I run the picaxe programming editor on windows XP in a virtual machine (parallels desktop) on my OS X laptop. The serial connection to the picaxe 28x1 works fine when I'm just communicating using hyperterm or when the picaxe sends debug info.
When I want to upload a program to the chip, it usually takes 4 or 5 tries to get it right. The larger the program, the more it fails to load.
So i decided to use the command line compiler for mac OS X. Now the uploads are very stable only a new problem appeared.
Some files wont upload. They compile just fine, but I get an error saying "hardware not found on /dev/tty.usb...." When I pick a different file -> no problem. When I empty the file or just enter a 3 line dummy program -> no problem.
It seems as if some statement in the file produces an error somewhere but the syntax checks out OK.
Does anybody have a clue as to where I should look?
P.S. I just registered at the picaxe forum, but i'm not allowed to post.
UPDATE
I found a piece of code that, when removed, allows the upload to proceed. It is a SELECT ..CASE.. ENDSELECT statement
Funny thing is: This code comes from another program that uploads just fine
The serial protocol needs to send larger series of information for a bigger prog. The interactive (terminal) traffic consists of one byte per action. Maybe a line of characters at the time, when the pic talks to your terminal.
Perhaps, this is speculation, the virtualization causes trouble when the uploader tries to send data in bucket loads, rather than byte by byte.
Thats sort of what I figured, although I think i’ve seen it become unstable when I booted directly into windows. Maybe the unstable uploads are two problems: 1) from the virtualization and 2) from a half emtpy battery.
The problem with the command line uploads where one program loads and the other gives a hardware error are stranger.
PS: I have tried to post in PS: I have tried to post in the picaxe forum since about a year and a half ago, like you not allowed to post, no response from them… one reason for me to think "maby I should start a better site…"
I have a piece of code that works. but when I save it using another name -> HWNF. Delete all content from the new file -> Works. Put code back -> fail.
I tried deleting the code bit by bit to figure out what is causing the error, but it just doesn’t make sense.
Have you tried the java version of the software? Or are you using the command line compiler? I downloaded the new java stuff, but I haven’t tried it yet. I was kinda hoping that version would be better.