View Full Version : IFI loading problems
railerobotics
25-02-2006, 19:37
I used a flashdrive to install the new ifi loader to our laptop. I dragged all of the files to the desktop before I installed them and unplugged me flashdrive. Now when my flashdrive is not connected and I try to download a new program IFI loader tells me that its not connected but when I plug in my flashdrive the program downloads. Please Help. It will be a pain during competition to have to plug in my flashdrive everytime I want to download a new program.
steven114
25-02-2006, 20:12
Uninstall, and use the flash drive to copy the entire installer (not just the program itself) and run the installer on your laptop.
railerobotics
25-02-2006, 20:18
I tried that. It still wont connect. I even completely wiped the program from the laptop and installed ifi loader from the internet and it still didn't work.
bear24rw
25-02-2006, 20:26
...when I plug in my flashdrive the program downloads...
To ask the obvious, is the program on the flashdrive? lol
railerobotics
25-02-2006, 21:07
No, It has been installed on the laptop
bear24rw
25-02-2006, 21:15
No, It has been installed on the laptop
No, not the IFI loader program, I mean the program that you compiled with MPLAB
railerobotics
25-02-2006, 21:35
No, not the IFI loader program, I mean the program that you compiled with MPLAB
It's also on the laptop
steven114
25-02-2006, 22:25
Could you please post the entire error message verbatim? It could be entirely unrelated to the flash drive... Also, do you have the latest version?
railerobotics
25-02-2006, 22:28
I am using the latest version. There isn't really an error message. At the bottom of Ifi loader where the amount of memory displayed is shown it says not connected when I try to download a program to the robot without my flashdrive inserted but when I insert my flashdrive the program downloads.
I would try uninstalling and then reinstalling.
railerobotics
26-02-2006, 12:00
I would try uninstalling and then reinstalling.
I have tried that at least 10 times. I have even deleted all files out of windows explorer.
out of curiosity how old is the laptop and what operating system is it using there may be a problem with the OS that it cannot validate the Serial port unless there is something plugged into USB, before the regional i would recomend updating all of your hardware drivers on the laptop itself
steven114
26-02-2006, 12:15
You might try a different flash disk, to determine if it is specifically that device that it requires...
railerobotics
26-02-2006, 13:31
I'll try that on monday. Thanks for your help.
I would hazard a guess that wherever the registry thinks the default code is hapens to have been on the thumbdrive, and once it got on there it started messing up and it hasn't rewritten it with something from the harddrive. Installers are notorious for not deleting things like this when they are run through their uninstall. The problem with IFI loader is that if it can't find the file it wants to download, the download button disappears, and my programmers have reported mixed results with choosing the proper file once it starts doing that. The solution would appear to be choosing a program on the harddrive from browse (not the drop-down menu), restarting the program after you choose a valid hex file, and/or doing a registry search for one of your hex files (to figure out where IFI loader stores the "most recent hex files") and deleting any that don't point to the local C: drive.
Hope this helps,
~Kyle
railerobotics
26-02-2006, 22:16
Do you mean delete registry entries or delete files from windows explorer.
Do you mean delete registry entries or delete files from windows explorer.
Registry entries
Are you downloading via real serial port or usb-to-serial converter? If usb-to-serial converter check that the com port number didn't change when the flash drive isn't plugged in.
railerobotics
28-02-2006, 19:10
I am using a serial port.
railerobotics
01-03-2006, 16:58
Ok I tried a new flashdrive, a very old one that I reformatted and it worked. The program downloaded correctly. That is very wierd. So its not a file on the flashdrive that it needs it has something to do with the port itself. Any help?
Rickertsen2
01-03-2006, 17:04
can you open a connection to the robot in hyperterminal and view the output from printf statements without the thumb drive? You will need to set the settings to:
115.2K baud
data bits: 8
parity: none
stop bits: 1
flow control : none
If you can do this then you know it is an ifiloader problem and not something stranger.
What model is you laptop? I have a suspicion that maybie you do not have a "normal" serial port.
I think eko's explanation is the most likely
Just wondering... have you directed IFI loader to COM 1? (or whatever COM port you are using)
When you install it try to create a new directory such as IFI_loader2 or something like that. We have the old version installed and the new one in the IFI_loader2 directory.
Greg Ross
01-03-2006, 19:14
can you open a connection to the robot in hyperterminal and view the output from printf statements without the thumb drive? You will need to set the settings to:
115K baud
8 data bits
1 stop bits
flow control : none
If you can do this then you know it is an ifiloader problem and not something stranger.
[I was just trying to think how he might be able to use Hyperterminal to deterine the problem, since it seems like a comms problem.]
Yes. Try doing as James (Rickertsen) says (if you can find your way around Hyperterminal. ;))
Another thought: Hyperterminal will tell you what com ports are available. (Click on the "Connect Using" drop down list in the connection Properties dialog.) Try this both without the flash drive plugged in, and with it.
railerobotics
01-03-2006, 20:42
can you open a connection to the robot in hyperterminal and view the output from printf statements without the thumb drive? You will need to set the settings to:
115K baud
8 data bits
1 stop bits
flow control : none
If you can do this then you know it is an ifiloader problem and not something stranger.
What model is you laptop? I have a suspicion that maybie you do not have a "normal" serial port.
I think eko's explanation is the most likely
We have a Dell Latitude 505. I'll try the hyperterminal thing at our next meeting. Also I manually deleted every file and registy entry I could find that had anything to do with ifi loader.
I agree, if that dosn't work resave the program so it's on your C drive.
railerobotics
06-03-2006, 17:21
[I was just trying to think how he might be able to use Hyperterminal to deterine the problem, since it seems like a comms problem.]
Yes. Try doing as James (Rickertsen) says (if you can find your way around Hyperterminal. ;))
Another thought: Hyperterminal will tell you what com ports are available. (Click on the "Connect Using" drop down list in the connection Properties dialog.) Try this both without the flash drive plugged in, and with it.
I tested it with hyper terminal and it does not show printfs when the flashdrive if unplugged but when it is plugged in it shows printfs.
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