45 replies to this topic

[testhack]

Just an FYI; I upgraded my netduino plus to 4.1.1 BETA 1 since I do most of my development on a win 7 64 bit os and the latest 4.2 RC 3 has been reported to cause some crashing. After upgrading and testing 4.1.1 beta, I found that it did improve some of my garbage collection issues but did not resolve all of them. I finally took the plung and went to 4.2 RC 3 and it resolved ALL of my GC issues! I thought for a long period of time, I was simply asking too much of the hardware. I cannot tell you how happy I am to report that 4.2 RC 3 has resolved these issues!

[Jay Sheldon]

Will you be supporting the MSC Device Stack? If so will you be giving examples of it?

[DrJaymz]

I have successfully managed to use this and get the repeated start bit working with my Melexis temperature thing as well as coexist with a few other things. I loose my temper with it a bit with a 1 in 3 chance that deployment will freeze up. Sometimes you can unplug and replug the device and it will just say failed and then you can hit run again. Sometimes that will blue-screen the machine screwing things up in a big way. I have found that on freeze its best to end-task VS2010 and then replug the device. This does not bluescreen. Is there an alternative driver for the netduino? I suspect this is due to a bug in the driver a hardware issue would not bluescreen the machine. I cannot go backwards because I need repeated start bit and I cannot go forward because the 4.2 firmware doesn't work for me, has functions that don't work or is missing functionality. Finally, how to remove the ethernet when not needed the release says 'users can now do this' somehow.

[Chris Walker]

Hi DrJaymz, You can use the new 4.2 beta drivers with 4.1 if you'd like. If you want to free up the space used by Ethernet, erase your Netduino Plus (using the gold ERASE pad) and then reflash it with the regular Netduino firmware. You'll need to add one line of code to enable the SD card slot...but otherwise you'll be good to go. Chris

[DrJaymz]

Hi DrJaymz,

You can use the new 4.2 beta drivers with 4.1 if you'd like.

If you want to free up the space used by Ethernet, erase your Netduino Plus (using the gold ERASE pad) and then reflash it with the regular Netduino firmware. You'll need to add one line of code to enable the SD card slot...but otherwise you'll be good to go.

Chris

Which download do I need for the driver? Is it the one in the post for an update of the beta driver? Its a real pain because it really slows development and debugging because its crapping out a lot. I didn't notice the problem so bad when my app wasn't multithreaded.

[Jay Sheldon]

Will you be supporting the MSC Device Stack?

If so will you be giving examples of it?

I ask because of your examples to support the HID Device Stack.

So... Will there be support for the MSC (USB Hard Drive) Device Stack?

[DrJaymz]

Hi DrJaymz,

You can use the new 4.2 beta drivers with 4.1 if you'd like.

If you want to free up the space used by Ethernet, erase your Netduino Plus (using the gold ERASE pad) and then reflash it with the regular Netduino firmware. You'll need to add one line of code to enable the SD card slot...but otherwise you'll be good to go.

Chris

Ok, I changed the driver with the instructions, and it no longer comes up with a netduino device, it comes up as a reference board. But the result is the same.

I agree with other comments I have read it seems to be a memory leak - works fine until about 4th deployment then boom.

[Chris S]

I got this running "as is", but how can I open the USB stream so it can read too? (Such as the signal to enable/disable caps lock, scroll lock and num lock?)

We'll be cooking up a number of HID examples for the new UsbClient feature.

To start with, here's a "Netduino Virtual Keyboard" sample.

Parts required:

• Serial cable for your Netduino (FTDI 3.3V USB-TTL or an RS232 shield)
• 7.5V-12V AC/DC adapter for your Netduino. You can also power Netduino via the VIN or 5V headers.
• Netduino and its MicroUSB cable

Switching from USB debugging to serial debugging:

• Grab our enhanced version of MFDeploy.
• Run the enhanced MFDeploy. Select USB transport, and make sure your Netduino is selected.
• In MFDeploy, select the Target Menu > Configuration > Deployment Transport
• Switch deployment from USB to COM1. You can switch back anytime (via serial).

Using the NetduinoVirtualKeyboard sample:

• Load the NetduinoVirtualKeyboard solution into Visual Studio like normal, but select Serial for transport (project properties > .NET Micro Framework)
• Plug your Netduino into external power and its serial cable into your computer.
• Run the solution (F5).
• Once the program starts, you'll see a message to reconnect your USB cable to a PC. [Disconnect it if it's already attached, first.]
• Windows will automatically install the HID driver for the keyboard.
• The sample program will then type "helloworld" in the current window.

Since the Netduino will be typing, I'd recommend either plugging it into a separate computer or opening up notepad before plugging the USB cable into your computer.

Enjoy!

Chris

[Chris Walker]

Hi Chris,

I got this running "as is", but how can I open the USB stream so it can read too? (Such as the signal to enable/disable caps lock, scroll lock and num lock?)

Are you wanting to turn your Netduino into a USB device (emulating a USB keyboard for instace)? You can do that...but you'll need to deploy/debug over serial to free up the USB port...

Chris

[nhale]

Hi,

I'm new to the Netduino stuff and already confused...

• When should I use what? (HW->SW combination, Features available in which version)
• Why is the 4.2 only linked for the GO and not for the normal Netduino(Plus)?

Can you please clarify this!

Thanks

[Chris S]

Hi Chris,


Are you wanting to turn your Netduino into a USB device (emulating a USB keyboard for instace)? You can do that...but you'll need to deploy/debug over serial to free up the USB port...

Chris

I went through the process, like I said I got the virtual keyboard stuff working. What I'm making is a network server that takes characters received on the network port, and sends them through the usb port as a keyboard.

I have that all working fine and well, but I was wondering about the ability to "read" from the usb host (from the pc to the netduino) so I could use caps-lock, num-lock and scroll-lock.

[Chris Walker]

I went through the process, like I said I got the virtual keyboard stuff working. What I'm making is a network server that takes characters received on the network port, and sends them through the usb port as a keyboard.

Oh cool. We'd love to see photos or a brief description when you're done, so we can share in the excitement

I have that all working fine and well, but I was wondering about the ability to "read" from the usb host (from the pc to the netduino) so I could use caps-lock, num-lock and scroll-lock.

These should be defined in the USB Spec for USB HID (Keyboard Usage). I haven't done this myself/recently, but basically the PC will retrieve the numlock/capslock status as either flags in the HID reports or as key presses.

This may be done over a second USB endpoint, but there's a good chance it's read via the same standard endpoint/mechanism used for the other keys.

Chris

[Chris Walker]

Hi nhale,

Hi,

• When should I use what? (HW->SW combination, Features available in which version)
• Why is the 4.2 only linked for the GO and not for the normal Netduino(Plus)?

NETMF 4.1 is the production firmware for Netduino and Netduino Plus. NETMF 4.2 is available (in releaase candidate form) for Netduino and Netduino Plus if you'd like to test it out. It's close to release-quality, but there are a few glitches to work out still.

NETMF 4.2 is the production firmware for Netduino Go.

The newest 4.2 SDK supports both 4.1 and 4.2 projects--but it defaults to creating 4.2 projects. So we provide links to both in an attempt to make it all clearer. Maybe we haven't quite suceeded there.

Chris

[Chris S]

Oh cool. We'd love to see photos or a brief description when you're done, so we can share in the excitement


These should be defined in the USB Spec for USB HID (Keyboard Usage). I haven't done this myself/recently, but basically the PC will retrieve the numlock/capslock status as either flags in the HID reports or as key presses.

This may be done over a second USB endpoint, but there's a good chance it's read via the same standard endpoint/mechanism used for the other keys.

Chris

Using this line from your virtual keyboard example:

stream = usbController.CreateUsbStream(WRITE_ENDPOINT, UsbStream.NullEndpoint);

The second parameter is a read endpoint, and specifying anything there throws an exception. Otherwise, how would I read from the stream?

Also, I'm trying to put this into an Xbox. Plugging it into a PC or PS3 it works correctly. However on the Xbox it never seems to accept the input. I'm guessing it's because the xbox is being choosy about the USB device descriptors but I'm not sure how to modify them to make it look more like a real keyboard.

[Yeison]

hello Disconnect my Netduino when I was running and now I want MFDeploy switch modes of transportation to COM1 or COM2 usb but I no longer appears on the USB device is connected. When I give the option of ping get an error: Failure: Device is invalid or not responding. What should I do? Thank you.

[Chris Walker]

Hi Yeison,

What should I do?

Did you change the deployment port for your Netduino already? If so, you'll only be able to ping it from that port (USB, COM1, or COM2).

If you've lost communication with your Netduino, you can erase and reflash it (using the erase pad, SAM-BA, and MFDeploy). The instructions for doing so are in the first post of this thread.

Welcome to the Netduino community,

Chris

[donnmo]

Chris,

I've modified the Virtual Keyboard sample to support a non-keyboard HID device that's connected to my Netduino Plus. And, I've successfully sending packets (HID input reports) from my device to the host (or PC). The next step that I'd like to implement is support for requests from the host (via HID feature reports).

I've successfully configured a USB read endpoint. (In addition to the original write endpoint.) What I'm trying to ascertain, or understand, is the correct method to use in the .Net framework to process the GET request from the host.

Question: Are there any additional samples (or, do you have anything cooking) that demonstrates two way communication between a HID device and the host with a Netduino?

Thanks!
--Donn

We'll be cooking up a number of HID examples for the new UsbClient feature.

To start with, here's a "Netduino Virtual Keyboard" sample.

...

[Chris Walker]

Hi donnmo, We don't have any additional USB HID samples to share today. We do have one on our roadmap for the winter. How familiar are you with how HID works, at the endpoint level? Chris

[donnmo]

Currently, my understanding of USB endpoints is fairly high-level. (I'm unraveling the concept/architecture as I work through this project.)

Hi donnmo,

We don't have any additional USB HID samples to share today. We do have one on our roadmap for the winter. How familiar are you with how HID works, at the endpoint level?

Chris

[Chris Walker]

Currently, my understanding of USB endpoints is fairly high-level. (I'm unraveling the concept/architecture as I work through this project.)

If you pick up a copy of the book "USB Complete" by Jan Axelson it'll give you lots of info on how USB (and USB HID) work. From there the UsbClient class should be fairly self-explanatory.

Not the simplest concept to tackle--especially the USB descriptors--but not too bad.

BTW we do have one USB HID sample; it should give you a good starting point:
http://forums.netdui...tion-using-usb/

Chris