8 replies to this topic

[J Wilson]

Thanks to Dave VanderWekke and others, I have step by step instructions for anybody wanting to do communication between your PC and Netduino via USB. 1. Purchase a FTDI FT232RL USB to serial card: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9873 2. Connect the following pins: FTDI.RXI - Netduino.D1 FTDI.TXO - Netduino.D0 FTDI.Gnd - Netduino.Gnd 3. Plug your USB cable into the computer and the FTDI. If your computer can't find the right driver to setup the comm port, try: http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm 4. Use the CommPort class I've written in both the Netduino and your .NET PC application. The CommPortNetduino.cs is an example of code to put in your Netduino application. The CommPortProgram.cs is an example of code to put in your .NET PC application. 5. Give it a try. You can actually program and debug the Netduino Application via your regular USB while doing serial communication via the other USB. For some reason, the PC application can't be running from the debugger at the same time. (At least I couldn't, had to launch it separately.) Good luck! BTW: Sometimes the messages don't come through. It's as if the SerialDataReceivedEventHandler doesn't have high enough priority and gets blocked by other events. Maybe somebody can explain this.

Attached Files

•  CommPortNetduino.cs   4.59KB   213 downloads
•  CommPortProgram.cs   5.24KB   158 downloads

[JerseyTechGuy]

Glad to hear it worked for you. I did notice in my alpha software that the SerialDataReceivedEventHandler would not fire occasionally and I think it was related to a timer I had in the software. I have since done away with using timers and have not had any issues since.

[J Wilson]

Glad to hear it worked for you.

I did notice in my alpha software that the SerialDataReceivedEventHandler would not fire occasionally and I think it was related to a timer I had in the software. I have since done away with using timers and have not had any issues since.

I am using a timer in the PC application during the running of the race heat - to look for incoming messages (times) and to update the display. I could try having the SerialDataReceivedEventHandler trigger the updates. Might be more efficient.

[JacopoMTK]

Thanks for the guide,so,basically what i need is only this (i prefer to order from european resellers) and nothing else?Not an usb to serial cable or other stuff?

Thanks.

[JerseyTechGuy]

Thanks for the guide,so,basically what i need is only this (i prefer to order from european resellers) and nothing else?Not an usb to serial cable or other stuff?

Thanks.

Just that board and the Mini USB cable which is different than the Micro USB that comes with the Netduino.

[JacopoMTK]

Just that board and the Mini USB cable which is different than the Micro USB that comes with the Netduino.

Thanks,oh,another thing,what is the effective speed of the COM port used with netduino in this way?

Thanks.

[Coder Myers]

So I take it you can't use the microUSB port on the netduino for communication with a PC app, only programming with VB? Sorry if it's an obvious question - I'm new to both VB and microcontrollers.

[JerseyTechGuy]

So I take it you can't use the microUSB port on the netduino for communication with a PC app, only programming with VB? Sorry if it's an obvious question - I'm new to both VB and microcontrollers.

Basically, it cannot be a communication port and a debug port at the same time. You can switch and use serial port as debug and this frees up the microUSB port, but I believe it is limited as to what you can do. Best bet is an FTDI card or FTDI cable. I am using this one from Sparkfun which is mentioned in the first post.

[Coder Myers]

Basically, it cannot be a communication port and a debug port at the same time. You can switch and use serial port as debug and this frees up the microUSB port, but I believe it is limited as to what you can do. Best bet is an FTDI card or FTDI cable. I am using this one from Sparkfun which is mentioned in the first post.

Good to know, thanks.