RoboRealm Forum

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

In case others are reading this, it turns out to have been an issue with the DTR signal in the serial module. RoboRealm sets this to false (disabled) by default. With the new addition to the serial module the DTR flow control can be enabled. Seems like that did the job!

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

I hope you are fine.

Do you had a chance to look deeper into this topic? Would be great, if you could provide a small update if you have any news.

Best wishes

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

STeven,

basically for me its ok either way (running either in raw mode or ASCII or binary). I just played with the modes because I was hoping that this might chance something.

The device is an accelerometer and there is an example application available at

http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/SerialAccel-Control-Example.zip

With the hyperterminal you can change the mode (raw, ASCII, binary).

Have a great weekend and many thanks

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

Ok, lets back up a minute. Do you intend to run the device in Raw mode or can you set it to ASCII mode and try RR with that?

Also what is the device that you are communicating with? Knowing that might help us understand the signals coming from that device a little better.

For example, now the output appears to be in Hex as apposed to a decimal (base 10) number. Is that something you did? Would you need to convert that to base 10?

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

many thanks for the last RR update.

I havent seen anything in RED in the console log but one line which I have pasted here

Module Stopped!
Module Started ...
Connected!
\\255\\194\\154R<cr> (this is written in RED)
Module Stopped!
Module Started ...
Connected!

This was when it was neither in the ASCII nor in the binary mode, it was a 3rd mode called "Raw Mode".

In the hyperterminal once the sensor is in raw mode there is the following output

X=0x01D9 Y=0x0239 Z=0x0088

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

Thanks for sending the robofile.

We have once again updated the system. Please download v1.8.6.15 which includes some minor updates to the serial module.

We noticed that the device you are using allocates a space just after the = to be used for a minus sign when needed. Thus whenever the number is positive there will be a space and when negative there will be a minus sign. Thus your receive pattern needs to be

either

X=[x_var]Y=[y_var]Z=[z_var]<cr>

or

X=[x_var]Y=[y_var]Z=[z_var]<lf>

the ending is in question. Some devices return \\r\\n while others return either one. We cannot tell which from your posting.

Note that there are NO spaces in that pattern either within it, before it or after it. That is needed since the spaces within your sequence are optional.

Also, you should see the data within the console log in red. If you do not check your baud, port, etc. If you don't see the text in the console the receive sequence will not work as apparently no text is being received by RR at all. So first work on the console issue and then once text is flowing in, add in the receive sequence.

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

first of all, I have to say I am amazed by the support you and your team is providing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I entered the sequence of what I see in the hyper terminal which is

X= 0.007 Y= 0.105 Z=-0.989

however, you can see that the sequence starts with a blank before the X and there is a blank with positive numbers only, as the Z value shows, there is no space between the Z and the negative number following. So I am not quite sure about the spaces now.

Also, I was not able to see incoming data in ASCII mode.

I have attached the robo file as well.

When I change the modus of the sensor itself to binary output and hit then the "Send Now" button in the console area, I get the following

Connected!
\\255

Many thanks

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

We've just made some modifications to the serial module that will better aid in debugging such as the console log. It will probably be easier if you download the newest version and do your testing using that. In that way you should be able to see the incoming data and be able to modify the receive sequence in order to get the variable matching to work.

v1.8.6.14

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Note that space after the Y= in the text that is not in your sequence. Try

X=[x_var] Y= [y_var]

instead and see if that helps.

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

I added first <lf> and then <cr> but this doesnt change anything.

Below there is what hyperterminal sends back

Best wishes

iandi

X=-0.104 Y= 0.197 Z=-0.950
X=-0.104 Y= 0.182 Z=-0.955
X=-0.096 Y= 0.179 Z=-0.976
X=-0.101 Y= 0.176 Z=-0.968
X=-0.109 Y= 0.179 Z=-0.968
X=-0.116 Y= 0.182 Z=-0.968
X=-0.109 Y= 0.169 Z=-0.968
X=-0.101 Y= 0.166 Z=-0.979
X=-0.101 Y= 0.189 Z=-0.958
X=-0.096 Y= 0.176 Z=-0.958
X=-0.114 Y= 0.200 Z=-0.968
X=-0.119 Y= 0.189 Z=-0.950
X=-0.124 Y= 0.174 Z=-0.958
X=-0.106 Y= 0.176 Z=-0.971
X=-0.104 Y= 0.166 Z=-0.955
X=-0.119 Y= 0.169 Z=-0.968
X=-0.109 Y= 0.169 Z=-0.958
X=-0.119 Y= 0.184 Z=-0.968
X=-0.121 Y= 0.187 Z=-0.976
X=-0.114 Y= 0.187 Z=-0.968
X=-0.104 Y= 0.179 Z=-0.968
X=-0.116 Y= 0.197 Z=-0.958
X=-0.106 Y= 0.176 Z=-0.968

No Title

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

Yes, the watch should show when those variables change.

You may need to add a <lf> or <cr> at the end of the receive sequence to deal with the newline character that I assume is at the end of the receive sequence.

But that should do it ...

If not can you paste in what hyperterminal sends back and we'll continue testing here.

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

sorry, I tried to attach the robo file as an jpg ;-)) now its attached

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

many thanks for taking care.

I took out VBScript.

Please find attached the robo file. Also, if that helps, I have attached the hyper terminal file.

I am taking the RR watch_variables for looking if the values are changing, correct?

Many, many thanks

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

You don't need to define the variables. In fact we're not even sure what

SetVariable("x_var"), x_var

does as it would normally be

SetVariable "x_var", 0.266

which will "hardcode" the variable to x_var. Try removing the VBScript module for now and see if the values change. The way you currently have it it will always set those variables to 0.

Can you also include your robofile if things still do not work? That helps us to debug.

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

BTW I tried to change

x and y to X and Y

as the hyper terminal is showing captitol X and Y, but this didnt change anything..

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi STeven,

many thanks for your quick reply.

After downloading the newest version of RR I tried now the following:

Defining variables in the VBScript module:

SetVariable("x_var"), x_var
SetVariable("y_var"), y_var

Then writing

x=[x_var] y=[y_var]

into the receive part of the serial module.

I still cannot see data in the VBScript module.

The format of the numbers shown in the hyper terminal is e.g.

X= 0.266 Y= 0.382 (ASCII mode)

Is there anything obvious Im still doing wrong??

Many thanks!!

iandi

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

iandi,

The technique used in the serial module requires that you match what is being sent with what is in the receive sequence for things to work. Thus if you are seeing

x=100 y=234

for example in hyperterminal and want to grab JUST the numbers into RoboRealm variables you would use

x=[x_var] y=[y_var]

essentially you replace the numbers with variables. Note that this should be placed in the receive sequence.

The reason for the error above is that you did not show RR how to know when the first variable ended and the second one begins. The code above is attempting to match

100234

but because they are all digits is the correct parsing

10 0234

or

1 00234

or 1002 34

??

I.e. you need something inbetween the two numbers (a delimiter) that tells when one number ends and another begins. If you are dealing with binary numbers then the delimiter is not needed as binary numbers normally have a fixed 1, 2 or 4 byte length.

Also, be sure to download the most recent copy of RoboRealm as we did have an issue last week in the receive sequence ... if no data was in the send sequence then the receive sequence did not even execute. This has been fixed and might be part of your issue.

FYI, there is no way to open a COM port in the VBScript module that we are aware of. Thus the reason for the serial module to exist.

STeven.

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Just to add this:

When I write in the serial module

[x_in_pipeline][y_in_pipeline]

I get the error message

Delimiter ] missing in receive sequence!

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Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Frank, many thanks for your quick reply.

I did know

SetVariable("x_in_vbscript"), x_in_vbscript
SetVariable("x_in_pipeline"), x_in_pipeline

x_in_vbscript = GetVariable("x_in_pipeline")

in the VBScript module

and

[x_in_pipeline]

in the serial module.

The value for [x_in_pipeline] showing in the VBSCript module is still 0.

I am doing something wrong here I know but I dont know how to proceed.

Many thanks again

iandi

No Title

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

are you using GetVariable?

x_in_vbscript = GetVariable("x_in_pipeline")

open COM ports in VBScript Program

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:11:00 EST

Hi,

I tried to read data from COM1 RS232 with the serial module. Attached to the COM port is a sensor which is able to send either ASCII or binary data. I can access the sensor via the hyper terminal. The sensor is broadcasting data permanently. However, with the serial module I was failing to read data. Data are sent in a way x = .. y = .. (this is what I can see on the hyper terminal).

I was successful in connecting the port with the serial module, buy if I am declaring variables like x and y I get no results. Maybe the sensor is broadcasting its data to quick (100 Hz). I was switching the type of data coming from the sensor from ASCII to binary output but this wasnt helpful.

Another idea would be maybe to open the port from the VBScript module??

I dont know how to proceed.

Any ideas would be great!!

Many thanks

iandi