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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : MAXIMITE and BRBL ARDUINO
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| PeterB Guru  Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
I have a colour MAXIMITE with FTDI 232 device and can send GCode to TERATERM on a Win 7 PC. I have GRBL V0.8 on ARDUINO and can send GCode from TERATERM to it. I cannot send GCode from the MM to GRBL. Am I asking for the impossible? Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
Hi Peter, How are you sending the GCode to TT from the MM? Is it just thru the console, or are you outputting it to a COM port connected to TT via a USB-to-TTL converter? WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
Thanks for the reply and sorry about the BRBL. I have one of those cheap FTDI devices on COM1 of the MM. I had a few problems getting it to work but putting a PAUSE between the last PRINT and the CLOSE seems to have fixed it. I'm a bit concerned that the MM etc is 3.3 V and the GRBL etc is 5 V. Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
The voltage thing can always be played safe by putting a 1k resistor in series with the MicroMite's COM1 Rx pin - (Pin 22 on a 28pinner; Pin 9 for the 44pinner). This will protect the MicroMite from data coming from the arduino - data going to the arduino at 3v3 level should meet the signal level requirements for the 5v Arduino. Can you do a quick test program to send characters out from the MM and with similar test software on the Arduino make sure they are being received correctly - this will eliminate any voltage issue . . . For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
Silly question (but have to ask) - do you have the COM ports set up to the same parameters on both the MM and the Arduino (i.e. baud, start bits, stop bits, parity, etc)??  For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
There are no silly questions when I'm involved. I am quite sure that they are all correct but then I did put BRBL instead of GRBL. I am using GRBL V0 8 because it uses 9600 like the MM. At least you didn't come back with "what sort of idiot would want to do that?" Peter |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
I missed your other post about voltages. I think I should set up COM 1 with OC and do it properly. However the important thing for me is, you don't think I am wasting my time. It should work. Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
If both work individually through TT then it has to work directly. Get basic COMMs working first between the MM and Arduino to eliminate any voltage issues or parameter settings. Once this is done then it should be easy - pitfalls include things like CR/LF but we can worry about those later - just get simple comms working first
WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
If I plug any ARDUINO into my PC and fire up TERATERM, I can get the RX LED to flash as expected. Not so with MAXIMITE. USB is wonderful and reliable but I have never had warm feelings about it because I don't understand how it works. With MM into TT, which one is boss? And, does MM have the brains to be boss? As I said, I have never understood USB. HELP!!!!! Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
I will try try and simplify things here with regards to a USB-to-TTL converter (sometimes referred to as a USB-to-Serial converter) plugged into a computer running TeraTerm. Think of the USB module as simply a serial communications port having a Transmit data signal (i.e. data from computer) and a Receive data signal (i.e. data into computer). Now think of TeraTerm simply as a display that shows the data (characters) received on the Receive signal (Rx). And anything you type on the keyboard is sent from the computer down the Transmit signal (Tx). By default, what you type on the keyboard is notshown on the display (unless the ECHO Character feature is selected). So now connect a device, i.e. a MicroMite, that is capable of sending and receiving data (character/bytes). The MicroMite has it's own output (Tx) that needs to be connected to the USB module's input (receive) pin; and the MicroMite's input pin (Rx) needs to be connected to the USB modules output (Tx) pin. Now anything that the MicroMite sends out of its output pin (Tx) is received on the USB module's input pin (Rx) and displayed on the TT screen (assume one byte for now which is a printable character). This will cause the USB module's Rx LED to flash briefly. If you type any letter on the (TT) keyboard then the data will be sent out of the USB module's Tx pin; briefly flash the Tx LED, and the data will be received by the MicroMite. The MicroMite (and the MaxiMite) have built into the firmware the ability to receive characters on it's Rx pin, and then immediately 'echo' the character on it's Tx pin. The end result being that what you type on the keyboard is immediately shown on the screen giving the perception of 'normal' computer interaction. So there is no need to think 'who is boss' as they can both transmit and receive 'independently'. The fact you say you can't get the MaxiMite to flash the Rx light: are you talking about COM1 or the Console Tx/Rx connection. If COM1 then you need to write a simple MMBasic program to simply send a character with the COM port configured correctly. Hope the above makes sense (not so short after all - sorry). Let us know a little more about the exact issue (ie.e COM1 or console; and also a simplified short piece of code that demonstrates your issue). I can try to recreate on one of my MaxiMites here . . . . WW For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
Thanks. Near the end of your explanation you referred to the CONSOLE connection and this is an area that confuses me (along with many others). The GRBL ARDUINO connects to the outside world via it's only USB connector, What I think you call the console and that is were I have been stuffing GCode with no luck so perhaps the penny is beginning to drop. There is no other way of getting GCode into GRBL so do I make the MM compatible with a console input? Hope it's not too cold there. Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
In your first post, you state you can get GCODE into the Arduino from TT - is this correct? For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
6degrees today so a Winter heatwave! For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
What I suggest we do is to connect the Maximite to TeraTerm so that you have 'control' of the MaxiMite from within TT (i.e. you can enter code and run it) HOW MANY USB-TO-TTL MODULES DO YOU HAVE? For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
I think I could manage that but not too sure what it will achieve and it will have to wait to tomorrow as it's 11pm here. We have a friend from the UK here. He like our 35C but not our 45C or our 25C for that matter. Thanks again Peter |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
You asked a couple of questions that I didn't see. I have a collection of FTDI devices, not sure how many. I can send GCode from TT to the GRBL ARDUINO. I can send GCode from MM to TT via FTDI232 device. She must be out of the shower by now 
Peter |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
This is what I use for a quick test. HERE: OPEN "COM1:9600,OC" AS #1 PRINT #1, "Y100" PAUSE 1000 CLOSE #1 GOTO HERE Y100 is a legitimate GCode command. I an using a 5V FTDI which is powered by the USB bus and has a 1k pull up. It works with TT. I have changed it to OPEN AS CONSOLE with no luck. Peter |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2794 |
OK - does the Arduino have a serial port input that it can 'listen' to (by changing the Arduino's software) so that it can receive the GCODE on its serial COM port? If so, then simply connect the MaxiMite COM1 port to the Arduino COM port - no need for USB modules to transfer the Gcode. Just remember that Tx on MaxiMite goes to Rx on Arduino (if it has a COM port) - and vice-versa. Think of the CONSOLE port as purely a way to visually program the MaxiMite, and also to 'see into' the MaxiMite. If you are not short of MaxiMite COM ports then this is the way I would approach things (not knowing if you need more MaxiMite COM ports for other devices!) For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| PeterB Guru Joined: 05/02/2015 Location: AustraliaPosts: 639 |
I'm not too keen on diving into GRBL software. I think it fills the Arduino memory. Perhaps what I thought would be a nice simple solution aint that simple after all. I think perhaps I should knock off for a while and have a sulk
Peter |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Peter, I have read this thread at least a dozen times and each time I push it aside as I get confused with what it is EXACTLY you are trying to do.. I have posted here as I think that what you `might' be trying to do is plug your GRBL board into the FTDI adapter into a Maximite's USB ports or something that just wont work.. Is it possible to take a photo of the entire setup and upload it here so that we can see how you are trying to connect the two boards? Also a link to the GRBL Arduino board you have would help too. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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