How to test printrboard without printer

Please consider me an idiot. I am finding out how much I don't know but I am a retired EE.
I have parts of a 2up - broken parts to be sent "ASAP" - so maybe it will take another 5months for that.
I want to test and load new firmware onto the Printrboard.
I have Arduino 1.06, Teensy-1.20, Flip 3.4.7.112, UP_Marlin_v1, Repetier-Host 1.05, and others loaded on the computer.
When I plug the bd in, the computer responds and it appears in the DM as a "Teensy USB Serial (Com8)"
I open Repetier-Host and set the com port to 8 but when I go to Manual Control it says Disconnected.
No amt of resetting. disconnecting/reconnecting, etc. changes that.
I cannot figure out how to get it connected.
Then I need to be able to talk to it, hopefully to see what is loaded and to verify it is somewhat functional.

Can u help me???
thx
bill

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2014 06:01PM by ruggb.

If it's just about communications, send something like M105, M114, M119.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Have you loaded Marlin or know if Marlin has been loaded onto the Printrboard?

If you do not believe Marlin has been loaded onto the board, are you OK using Arduino to try to load it? It sounds like you've got a version of Marlin for your board, so you could try loading that onto the board.

There are instructions for loading firmware onto the board at the RepRap wiki.

Once you've done that you may have more success connecting with RepetierHost.

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[3DKarma.com] - suppliers of quality, affordable 3D printer kits and filament for the UK market.

thx for the reply

that is the OTHER issue........
I started out trying to load f/w, but for some reason it keeps coming back with file not found errors for library files when I try to run it.
I have loaded arduino 1.06 and teensy 1.20 and loaded Marlin v1 but when I start adruino and open Marlin then click verify it currently can't find core_id.h
I moved some files around that it wasn't finding previously, I just don't understand why the installation did not put them in the right place.

I though that the f/w was suppose to be loaded already - even if it isn't the latest one it should talk to repetier -- shouldn't it?????????

Maybe the ? should be -- how do I setup Arduino, Teensy and Marlin so those run and load the f/w.
I thought I followed directions but nothing seems to be working.

Hi,

Firstly i'm new here so forgive me if i ask or tell you something basic.

Have you got a power supply connected to the board as well as usb?

Firstly what rev board are you using? It will be printed on the board. The reason i ask is to make sure you have got the bootloader pins shorted or set to that mode.

If it is, unshort it and try connecting to the PC with usb and power supply connected, then try connecting in repetier.

If that doesn't still work, you may need to load the firmware again.

So short the bootloader pins according to your rev board, and hopefully you get a COM port in device manager? and maybe start with the .hex file from printrbot first to make sure it works. Thats just loaded on the board with flip i believe.

Once thats done try again making sure the board is not set in bootloader mode and connect the PC again and try connecting with repetier.

What happens now?

thx for the reply;

I did connect 12v but currently it is not. It is only used to supply 5V in parallel with the USB 5V and pwr to the peripherals. So it isn't needed if nothing is connected.
I tried this with 12V connected in the beginning and it made no difference.

It is a rev D bd. BOOT jumper is ON when I try to run the upload.
I am not even at that point yet b/c the f/w won't compile whether I run Verify or Upload.
Interestingly if I select a different bd I get different errors.
Selecting the correct bd causes it to die not finding Arduino.h
If I select Teensy 1.0 it says the i/o pins r not defined in Arduino.h - so it found Arduino.h for that selection.
If I copy the files from the Teensy folder to the Marlin folder it finds the files but I end up getting a variable not defines error.
Nothing in the instructions say to copy the files but opviously it is looking in the marlin folder with the ...CDC... selection.

When I connect the bd via USB I ALWAYS get a connection to the computer.
When I run repetier I ALWAYS see DISCONNECTED in Manual Control.
Sometimes it changed com ports when I reset but there is only 1 on the list (besides com1 and com3, which it isn't).

I was using Arduino 1.0.6, Teensyduino 1.20, and Marlin_v1
I am about to try 1.0.5 and 1.19
..........Same thing.
When I start Arduino and open Marlin.pde then clk either verify or upload it says it cant find Arduino.h
It is set for the right com port and [BootloaderCDC]Teensylu/Printrboard and the magic sauce was applied.

I have no idea what this is suppose to be doing so it is pretty hard to troubleshoot.

1. Why can't it find Adruino.h - obviously it is looking in the wrong place because there r a 6 copies in various folders.
2. So what directs it to look into the proper folder? Is it an issue with Arduino, Teensy, or Marlin?
3. Why can't Repetier see it connected? Does it use different drivers than Arduino and Teensy?

I think the cloned Printrboards use a different bootloader than the real deals from Printrbot.

Have you tried searching here: [www.printrbottalk.com] ?

Hey,

Firstly if your just trying to test the board why not leave Arduino alone and upload the .hex file from printrbot to test the board works correctly?

Use this guide for that Printrbot firmware guide

With your 3 questions

Quote
1. Why can't it find Adruino.h - obviously it is looking in the wrong place because there r a 6 copies in various folders.
2. So what directs it to look into the proper folder? Is it an issue with Arduino, Teensy, or Marlin?
3. Why can't Repetier see it connected? Does it use different drivers than Arduino and Teensy?

1 Arduino.h should be in the marlin folder, maybe try deleting Ardunio, marlin folders redownload and unzip to C: and try again?
2 No idea it must be Arduino IDE that directs it, right?
3 I believe you do need different drivers for Repetier yes. This might be silly but you are pressing connect in the top left aren't you?

J

DUH!
Connect? who'da thunk. Drivers r fine.
I think I hit connect the first time I ran Repetier and since totally forgot about it...................
now it is Idle.
Printer info shows Up-Marlin is installed. So I guess the rest is academic - BUT I would still like to solve that issue.

I did just fix solder joints on the USB connector that were intermittent/broken so I don't know that those may have caused some of the mystery.
I'm much happier now - thank you.

==============

The instructions imply the Marlin folder can be anyplace.
I have it under Arduino just to keep things together.
Arduino
..Hardware
..Up-Marlin-Marlin_v1
....Marlin

all of the files it is looking for are in folders under Hardware - which is installed by Arduino installation.
When I said I moved the files to Marlin, MacAttak was adamant that I should not do that but I had no more FNF error - then I got some programming errors.

Hey,

Glad you got it all working, mostly, lol.

Not sure of the software side of things as i completely new to the firmware stuff at the moment.

Good luck sorting it out and post here if you fix it.

J