Netduino Plus Firmware v4.1.1 ALPHA 5

Version: 4.1.1 ALPHA 5 (version 4.1.1.0 a5) A BIG THANK YOU to community member CW2, who contributed his I2C "repeated start bit" enhancements to the Netduino project. This is the first official firmware release to include this new feature. We look forward to integrating many other community-contributed features moving forward. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are using a "public beta" Netduino Plus, you will need to erase your Netduino Plus completely and reflash it with the "64KB" bootloader to upgrade to this pre-release firmware. With this firmware, you will have the following resources available for your code: 64KB Flash 28KB+ RAM This firmware includes the following updates: 1. I2C internal address ("repeated start bit") support 2. Bugfixes: SerialPort.DataReceived event should now fire properly 3. Bugfixes: SerialPort.Read() timeout now implemented properly 4. Bugfix: SD card support no longer interferes with digital pin 2 This firmware also includes the following previous updates: 1. Variable-bit SPI (9 to 15 bit) capabilities 2. Enhanced Parallels, VMWare, and VirtualBox compatibility 3. RS232 and TTL UART deployment now selectable via software tool 4. Enhanced deployment reliability (software reset enhancements) To find the current version of your Netduino Plus firmware: 1. Go to the Start Menu > Programs > Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.1 > Tools 2. Run MFDeploy.exe. Be careful to run MFDeploy.exe and not MFDeploy.exe.config (as file extensions are hidden by default) 3. Plug your Netduino Plus into your PC using a Micro USB cable. 4. In the Device section at top, select USB instead of Serial. Your Netduino Plus should appear in the drop-down; if not, select it. 5. Select the Target menu, Device Capabilities option. 6. In the output box, find the "SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVersion" value. This is your firmware version. Users of firmware version 4.1.0.5 or earlier may update to this new firmware using the MFDeploy tool: 1. Download and unzip the attached file to a directory on your computer. 2. Go to the Start Menu > Programs > Microsoft .NET Micro Framework 4.1 > Tools 3. Run MFDeploy.exe. Be careful to run MFDeploy.exe and not MFDeploy.exe.config (as file extensions are hidden by default) 4. Plug your Netduino Plus into your PC using a Micro USB cable. If your Netduino Plus does not connect successfully, try plugging the USB cable into your Netduino first...and then your PC. 5. In the Device section at top, select USB instead of Serial. Your Netduino Plus should appear in the drop-down; if not, select it. 6. Click "Browse..." and select the unzipped files from step #1 (ER_CONFIG and ER_FLASH). 7. Press "Deploy". It will take a few minutes to update your Netduino Plus. 8. Select the Target > Configuration > Networking menu. You will need to re-enter your IP address settings and MAC address. We will try to eliminate this step in the future. Please note that some VMs may lose their connection to the Netduino Plus when it reboots. If your VM loses its connection to the Netduino during deployment, it will give you an error that the debugger failed to connect. If this happens to you, please post your experience in this thread.

Notes on new "variable bit SPI" feature:
We've created an "ExtendedSpiConfiguration" class. To use it:
1. Add the attached ExtendedSpiConfiguration.cs class to your project.
2. Instead of creating a SPI.Configuration instance, use ExtendedSpiConfiguration. It is a subclass of SPI.Configuration and can be used in its place.
3. In the ExtendedSpiConfiguration constructor, you can provide the number of bits per transfer (data bits) as the final paramter.

Notes on new "I2C internal address/repeated start bit" feature:
To use the enhanced I2C capabilities, we've posted a set of easy-to-use functions in another thread.

Please note that we will be including the final version of these new classes in the Netduino v4.1.1 SDK--so you will not need to add them manually. Also, we may change the names of classes, methods, etc.

If you use these new features, please post your experiences here...

Quick note: we're working on a number of networking-related bugfixes for the .NET Micro Framework, lwIP and Netduino Plus. These are slated for the Netduino Plus v4.1.0.6 beta 2 release, and we'll include them in an upcoming v4.1.1 alpha/beta release as well. Chris

I had a few difficulties upgrading the FW. Every time I tried it just got stuck at "Connecting to TinyBooter". This is how I solved it: Don't wait for the TinyCLR to boot up. Unplug/Replug the boad while holding the reset button. Use "Ping" to verify that it's TinyBooter that's answering. Select the new FW and press "Deploy" *before* TinyCLR boots. (You don't have forever to do this.)

... and now it's got stuck at "Executing Application". Hmm, do I dare disconnect it I wonder ... Yes, ping seems to work. Network configuration, not so ... ... Yes! Once again TinyBooter gives the solution. FW upgrade complete!

4. Enhanced deployment reliability (software reset enhancements)

This doesn't seem to have made much difference. It now/still has a very low chance of success when deploying.

I have 1 serious project which tells me "An error has occurred. Please check your hardware" whenever I try to deploy.
Then I have a "Hello World" project that's able to deploy, but not able to attach debugger. The debugger will actually lock the board, when trying.

Both situations seems rather consistent though.

No wait, the "An error has occurred..." might have been caused by too many (or wrong) references. And it's still a little random

Illishar, Is there any more information in Visual Studio's Output windows before you get the "please check hardware" message? Unfortunately, that message is given by Visual Studio for a whole range of issues... If we can get a good repro case, we'd love to dig in and see what's up. Thank you very much, Chris

Hi Chris, I got the 64Kb boot loader and also this new firmware and SPI doesn't work, when I go back to the firmware that the netduino plus is shipping with. do you have any idea whats going on? if you'd like to see my code it is here: http://forums.netdui...ng/page__st__40 last update (page 3 at the moment) and although that is under the netduino, i am using the netduino plus firmware and boot loader.

Hi Chris,
I got the 64Kb boot loader and also this new firmware and SPI doesn't work, when I go back to the firmware that the netduino plus is shipping with. do you have any idea whats going on? if you'd like to see my code it is here: http://forums.netdui...ng/page__st__40 last update (page 3 at the moment) and although that is under the netduino, i am using the netduino plus firmware and boot loader.

Hi Omar,

When you experience the SPI issue, what version of TinyBooter are using? What version of .NET MF firmware (TinyCLR)?

And if you switch back to v4.1.0.5...SPI is still having issues?

Chris

Hi Omar,

When you experience the SPI issue, what version of TinyBooter are using? What version of .NET MF firmware (TinyCLR)?

And if you switch back to v4.1.0.5...SPI is still having issues?

Chris

TinyBooter - The one that is in the post which has the files that the netduino plus is being shipped with (http://forums.netdui...ch__1#entry3969).

.NET MF - One here: http://www.netduino.com/downloads/ I think. Maybe not, how can check?

When I switch back, I have no problems

Some user experience using with VirtualBox on Ubuntu... Prior to installing this alpha version, I could deploy with varying reliability (Start Without Debugging == mostly works), but not debug (Start Debugging == never works). So I decided to try the Alpha. Since installing this version, I cannot deploy without messing around with the usb cable. The way I get it to work sometimes, is to click "Start Without Debugging", wait a few seconds, unplug the usb from the netduino plus, reconnect, and then wait. The program starts.

Some user experience using with VirtualBox on Ubuntu...

Prior to installing this alpha version, I could deploy with varying reliability (Start Without Debugging == mostly works), but not debug (Start Debugging == never works). So I decided to try the Alpha.

Since installing this version, I cannot deploy without messing around with the usb cable. The way I get it to work sometimes, is to click "Start Without Debugging", wait a few seconds, unplug the usb from the netduino plus, reconnect, and then wait. The program starts.

Hi teachop,

Great feedback. Quick question: do you have the same experience while using the beta 1 release? We tightened things up a bit with the latest alpha, but maybe a bit too much.

Chris

do you have the same experience while using the beta 1 release?

Yes pretty much. I also spent more time with the .5 version, and it isn't very reliable either, sometimes requiring usb cable pulling. Jacking the cable sometimes causes VS to terminate however. Here is a summary of the entire Plus experience (XP in VirtualBox on Ubuntu):

Initially installing the driver (first connect of Netduino to USB), the driver installed, but after the progress bar fully filled, it never concluded the driver wizard, and required a boot. The driver did install however, and the device enumerates every time.

Using MFDeploy to install software, often the Ping hangs, requiring usb jacking. Same things happens when checking version. Fool around enough and it works. This cable jacking sometimes causes MFDeploy to terminate, sometimes not. After Browse... and select, the Deploy often hangs. Same thing. I think the pattern that works is to connect the device after hitting deploy. Anyway it eventually works, but after it proceeds to executing Application it gets stuck until the device is unplugged.

In Visual Studio, debugging has never worked once, fooling with the cable here then terminates VS. Starting without debugging can normally be made to work, wait for it to finish building and get stuck, then jack the cable, and deploy completes (sometimes VS terminates).

Thats about it. None of them are reliable enough to allow a development work flow to proceed. The Netduino Mini seems to work a bit better, VS terminates sometimes, but most of the time it works (using the RS-232 port with a Prolific USB serial cable).

None of them are reliable enough

I put Vista back on an old PC and thing work, I will use that. If you need alpha/beta testing on Ubuntu/VirtualBox let me know, everything is still installed on my main machine (Linux).

Okay, thanks teachop. We'll try to find a Ubuntu/VirtualBox machine which exhibits this issue. If we can find it, we'll try to patch it...and then we'd love your help narrowing in on and/or validating the fix. Thanks again, Chris

Hi guys

I'm experiencing exactly the same issues as described by teachop in #14.
I'm running Windows XP.

Any ideas to try?

I'm experiencing exactly the same issues as described by teachop in #14.
I'm running Windows XP.

Hi Colin,

So v4.1.0.5 works sometimes for you but v4.1.0.6/v4.1.1.1 don't "reboot" properly at all?

Also, you're running XP native--or in a VM?

Chris