OLD serial RCX strange download problem

[Y0uh0u]

Hi all!

I need help in order to make an idea alive! The idea is to use an old RCX 1.0 to manually control 3 motors using two switches as a remote control. All I need now is to download the program I designed using bricxCC V3 to my RCX, but it doesn't work!

I am able to download different firmwares, manually control the RCX (piano, doagnostic, etc) so the communication works just fine! When I download the program to the RCX, the RCX download icon blinks 2 or 3 times then the download error pops-up from the bricxCC software. And, as I said, it is not a communication issue... even thought it's been a tough one configuring the usb to serial converter!

My questions to you, the real pros:

Is there any kind of compatibilty I should be aware of between bricxCC and the RCX?

Is there 2 different memories onto the RCX so the firmware memory would be okay but the program memory would be broken? How can I test it?

Even if you have no idea what would be a solution to this problem, any kind of encouragement would be so much appreciated!

Thanks!

Edited June 10, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[hassenplug]

I don't have a lot of advice, however I can verify the process of downloading firmware is not the same (internally) as downloading a program. So I can understand that one may work, while the other doesn't.

bricxCC will work fine with the RCX. It was designed to do that in the first place.

I would suggest trying to download a very simple little program.

Good luck.

Steve

[Mantarri]

Also, what about a windows XP/98/etc. VM with your serial port passed through to it (I use VirtualBox, It's free, and works well).

[schraubedrin]

Do you have the correct operating System/Firmware installed on the RCX, one that's able to interpret your bricxCC code?

I don't know bricxCC but used NQC back in the day and remember this step being important.

[Y0uh0u]

hassenplug

I tried this: no success. I should have mentioned it, sorry

XtremeBuilder

I tried running the program using the win10 compatibility mode. Do you think it would give the same result?

schraubedrin

I tried different firmwares, including two original one and the "fast0103". I don't find any information regarding which firmware would be more compatible with BricxCC. Do you have any idea? I think this is the more promising way to solve this problem so i am really interested into finding more about it!

You all, who took time to answer, I must tell you this is appreciated so much!

Thanks again and have a nice day!

[Mantarri]

XtremeBuilder

I tried running the program using the win10 compatibility mode. Do you think it would give the same result?

No, it isn't the same thing, try a VM and see if it works.

[Y0uh0u]

No, it isn't the same thing, try a VM and see if it works.

Okay, I'll try that and come up with the result! Thanks!

EDIT: God! It is sooooo complicated! What are you?! I didn't even know it was possible to emulate an entire computer! I'll really have to dig into that...

Edited June 9, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[Mantarri]

Okay, I'll try that and come up with the result! Thanks!

EDIT: God! It is sooooo complicated! What are you?! I didn't even know it was possible to emulate an entire computer! I'll really have to dig into that...

Yep, I'm a computer gurr you could say, but I started out with PCs for dummies.

[schraubedrin]

I just looked at the page of bricxCC. This seems to be quite a potent programming environment.

In which programming language did you write your Code?

Xtreme Builder might be right, i'd be surprised if the IR-Tower is still natively supported under Win 10.

[hassenplug]

bricxCC is an editor for NQC. NQC is the most popular language for programming the RCX. (most likely what you're using)

If you are sending firmware, I don't think you need to change your system set-up (to use a VM).

Pretty much all the firmwares should work with your program.

What does your program do?

Steve

[schraubedrin]

I have to admit, that was a long time ago.

I wrote my NQC-Code in a text-editor and made all the compiling and transfering via the command line (on linux)

[EDIT]

I just found this: http://pbrick.info/rcx-firmware/

Have you tried the standard LEGO firmware version 3.32?

Edited June 9, 2016 by schraubedrin

[afanofosc]

In the first post you say you can download firmware and use tools with the NCX. Perhap I am correct that you mean RCX? I thought at first that you meant NXT which confused me greatly.

Can you say which version of BricxCC (check the Help->About dialog) you are running?

The USB IR tower is definitely not supported on newer Windows OSes but it sounds like you are using the older Serial IR tower with a USB-Serial adapter, which should work and apparently does if you are able to download a firmware image to the RCX and communicate with it using the various BricxCC tool windows.

Does the code compile fine and show a listing in the F12 code listing window? Can you launch BricxCC from a Command Prompt window using /debug and grab a screen capture of the dialog that is displayed every time you launch the compiler? Can you try using the NQC compiler from a command prompt window to see if it can communicate with the RCX successfully? Like: nqc -TRCX2 -watch now

John Hansen

[Y0uh0u]

I just looked at the page of bricxCC. This seems to be quite a potent programming environment.

In which programming language did you write your Code?

Xtreme Builder might be right, i'd be surprised if the IR-Tower is still natively supported under Win 10.

I am not sure I understand your question... NQC stands for "not quite C" which means, you know, just that. All the instructions I use are prebuilt and the program compiles just well. Also, As I said before, I downloaded a very simple program (main(){}) and it didn't make its way to the program memory. I doubt a lot there is something wrong with the way I write this code. BUT, I would believe that BricxCC converts this code to something my RCX doesn't understand. I just don't know how to test it...

bricxCC is an editor for NQC. NQC is the most popular language for programming the RCX. (most likely what you're using)

If you are sending firmware, I don't think you need to change your system set-up (to use a VM).

Pretty much all the firmwares should work with your program.

What does your program do?

Steve

As I said, what the programs does may not make any difference because I tried the most simple program with no success at all. But, if I succeed, I'll be able to control 3 motors using two switches as a remote control. pressing the two switches simultaneously would switch the controled motor. All that because the only way (I know) to manually control 3 motors is this new smartphone thing that costs too much.

I have to admit, that was a long time ago.

I wrote my NQC-Code in a text-editor and made all the compiling and transfering via the command line (on linux)

[EDIT]

I just found this: http://pbrick.info/rcx-firmware/

Have you tried the standard LEGO firmware version 3.32?

I already read all this stuff! I'll tell you, I read a lot about this issue... It's my first time on a forum because, habitually, I find my answers myself (using answers from others)! As for the firmwares, I tried this "new" one you suggest (3.32), two even more old ones and a custom one (the most compatible, they say) with no success.

In the first post you say you can download firmware and use tools with the NCX. Perhap I am correct that you mean RCX? I thought at first that you meant NXT which confused me greatly.

Can you say which version of BricxCC (check the Help->About dialog) you are running?

The USB IR tower is definitely not supported on newer Windows OSes but it sounds like you are using the older Serial IR tower with a USB-Serial adapter, which should work and apparently does if you are able to download a firmware image to the RCX and communicate with it using the various BricxCC tool windows.

Does the code compile fine and show a listing in the F12 code listing window? Can you launch BricxCC from a Command Prompt window using /debug and grab a screen capture of the dialog that is displayed every time you launch the compiler? Can you try using the NQC compiler from a command prompt window to see if it can communicate with the RCX successfully? Like: nqc -TRCX2 -watch now

John Hansen

I like the way you think! I tried two different versions of bricxCC. An older one (to be sure) and this new one I sticked with : 3.3.89.

When it comes to command prompt, really, you lose me. I don't have a clue of what you are asking me to do! All I can tell you is that the code is compiling well, no error. If I do an error on purpose, bricxCC detects it and tells me. I can also ensure that there is something occuring during the program transfer because this icon flashes a couple of times before the error message pop-up. The RCX just seems to throw it away... I'll try the command prompt you suggest but I doubt I'll succeed. I'll edit this message if i do. As for the Virtual Machine option another great guy suggested me, well, it doesn't worst it! This thing is a monster!

EDIT: pressing F12 during compiling shows a window containing a lot of text i don,t understand. Are we searching for something in particular?

EDIT 2: I tried and opened a command prompt window. I tried help to understand a couple of things. Period. Can't go anywhere further than that! Sorry! Help me a little bit with this pasrt so I can test the things you want me to test please!

Again, to all of you guys, thank you so much!

Edited June 10, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[afanofosc]

So, please be clear, you can talk to your RCX via all of the BricxCC tool windows, correct? And you can download the RCX firmware without errors to the RCX using BricxCC, correct?

Do you know where BricxCC is installed on your computer? Are you running Windows 10? If so then you can click on the start menu icon then type "bricxcc" (without quotes) then right click on the bricxcc executable that cortana finds on your computer and select the "Open file location" option. In the Explorer window that opens up you can select the path in the field below the menu area and copy it to the clipboard with Ctrl+C or via right click, copy.

Once you have the path on the clipboard you can open a Command Prompt window by clicking on the Start icon and then type cmd and click on the Command Prompt item that cortana finds on your computer. In that command prompt window type cd and then right click and select paste followed by pressing the Enter key on your keyboard. If the path has spaces in it (like "Program Files") then before you paste type " and then after you paste type " before you press Enter. This should set your current working directory (CWD) to be the place where BricxCC.exe and nqc.exe are located.

From this location you can type "bricxcc /debug" and press Enter. That will launch BricxCC with debug mode turned on and it will popup a dialog every time you launch the compiler.

it may help me to see what that dialog says. Write it down and paste it here or save a screenshot and send me a copy (email in the BricxCC Help->About box).

If you are not running Windows 10 please say what OS you are running.

From this same location in the Command Prompt window you can also try running nqc.exe by typing "nqc -TRCX2 -watch now" like I mention above and say what happens when you do that. You'll probably need to specify a COM port also. The dialog that pops up when you launch the compiler in BricxCC will show how you can pass additional parameters on the NQC command line. To specify the COM port on the nqc command line you add -SCOMn where "n" is the number of the COM port you are using. Also try adding "-v" to the command line as that will output a lot of details about the attempt to communicate with the brick.

So if you are using COM4 you could type

nqc -TRCX2 -SCOM4 -v -watch now

Perhaps you can copy the output into a message here so I can have a look at it or just email it to me.

John Hansen

[schraubedrin]

@Y0uh0u:

I asked about your programming language because you hadn't mentioned it before and bricxCC is capable of several different languages.

Now this question is settled

[Off-Topic (sorry)]:

John Hansen, the NQC-tutorial from you and Mark Overmars got me into programming.

Thank you very, very much!

Because of this i had never problems in any programming courses and was a research assistant in a simulated material science project.

[/OT]

[Y0uh0u]

@Y0uh0u:

I asked about your programming language because you hadn't mentioned it before and bricxCC is capable of several different languages.

Now this question is settled

[/OT]

I didn't even know there were multiple possible programming languages using BricxCC so my apologies. For me, using bricxCC meant I was writing code in NQC. My bad, sorry.

So, please be clear, you can talk to your RCX via all of the BricxCC tool windows, correct? And you can download the RCX firmware without errors to the RCX using BricxCC, correct?

Do you know where BricxCC is installed on your computer? Are you running Windows 10? If so then you can click on the start menu icon then type "bricxcc" (without quotes) then right click on the bricxcc executable that cortana finds on your computer and select the "Open file location" option. In the Explorer window that opens up you can select the path in the field below the menu area and copy it to the clipboard with Ctrl+C or via right click, copy.

Once you have the path on the clipboard you can open a Command Prompt window by clicking on the Start icon and then type cmd and click on the Command Prompt item that cortana finds on your computer. In that command prompt window type cd and then right click and select paste followed by pressing the Enter key on your keyboard. If the path has spaces in it (like "Program Files") then before you paste type " and then after you paste type " before you press Enter. This should set your current working directory (CWD) to be the place where BricxCC.exe and nqc.exe are located.

From this location you can type "bricxcc /debug" and press Enter. That will launch BricxCC with debug mode turned on and it will popup a dialog every time you launch the compiler.

it may help me to see what that dialog says. Write it down and paste it here or save a screenshot and send me a copy (email in the BricxCC Help->About box).

If you are not running Windows 10 please say what OS you are running.

From this same location in the Command Prompt window you can also try running nqc.exe by typing "nqc -TRCX2 -watch now" like I mention above and say what happens when you do that. You'll probably need to specify a COM port also. The dialog that pops up when you launch the compiler in BricxCC will show how you can pass additional parameters on the NQC command line. To specify the COM port on the nqc command line you add -SCOMn where "n" is the number of the COM port you are using. Also try adding "-v" to the command line as that will output a lot of details about the attempt to communicate with the brick.

So if you are using COM4 you could type

nqc -TRCX2 -SCOM4 -v -watch now

Perhaps you can copy the output into a message here so I can have a look at it or just email it to me.

John Hansen

First of all, thanks for your patience. I ensure you I am trying to be clear, English not being my maternal language and computers/programming, no more than a hobby. So, please, don't take my ignorance as a personal attack or a lack of willing to solve my problem.

The answer to your questions is "correct" for all of them.

- I am running Windows 10

- I know where to find the program path

- I can download the firmware without any error

The instructions you kindly wrote should be easy to follow. I'll try these in a couple of hours and paste the results here.

EDIT 1:

- The command "nqc -TRCX2 -watch now" returmed "Problem talking to IR device"

- The command "nqc -TRCX2 -SCOM2 -v -watch now" returned "Could not open serial port or USB device"

- I will try to paste the image I took from the debugger after compiling the program I wrote

- Are you really the mastermind behind BricxCC?

Just so you don't have to ask the question, COM2 is the one I use when I successfully download firmwares to the RCX.

As for now, be sure I appreciate very much what you are all doing for me.

Have a nice day!

Edited June 10, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[Y0uh0u]

Hi again!

Here is the message from the debugger

Thank you very much!

Edited June 10, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[hassenplug]

- Are you really the mastermind behind BricxCC?

I think John is somewhere between the mastermind and the custodian of both BricxCC and NQC. A few years ago, the original creators walked out the door and threw John the keys. They may have been laughing at the time. John turned it into a multi-use set of tools. He will be able to help solve your problem.

One other strange question: What kind of lights do you have in your room? If they are fluorescent, I would suggesting getting a small box, like a shoebox, and putting it over the Tower & RCX when downloading.

Steve

[Y0uh0u]

I think John is somewhere between the mastermind and the custodian of both BricxCC and NQC. A few years ago, the original creators walked out the door and threw John the keys. They may have been laughing at the time. John turned it into a multi-use set of tools. He will be able to help solve your problem.

One other strange question: What kind of lights do you have in your room? If they are fluorescent, I would suggesting getting a small box, like a shoebox, and putting it over the Tower & RCX when downloading.

Steve

Thanks for the precisions concerning John. People capable of such things have all my admiration.

Concerning light, thanks for the suggestion but it is one of the first things I tried. As I said, the communication works good since I am able to download firmwares onto my RCX. I think the last tests John asked me to do show that BricxCC uses my USB TO serial correctly but that another part of the program doesn't. At this point, only a modification of the program or a virtual machine as suggested before might solve my problem.

All that help you are offering me is so much appreciated !

Edited June 11, 2016 by Y0uh0u

[Y0uh0u]

Hi again!

I gave a shot at the virtual machine today and I must admit I am totally unable to make it work. So my last chance here is John Hansen doing the tricks he knows with the software he created...

Please, M. Hansen, do it! Please!

Anyway, it's been fun chatting with all of you guys. Have a nice day!

[Y0uh0u]

I guess this topic is dead now...

M. Hansen? I am quoting you as you are my last hope of solving this problem

John Hansen

Thank you all and have a nice day!

Edited June 16, 2016 by Y0uh0u