Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Unable to step through progam with debugger. — Parallax Forums

Unable to step through progam with debugger.

joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
edited 2007-04-27 23:45 in General Discussion
Hello,

I just got a 28 pin·SX microcontroller and the SX-Key programmer. And I have been going through the Exploring the SX w/ Assembly book from the Parallax website.

My problem is that whenever·I run the debugger the·step, walk, run·buttons are·un-selectable, the text on the buttons·is grey and will not let me press them.

Has any one else had this problem and know of the·solution.·

Comments

  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2007-04-20 14:19
    Joe,
    Do you have the SX-Key or the SX-Blitz ? The SX-Blitz does not support debugging.
    Do you have a resonator inserted ? You cannot debug with a resonator connected.

    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    "Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society"

    Benjamin Franklin
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    www.hittconsulting.com
    ·
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-20 16:33
    I have the SX-Key and I do not have a external resonator installed.
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-20 16:35
    It is a·Rev. F SX-Key.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2007-04-20 17:25
    What frequency are you use in your SX program ?
    The SX-Key can only debug down to 300KHz (I think).

    Can you post the program that is giving you the trouble ?

    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    "Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society"

    Benjamin Franklin
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    www.hittconsulting.com
    ·
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-20 19:25
    I have not been able to use the debug in any of the programs that I have tried so far. And I have tried them it at both 50Mhz and 500,000hz.
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2007-04-20 19:54
    Hmmm, Give Parallax tech support a call. Might be a bad SX-Key.

    Bean.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    "Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society"

    Benjamin Franklin
    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    www.hittconsulting.com
    ·
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-20 20:08
    OK Thanks
  • DosManDanDosManDan Posts: 179
    edited 2007-04-20 23:06
    Joe,
    You didn't mention the type of board you are testing this on. I ran into a similar problem debugging at low voltage, and it turned out to be a capcitance problem when using a breadboard. I was able to solve the problem by building a small board with just an SX Chip and connectors.

    Here is a link to the thread in case it might help you:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=644066

    Let me know if you have any questions,
    Dan
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-21 21:54
    I am using a breadboard. Thanks, Ill try that.
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-21 22:30
    But I am not using a key ring like in that thread. And my voltage is a little over 5 volts using 4 - Alkaline batteries. Ill try to see if I can test it with a proto-board on Monday, if I can find one. Thanks for all the help.

    Joe McKibben
  • jesse_in_venicejesse_in_venice Posts: 5
    edited 2007-04-21 22:53
    I had a similar issue. (OK, EXACTLY the same)... Do you have the external xtal plugged in ? The sx-key needs to provide the clock in order to debug, & the onboard xtal seems to override the keys clock.

    jesse
  • joe.mckibbenjoe.mckibben Posts: 14
    edited 2007-04-22 12:42
    No I do not have an external crystal installed.

    Joe McKibben
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2007-04-22 17:46
    The SX-Key needs exactly 5V and sufficient current to operate. As for the thread you looked at, please note that I had issues originally without the SX-Key Ring plugged in. This was due to capacitance issues. I had to shorten the wires to get it to work. The power system you have seems like a suspect as well.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
  • Fry'n ICsFry'n ICs Posts: 11
    edited 2007-04-22 19:04
    I am having the same trouble with the sx key. I am using the pro board, so I know it's not the length of my wires
  • T&E EngineerT&E Engineer Posts: 1,396
    edited 2007-04-23 10:46
    If you had used an external resonator inserted while in DEBUG mode, it is also very possible that the SX-KEY oscillator section is blown. It will still work to program your SX programs but the DEBUG steps will be ghosted out. Estentially it turns into a·cheaper·SX-Blitz.
  • Sparks-R-FunSparks-R-Fun Posts: 388
    edited 2007-04-23 17:03
    It is my understanding (and I hope someone with an authoritative answer will post) that having an external RESONATOR connected to the SX at the same time the SX-Key is connected will not cause physical damage but will prevent the debugging features of the SX-Key from being available. However, having an external TTL OSCILATOR connected at the same time is very likely to cause damage to the SX-Key!

    I want to request clarification between the damage potential differences of having an eternal resonator versus an external TTL oscillator connected in conjuction with the SX-Key.

    - Sparks
  • T&E EngineerT&E Engineer Posts: 1,396
    edited 2007-04-23 19:37
    I had physical damage of smoke (and red hot burn points - with blackened parts afterwards) on the SX-KEY. I have since had it replaced.
  • Guenther DaubachGuenther Daubach Posts: 1,321
    edited 2007-04-27 23:45
    Sparks,

    Resonators and Xtals connected to the SX-Key in parallel are passive components - IOW, they will not impose any signals on the OSC1/OSC2 pins that might kill the SX-Key/SX-Blitz. A TTL Oscillator - on the other hand - is an active component, i.e. it generates an output signal, fed into the OSC1 pin. When an SX-Blitz/Key is attached in parallel, this might possibly kill the SX-Blitz/Key, or the TTL Oscillator, or - at least - prevent the SX-Blitz/Key from doing proper communications with the SX chip for programming, or debugging (this is also true in most cases when a resonator/Xtal is connected in parallel).

    Therefore - whenever possible - it is a good idea to either socket the resonator/Xtal/TTL Oscillator so that it can be removed during programming/debugging sessions with the SX-Blitz/SX-Key, or to place a jumper allowing to isolate the OSC1 pin from any other components while programming/debugging the SX chip with an SX-Blitz/Key.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Greetings from Germany,

    G
Sign In or Register to comment.