl found, I'm not so confident this is the best solution now, but here it is, attached,·for you all to try.· Please reply back with more results (did it work, did it fail, did it have trouble with a listed port that has a hardware conflict?).
This version, 1.05.4, includes the following:
· 1) Rolled an enhancement to the COM port enumeration method into the communication routines.· This should now allow the tool to see the occasional COM port device that it did not detect before.· (See Karl's note about a potential problem with this).
· 2) Added an item to preferences.· Edit->Preferences... Operation tab.· Download section now has an option for the Propeller's Reset Signal to be set to DTR (the default), RTS (for those USB-to-Serial devices that do not have a DTR signal), or both DTR and RTS.· I chose to make this an option rather than·fixing it to toggle both DTR and RTS for everyone, on every machine, fearing that doing so·may lead to unexpected problems with other existing devices that may be attached to those machines... and from what we've seen, most USB-to-Serial devices include the standard DTR signal.
Note: The attachement includes only the Propeller Tool itself (no other files) due to attachment size constraints on this forum.· Depending on the results of your testing, I will wrap this up into the installer and release soon.
Note: I did have to reboot the PC (Del GX-280 XP SP2) before it would work though. Before rebooting when I would do a F7 to identify, the Propeller tool would hang on 'looking at' COM3 and then the Propeller Tool would exit. However rebooting the PC solved this issue, now it will detect, program RAM/ROM using COM3 on the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial box.
Mike,
Had you·just installed the Digi EdgePort device before trying the Propeller Tool?· Have you since had any problems with it?
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ --Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer ·Parallax, Inc.
Post Edited (Jeff Martin (Parallax)) : 3/13/2007 5:53:30 PM GMT
Peter Jakacki said...
Thanks Jeff, even though there are perhaps some issues with detecting disabled ports the software worked beautifully. I have attached screen captures:-
The propeller is attached to COM4 and unless I hold down it's BOOTEN button it won't reset with a DTR signal so you can see from f7com.jpg what the Propeller tool is seeing. Interestingly it says it is unable to open COM3 being the disabled port which does not seem to present itself as a problem. The CP2102 connected Propeller ended up being enumerated to COM4 which is also a disabled PCI comport but that did not cause any problems either.
Hi Peter,
That's an unfortunate side effect... the disabled ports show up.· I'm surprised that it didn't report that it couldn't open the original COM4.· Either way, to make things more clear, you can go into devman's properties for each port and reassign the ID for each, so that you don't have duplicates of the same number (so the status message from the Propeller Tool makes more sense).
Oliver H. Bailey said...
Peter,
I am using the Propeller successfully with standard COM ports, Silabs CP2102 and CP2103, and Prolific USB-RS232. I haven't had a problem with any of these products at all.
Regards,
Oliver
Hi Oliver,
What are you doing differently?· Different drivers?· Different OS?· How can you get the CP2102 to work when it doesn't have a DTR signal?· Please advise.
The Digi EdgePort/4 was already installed (years ago - 03/16/05), and the drivers were updated recently (a few weeks ago - some time in February), before I installed the Propeller Tool, attached in this thread. After installing the Propeller tool, attached in this thread, and before rebooting, that's when the Propeller Tool 'hung' for a few seconds looking at COM3 and then the Propeller Tool would exit by it's self. After I rebooted the PC (DELL GX-280 XPPro SP2) then all was ok.
BTY: I've used this Digi EdgePort/4 will all of Parallax's software before the enumeration enhancement was added to the Stamp or SX-Key software, and have not had any issues with it until the first release of the Propeller Tool and v3.2.3 of the SX-Key software. Also works with the Java IDE, but I believe Parallax has not updated that tool.
The fact that the last "fix" I made has the side-effect of listing every port, including malfunctioning and disabled ports, really bugs me.
I've been doing some more research and found what I think is a better solution now.
!!!!·Peter, Karl, Mike, Dennis, and Martin (and anyone else also) !!!!
If you could download the attachment, run all three versions on your system, and post screenshots of each·(noting the version)·and describe your results, that would be very, very helpful.· The attachment contains v1.1, v1.2, and v1.3 of the EnumerateCOMPorts program.· The first two are exactly as they were the previous time I posted them.
v1.3, I'm hoping, will list all ports that are functioning, and none that are not.· (fingers crossed).· At least that's how it works on my system... but I don't have the silabs or any other usb-to-serial device that didn't show up in the v1.1 version.
Just ran all three. The 'better way' of doing it (EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.3.exe) NOW DOES NOT DETECT the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial converter box. The Propeller Tool v1.05.4 works flawlessly with the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial converter box. I prefer the method of EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe, even though it will detect COM ports that may be improperly installed, for whatever reason.
I hope Parallax will not penalize us folks who know how to install hardware on or PC's and can make it work. I think it's really up to the end user to be responsible enough to make sure that all of their hardware, installed on their PC, is operational.
I would be happy with a check box, in the Propeller IDE, that will allow the functionality that EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe provides. Parallax can even put a disclaimer in that basically states: If you use this option your on your own for tech support.
I would tend to agree with Mike, I just hate software that insists something that you know is false. When it insists that there aren't any serial ports there even though you have been using them then there is something wrong with the method. Sure Microsoft should know but that's like saying the phone company should know whether you can get adsl in your street, I can choose from ten different versions from ten different people there.
The results are in.
METHOD 1
Communications Port (COM1)
Communications Port (COM2)
METHOD 2
Communications Port (COM1)
Communications Port (COM2)
PCI Serial Port (COM3)
PCI Serial Port (COM4)
CP210x USB to UART Bridge Controller (COM7)
METHOD 3
Communications Port (COM1)
Communications Port (COM2)
CP210x USB to UART Bridge Controller (COM7)
So method 3 worked correctly for me as COM3 and COM4 are disabled. The slightly annoying thing about Silabs USB is that they all have the same serial number and if I plug a new one in it will probably enumerate to COM3. Windows just hates (guess what that means) more than one of these devices if they all have the same serial number. I have a utility that allows me to modify the chip ids so I can have multiple devices connected, but it's a pain, so maybe I'll just use ftdi as they all have unique serial numbers.
Just wanted you to know that I've wrapped up the version I made for you (with the v1.2 Enum... fix) plus a compiler fix we needed to make, into v1.05.5, which is now posted on our website.
Comments
EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe detects my Digi·Edge Port/4 USB to serial converter, but EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.1.exe does not.
COM1 = Built in Serial Port on my Dell GX-280
COM13 = Propeller Plug
COM8 = FTDI USB to Serial converter
Can we also have this change made for the SX-Key IDE v3.2.3? Or will PeterM (PJMonty)·have to make this change? Here's a link to were it was reported as a problem in the SX-Key v3.2.3 IDE software:
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=609128
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Mike
Post Edited (Mike Cook) : 3/8/2007 12:47:47 PM GMT
Thanks for the testing and the screenshot/data.· I will update the Stamp Editor and Propeller Tool, and ask the associated developer's to update the Oscilloscope and SX-Key software as well (They are all·using my EnumerateCOMPorts routine, I believe).
Thanks!
I'll post a message here when the updates are ready for download.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
Prior to 3/5: Customers complain about COM port identification problems.
3/5: Senior·Software Engineer·returns·to work·and is alerted to the problem.
3/7:·Senior Software Engineer posts test utility·for customers to try.
3/7 and 3/8: Customers report results of tests.
3/8: Senior Software Engineer announces problem fix will be incorporated into the next versions of several software packages to be available soon.
Now, THAT is CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
Parallax ... YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!
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Stan Dobrowski
be carefull.
I just noticed that the integrated COM1 port, that the 1st routine doesn't detect
has an exclamation mark behind it. This is due to an interrupt conflict with
my docking station.
It may be that the 2nd routine just detects all available ports, regardless of
their status. This may lead to a long delay, if a PC has several deactivated
or otherwise not available com ports.
- Karl
Ugh.· You may be right, that may cause a bad problem.· Unfortunately, I don't have any machines here experiencing this problem and I could create it, but am not confident that the results will be conclusive.·
I think the best thing to do is for you to try it on your machine when I post the new Propeller Tool.
I'll post it here, shortly.
Hi Stan,
Thanks for the compliments!· Appreciation, like yours, for the things we can fix, is sure nice to hear.· In the face of Windows' ever-moving target, writing software that runs correctly on all systems can be a horrific task.· For this reason, I sure do love programming on the Propeller! ;-)· The Propeller makes WORK feel like PLAY. :-)
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
Well, in light of what Karl found, I'm not so confident this is the best solution now, but here it is, attached,·for you all to try.· Please reply back with more results (did it work, did it fail, did it have trouble with a listed port that has a hardware conflict?).
This version, 1.05.4, includes the following:
· 1) Rolled an enhancement to the COM port enumeration method into the communication routines.· This should now allow the tool to see the occasional COM port device that it did not detect before.· (See Karl's note about a potential problem with this).
· 2) Added an item to preferences.· Edit->Preferences... Operation tab.· Download section now has an option for the Propeller's Reset Signal to be set to DTR (the default), RTS (for those USB-to-Serial devices that do not have a DTR signal), or both DTR and RTS.· I chose to make this an option rather than·fixing it to toggle both DTR and RTS for everyone, on every machine, fearing that doing so·may lead to unexpected problems with other existing devices that may be attached to those machines... and from what we've seen, most USB-to-Serial devices include the standard DTR signal.
Note: The attachement includes only the Propeller Tool itself (no other files) due to attachment size constraints on this forum.· Depending on the results of your testing, I will wrap this up into the installer and release soon.
Thanks!
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
Post Edited (Jeff Martin (Parallax)) : 3/9/2007 5:53:44 PM GMT
The Propeller Tool that you attached in this thread works flawlessly with my Digi EdgePort/4 USB to serial box. I only tried COM3 on the box but I will try COM4..COM6 later tonight, I don't expect that there will be any issues.
Note: I did have to reboot the PC (Del GX-280 XP SP2) before it would work though. Before rebooting when I would do a F7 to identify, the Propeller tool would hang on 'looking at' COM3 and then the Propeller Tool would exit. However rebooting the PC solved this issue, now it will detect, program RAM/ROM using COM3 on the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial box.
Thanks!
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Mike
The propeller is attached to COM4 and unless I hold down it's BOOTEN button it won't reset with a DTR signal so you can see from f7com.jpg what the Propeller tool is seeing. Interestingly it says it is unable to open COM3 being the disabled port which does not seem to present itself as a problem. The CP2102 connected Propeller ended up being enumerated to COM4 which is also a disabled PCI comport but that did not cause any problems either.
I haven't tested the RTS signal yet but I will get back to you soon with more exhaustive tests results. Thanks again for your willing support and feedback, and not to be forgotten speedy turn-around. Good work!
*Peter*
·Jeff,
······· I checked both of your programs also!· PGM 1.1·nothing!· PGM1. 2·· picked it·up!
·Using Mtty.exe earlier when I was trying to figure this out I found that the status line was different,with the Usbtoser ALL status boxes had ticks with the other only the CTS·shows a tick. Both with the Same setting!
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
http://people.delphiforums.com/cocokiwi/Image/picture.jpg
Post Edited (cocokiwi) : 3/10/2007 2:21:32 AM GMT
I am using the Propeller successfully with standard COM ports, Silabs CP2102 and CP2103, and Prolific USB-RS232. I haven't had a problem with any of these products at all.
Regards,
Oliver
Cheers Dennis
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http://people.delphiforums.com/cocokiwi/Image/picture.jpg
Had you·just installed the Digi EdgePort device before trying the Propeller Tool?· Have you since had any problems with it?
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
Post Edited (Jeff Martin (Parallax)) : 3/13/2007 5:53:30 PM GMT
That's an unfortunate side effect... the disabled ports show up.· I'm surprised that it didn't report that it couldn't open the original COM4.· Either way, to make things more clear, you can go into devman's properties for each port and reassign the ID for each, so that you don't have duplicates of the same number (so the status message from the Propeller Tool makes more sense).
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
What are you doing differently?· Different drivers?· Different OS?· How can you get the CP2102 to work when it doesn't have a DTR signal?· Please advise.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
The Digi EdgePort/4 was already installed (years ago - 03/16/05), and the drivers were updated recently (a few weeks ago - some time in February), before I installed the Propeller Tool, attached in this thread. After installing the Propeller tool, attached in this thread, and before rebooting, that's when the Propeller Tool 'hung' for a few seconds looking at COM3 and then the Propeller Tool would exit by it's self. After I rebooted the PC (DELL GX-280 XPPro SP2) then all was ok.
BTY: I've used this Digi EdgePort/4 will all of Parallax's software before the enumeration enhancement was added to the Stamp or SX-Key software, and have not had any issues with it until the first release of the Propeller Tool and v3.2.3 of the SX-Key software. Also works with the Java IDE, but I believe Parallax has not updated that tool.
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Mike
The fact that the last "fix" I made has the side-effect of listing every port, including malfunctioning and disabled ports, really bugs me.
I've been doing some more research and found what I think is a better solution now.
!!!!·Peter, Karl, Mike, Dennis, and Martin (and anyone else also) !!!!
If you could download the attachment, run all three versions on your system, and post screenshots of each·(noting the version)·and describe your results, that would be very, very helpful.· The attachment contains v1.1, v1.2, and v1.3 of the EnumerateCOMPorts program.· The first two are exactly as they were the previous time I posted them.
v1.3, I'm hoping, will list all ports that are functioning, and none that are not.· (fingers crossed).· At least that's how it works on my system... but I don't have the silabs or any other usb-to-serial device that didn't show up in the v1.1 version.
Thanks everybody!
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.
Jeff,
Just ran all three. The 'better way' of doing it (EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.3.exe) NOW DOES NOT DETECT the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial converter box. The Propeller Tool v1.05.4 works flawlessly with the Digi EdgePort/4 USB to Serial converter box. I prefer the method of EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe, even though it will detect COM ports that may be improperly installed, for whatever reason.
I hope Parallax will not penalize us folks who know how to install hardware on or PC's and can make it work. I think it's really up to the end user to be responsible enough to make sure that all of their hardware, installed on their PC, is operational.
I would be happy with a check box, in the Propeller IDE, that will allow the functionality that EnumerateCOMPorts_v1.2.exe provides. Parallax can even put a disclaimer in that basically states: If you use this option your on your own for tech support.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Mike
Post Edited (Mike Cook) : 3/16/2007 3:14:18 AM GMT
I would tend to agree with Mike, I just hate software that insists something that you know is false. When it insists that there aren't any serial ports there even though you have been using them then there is something wrong with the method. Sure Microsoft should know but that's like saying the phone company should know whether you can get adsl in your street, I can choose from ten different versions from ten different people there.
The results are in.
So method 3 worked correctly for me as COM3 and COM4 are disabled. The slightly annoying thing about Silabs USB is that they all have the same serial number and if I plug a new one in it will probably enumerate to COM3. Windows just hates (guess what that means) more than one of these devices if they all have the same serial number. I have a utility that allows me to modify the chip ids so I can have multiple devices connected, but it's a pain, so maybe I'll just use ftdi as they all have unique serial numbers.
Thanks again for the patch, I can live with it.
*Peter*
Just wanted you to know that I've wrapped up the version I made for you (with the v1.2 Enum... fix) plus a compiler fix we needed to make, into v1.05.5, which is now posted on our website.
Thanks for your help, everyone!
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
--Jeff Martin
· Sr. Software Engineer
· Parallax, Inc.