FlashMagic from Dell Core Duo Laptop

[Shawn]

I installed a port sniffer and reran my original command line
Attached is what the port sniffer reported as well as the FM debug file.

Let me know if that uncovers anything helpfull.

Shawn

[Andy Ayre]

Was the entire data in the spreadsheet generated using Flash Magic?

Andy

[Shawn]

The shaded rows are FROM flash magic
The unshaded rows are from the NXP

Did I answer the right question?

Shawn

[Andy Ayre]

The debug file in this case matches the spreadsheet. I now see "Synchronized" coming back. It is weird that the problem keeps changing. Does the error message change? In the first case I would have though it would be something like "autobauding failed step 1" and in the second case I would expect something else like invalid command.

Andy

[Shawn]

The FlashMagic IDE gives me failed at step 1.

The command line gives me invalid command

[Andy Ayre]

If you run the test repeatedly on the command line do you see the same thing from the port sniffer that was in the spreadsheet?

If you run the test repeatedly from the GUI do you see something different in the port sniffer output?

Andy

[Shawn]

The command line gets as far as sending 12000 (clock setting from the device line) and having it echoed back.  Then the port gets closed and reopened.  I did this three times, with a power cycle between each time.

This is weird.  Since installing the sniffer, the FM GUI now gets to trying to erase block 0 before it fails.

If we have to pick on, I need the command line to work much more than I need the GUI to work.

I attached fmd files for both GUI operation and Command Line operation.

Shawn

[Andy Ayre]

Are you putting all the command line directives on one line, or all of them in a file and running witn fm.exe @filename?

Andy

[Shawn]

All on one line.  I broke them up in email for readability

[Andy Ayre]

Please send me your hex file. If you don't want to make it public, please send to support @ esacademy . com. I will try your command line here. Thanks.

Andy

[Shawn]

I just emailed it to you.

Shawn

[Andy Ayre]

Unfortunately I can't seem to reproduce the problem. Here is dirs.txt:

Code Select Expand

QUIET(FMOutput.txt)
COM(1, 9600)
DEBUG
DEVICE(LPC2129, 12.000000)
ERASEUSED(NewHex.hex, PROTECTISP)
HEXFILE(NewHex.hex, NOCHECKSUMS,NOFILL,PROTECTISP)
VERIFY(NewHex.hex, NOCHECKSUMS)


Here are the contents of FMOutput.txt:

Code Select Expand

Connected
Device selected
Erase complete (USED)
Hex file programming complete (NewHex.hex)
Verify passed (NewHex.hex)


The only change I made was to use an LPC2129. I am using a Keil MCB2100 v2 board, a Dell C640 Latitude laptop running Windows XP and a serial cable. I also used Flash Magic 3.69.242. The MCB2100 was configured to use the buttons to manually place the device into ISP mode.

I ran this three times without a problem, cycling the power to the board inbetween.

The only thing I can suggest is:

  - try putting the directives into a file like I did

  - try a different PC with the same cable, hardware and version of Flash Magic

Andy

[Shawn]

It works perfectly on 3 other PCs. 

OK, I can deal with that.  Just can't test with my laptop.

Can I tack no a second question?

It works fine at 19.2, but higher baud rates seem to fail more often than we would like.  Is this the nature of the beast, or is there steps to take to allow highspeed programming.  We are using an LPC2378.  The clock specified in the device command is 12 MHZ incase that matters.

THanks so much, you have been very helpfull and responsive.

Shawn

[Andy Ayre]

I'm sorry it doesn't work on your laptop for some reason. It was a bit strange that the port sniffer changed the behavior. There must be something specific to that PC that causes problems for serial comms. If you come across any clues please let me know.

The autobauding routine measures the bit time of the bits in the '?'. This introduces errors, so it is hard to say what works for a specific clock speed. I typically use 19.2k at 12MHz. However Flash Magic has a "high speed communications" mode, which negotiates with the device after autobauding to use a faster rate. This is achieved by programming the baud rate generator in the device, resulting in more accurate timing, and therefore higher speeds are possible.

To enable high speed comms turn it on in Options -> Advanced options. The baudrate used will be shown at the top of the Flash Magic window during ISP operations.

Andy

[Shawn]

I will let you know if I find something with the laptop.  The sniffer i installed is interesting in that you have to load a driver for it and it puts its software between the windows calls and the physical com port, so there is no cabling, its a soft sniffer.

For the highspeed command, what does the "clocks per cycle" mean?  The manual says it can be 6 or 12.  I am not sure what its asking for.

Shawn