Got Sanguinololu 1.3a, now what?

There the board sits all nicely plugged in. All connectors attached to appropriate devices. Now what?

I'm sure there are tons of articles or threads that cover the next steps, but where? If I find the info, will I understand it?

This is the frustrating part of getting into a new technology. I suspect I'll be spinning my wheels for a wee bit of time looking for how to do what.
Most people writing advice are working from a level of understanding so much higher than the new initiate.
In the end the advice still looks like gobbledegook and we spin our wheels trying to make sense of the what is written.
I've gone through the steps, assembled the components, made all the connections, loaded a few versions of software on a couple of different OS's and...
Nothing.
Sure the LED is lit. The Pololu's get hot. The steppers make some jittery noise. But then what?

So what I have is a Prusa Mendel. The board is a Sanguinololu (thanks SCPhotog), with Pololu stepper controllers.
Software... I've got an Ubuntu laptop and a Windows 7 laptop. I've tried installing Skeinforge on both of these, everything seems to be a go, but nothing seems to work.
Where to now?

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mike

Check your stepper drivers, set the pots about 1/4 clockwise from full counter-clockwise. Work your way up from there. Can you move the steppers manually with the buttons? I'm assuming the chip is all loaded with the firmware? What kind of power supply are you using? Do you have the correct drivers installed? Do you have permissions on the port that you're using?

Permissions on the ports? Oh boy, I need a walk through on that one. New at the Linux thing.

Checked the pots, it's about where they are at. I'm hoping that the chip is all loaded with the firmware. I bought this from SCPhotog assembled. He said this was all tested. I'm assuming that he would have to install the firmware for that.

As for the drivers, you'll have to walk me through that too. I followed the chain of instructions to install reprap, repsnapper, and skeinforge. I'm hoping I've got it all set right. How would I check for the drivers?

Using a computer power supply. ATX2. I've got jumpers between pin 1 and 12, as well as between pin 16 & 17 on the 24 pin connector. The power is supplied to the board through the 4 pin molex connector.



Thanks,
Mike

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/2011 04:25PM by mmadore.

Marnargulus,

Not sure how to check for permissions on the USB connection, but I've got the same problem when trying to use the printer from a Windows 7 host. It's likely that I've done something wrong in hooking up, but have checked all connections. What drivers are needed for a windows box?

My windows machine has Windows 7 - 32bit, Java 6

Heard from the lad I bought the board from. The firmware is not installed as yet... I guess that would explain a whole let then. Now for the next problem... Can't seem to install firmware. Turns out that the Windows7 box can't recognize the hardware to install the right USB driver. Had problems in Ubuntu, but can't remember what and now I've completely messed it up and has no USB port showing up... Guess I'll have to undo some garbage if only I can remember what all I tried in the wee hours!><

Looks like you were in the right area Marnargulus.

More when I get the Ubuntu happy again.
Mike

OK. Got my serial port back. Now when I try to upload the firmware from Ubuntu I get the following error

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

If I change sanguino.upload.protocol=stk500 in sanguino/boards.txt
to sanguino.upload.protocol=arduino

I get this instead.
avrdude: Can't find programmer id "arduino"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2011 01:34AM by mmadore.

Try "avrisp" instead. I think the doc is wrong on that "arduino" value.

interesting...

From Ubuntu
Changed it to avrisp and it reverted back to

Binary sketch size: 29474 bytes (of a 63488 byte maximum)
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

Just tried it from Windows Vista box and got
avrdude: stk500_getsync():not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

hmmm...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2011 12:13PM by mmadore.

Do you do the magic "hold reset button until Binary sketch size message appears" gesture ?

Sometimes magic works, sometimes using the DAPA guide I wrote works better. The 644P is not recognized by the Arduino software, you can force AVRDUDE to do the work, but the Arduino IDE no longer works with Sanguino out of the box. (I think this was charged, as I believe version 18 actually supported it). I suggest doing a parallel port bit bang method, as most people have an older comp. with a parallel port and the material costs are less than 10 dollars. Everything is available at a Radioshack, and the parts are common and not special order.

I've never heard of anyone in Ubuntu (or linux in general) that could get the 644P to work with a Arduino (even to upload a sketch, post bootloader), a few mentions of windows machines working though. Ask your supplier if they installed a bootloader, or if it is just a blank chip. If the bootloader is on there you should be able to load the windows machine and push the sketch through the aruino.

If you don't have the bootloader I recommend just bitbanging the actual firmware without the bootloader, as you won't be loading sketches onto it like most people do with an arduino.

Just compile like normal, then instead of upload search your computer for the hex file. When you find the hex file (ie: sprinterblahblahblah.hex) make a copy as arduino will clear the temp files on close. So now that you have a perm copy of the compiled firmware you can run the avrdude commands to push that to your board, and you should be good to go.

Yup. I do the magic reset button thingy as suggested. Even held my tongue in my left cheek while standing on my right foot with the purple sock on inside out. Magic not working. The good news is that no magic smoke has escaped the electronics as yet.

I'll have to look for that guide you wrote marnargulus. I've abandoned Ubuntu for now, I'm in the middle of downloading and expanding all on a newer Vista machine to try next. Couldn't get the Windows 7 to accept drivers to talk to the Sanguino. Vista at least sees it. More when it's up and running.

Bootloader was installed by the kind lad that I bought the board from. All was tested at that time.

Thanks,
Mike

Excelent, so if you already have a bootloader you should be able to put the usb in and load it that way.

Try a few machines if it doesn't work the first time. I only use Ubuntu, so when Windows problems pop up I half-guess at what would make sense, and sometimes it works. Your computer needs the FTDI drivers (which are located in the Arduino IDE install directory, I think under a folder called "drivers"?).
Once you have them installed when you go to the system manager that displays all your hardware (Start-> Control Panel-> System -> Devices), it should say "COMS & Ports" or something. With the usb plugged in to the computer and board you should see something about a serial to usb converter (on COMS 2 I think is default). These are the drivers that let you interact with the board through USB (via the tiny SMD chip).

Does this make sense? I tend to ramble.

Don't bother with any Ubuntu machines, as all the magic in the world won't make that work. I'm not sure if you need giveio or not (I think it is for the literal parallel ports in windows, and the driver handles the usb)

When testing, go ahead and instal arduino and the FTDI drivers, plug everything in.

Open Arduino, and load the sketch you are using. (Set all your settings, SD endstops etc board type). Compile it. Hold the reset button down for ten seconds, and while holding it hit the "upload" button in the Arduino IDE. When it pops up some text in the console area let go of reset and do your rain dance. I can tell you that if you continue to have trouble, my DAPA guide is fairly straight forward and works every time.

I've tried from Windows 7, and I suspect that the arduino program is seeing the board but it can't connect. Using pronterface I tried to connect and the screen reports connecting... but never does. If I unplug the USB cable I suddenly get all kinds of connection missing errors on the Command window.

So now I've tried with Ubuntu, Windows 7 and Windows Vista with no luck. Maybe I'll have to move my MAC downstairs to see what it says...

Got a link to you DAPA guide?

[reprap.org]

marnargulus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I've never heard of anyone in Ubuntu (or linux in
> general) that could get the 644P to work with a
> Arduino (even to upload a sketch, post
> bootloader), a few mentions of windows machines
> working though.

Works for me to upload my firmware modifications to my techzone monotronics (644P).
Using arduino studio 022 + sanguino extension on ubuntu 64bits.

Can you describe your setup and the steps you took?

I followed the instructions at [reprap.org]

The only difference is I edited arduino022/hardware/Sanguino/boards.txt and changed "sanguino.upload.protocol=stk500" to value "avrisp" (took idea from [reprap.org] - just adapted to use my previously succesful avrdude setting).

I'm not even sure that step was mandatory, maybe it just was that I got use to release the reset button at the right time.

So you were programming via an arduino or other ISP programmer?

Through the usb connection to my electronics, so I believe this count as "via an arduino".

Tired of playing around with the recalcitrant child, praying to the wrong sanguino gods. Going to have to stop diddling with the foolish thing for a while. It's making me extremely grumpy. I've tried all possible combinations of software, connections, editing this setting and that setting, press the stupid button from 10 to 60 seconds so far on 3 separate OS's. This is one frustrating setup. All helpfull hints go back to the same thing in the end and none of it is working.

I've got a Sanguinololu 1.3a
Bootstrap already loaded
Powered by a PC ATX2 power supply. Appropriate pins shorted with switch, even an LED hooked in to verify power on.
I've tried the following laptops to try to load the firmware up:
Ubuntu Linux 11.04 (I think, can't remember how to check the version number)
Windows 7, 32bit
Windows Vista, 32bit

Have tried 2 different USB cables, so not that.

Not sure what else to say. Any helpful ideas are welcome.

Must leave the thing alone before it becomes airborne.

Thanks all,
Mike

Not a Sanguinololu but similar problem on an arduino168 with Win 7 64 bit.

I was only successful in uploading from the Arduino IDE after this series of steps.

1. Opened Device Manager (via Control Panel)
2. AVRStudio Beta had installed Jungo USB control - Uninstall
3. Find the COM3 port created by FTDI drivers - Uninstall
4. Restart PC and then plug in the USB for Arduino
5. Let Windows find and install the Prolific drivers

Immediate success. Hope this helps you.

Bill

Try that, or try running in XP mode (that's a thing, right?).

LOL. Tried XP mode, tried BillC54's list of steps, no luck as yet. Time to create that whosywhatsit parallel thingy and see if I can go more direct... Or order a new Atmega644P... Something will have to work eventually I'm sure.

Instead of ordering a new 644p I would order a usb to serial adapter cable. Costs a few bucks more, but this doesn't sound like the chip is the issue. You can't get your computers to recognize the board.

At this point you have the bootloader on the chip, and the completed board.
This is NOT what you need to control the board, but IS what you need to load that information.

Since arduino is having trouble seeing your board I recommend you go to the command line. You will likely need to use -F at the end to force avrdude (WinAVR in windows I think). You need to comile the sketch and save it before closing arduino because it clears the cache on exit.

Marnargulus,

I have a few USB to Serial cables, but no need that I can see, to use one here. The Sanguinololu v1.3a has a built in USB port, and I'm going from USB on the laptop. Just needs the regular USB cable. Two of the computers recognise the FTDI adapter built into the board, so I know that there is a partial recognition.

Could you be a bit more specific with the last suggestion? I have no trouble with the idea of going to the command line , but what exactly am I trying to accomplish there? What exactly is a sketch? Is this the file that is created by arduino when you verify the .pde?
Thanks,
Mike

One major problem with the DAPA guide... It's for windows and the only machine I have that has a parallel port is Ubuntu. Any hints on using Ubuntu to do this? ... I know, there's no point since it doesn't work in Ubuntu, and yet I've seen a number of threads talking about having used Ubuntu to control their repraps. Can't imagine they had to rely on a windows box to get it all going.


Meantime, I'll try yet again to figure out the criptic instructions for using avrdude to talk to the board.

Thanks again,
Mike

marnargulus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When testing, go ahead and instal arduino and the
> FTDI drivers, plug everything in.
>
> Open Arduino, and load the sketch you are using.
> (Set all your settings, SD endstops etc board
> type). Compile it. Hold the reset button down for
> ten seconds, and while holding it hit the "upload"
> button in the Arduino IDE. When it pops up some
> text in the console area let go of reset and do
> your rain dance. I can tell you that if you
> continue to have trouble, my DAPA guide is fairly
> straight forward and works every time.

There needs to be a header with a jumper on between the driver chips and the main chip, its an auto reset, once this is on all my windows machines could upload firmware whereas without it none could

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Experimenting in 3D in New Zealand

Good call Nelson, I don't think anyone has updated the electronics instructions concerning the usb auto reset since it was added.