Loading manual Arduino program from Windows 7 to DF rover through USB in Arduino IDE

Operating system: Windows 7 Home premium SP1 64 bits

Board: Arduino Duemilanove with ATmega328

Problem: Can not load sample DF RobotShop rover Arduino program to board through USB cable

Additional info: Robot can run default loaded program (move front and back), 6 LED’s turn on when connected to the PC with the USB, tried both pins 1/0 (light and temperature sensors) connected and disconnected.

I am trying to load the sample code Arduino code for the DF RobotShop rover. I downloaded the Arduino software from arduino.cc , as the PDF manual suggested. I connected the rover board to the PC with the USB cable. The device appears under “other devices” in the device manager.

In the “Update driver software” device manager right click option, I pointed to the “drivers” dirctory from the Arduino software. That did not worked. Then I downloaded a Windows Vista FTDI driver from usbserialdrivers.com/ . The device manager was able to install the software but it did not worked either.

For all the attempts (mentioned above) to load the Aldruino program to the board within the Arduino IDE, the following Java exception is thrown. It says that I should set the “Tools->Serial Port”, but this menu option is always greyed out (disabled); no matter how I tweek the GUI (including restarting various times with the device plugged in and not). A similar exception is thrown when trying to open the serial port monitor.

There does not seem to be a way in Windows 7 to associate a USB port to a COMx slot. I have never played with this mapping so probably I am missing something.

How I can make this task work (sending an Arduino program through its IDE in Windows 7)?

I would appretiate if somebody can tell me a working combination (Arduino IDE, driver version/link) or solution (e.g., COMx setting procedure).

Thanks

processing.app.SerialNotFoundException: Serial port ‘COM1’ not found. Did you select the right one from the Tools > Serial Port menu?
at processing.app.Serial.(Serial.java:153)
at processing.app.Serial.(Serial.java:91)
at processing.app.SerialMonitor.openSerialPort(SerialMonitor.java:204)
at processing.app.Editor.handleSerial(Editor.java:2390)
at processing.app.Editor$18.actionPerformed(Editor.java:668)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:1995)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(AbstractButton.java:2318)
at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(DefaultButtonModel.java:387)
at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(DefaultButtonModel.java:242)
at javax.swing.AbstractButton.doClick(AbstractButton.java:357)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicMenuItemUI.doClick(BasicMenuItemUI.java:1225)
at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicMenuItemUI$Handler.mouseReleased(BasicMenuItemUI.java:1266)
at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Component.java:6263)
at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(JComponent.java:3267)
at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Component.java:6028)
at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Container.java:2041)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Component.java:4630)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2099)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4460)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Container.java:4574)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Container.java:4238)
at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Container.java:4168)
at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Container.java:2085)
at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Component.java:4460)
at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:599)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)

Hi,

Thank you for your answer. It fixed the problem. The solution was downloading the Windows 64 bit driver from the “http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm” link within the link you mentioned below. After that Windows asked
me for setting up the device, I selected the automated/recommended option. Then the device appeared automatically
under the USB node in the device manager. After that the Arduino IDE had the COM7 option under Tools->Serial port.
I had the correct board option previously (Arduino Duemilanove). After that everything else went smoothly and the
robot moved through the hyperterminal.

Thanks for your quick response!
Ivan

Hi ivangarcia44,

Welcome to the RobotShop Forum. The issue seems to be with the FTDI chip. The DFRobotShop Rover PCB is based on the Arduino Duemilanove, NOT the Arduino Uno. As such, try the FTDI website to download the latest Windows 7 drivers. The FTDI chip should not require any configuration. Downloading and installing the drivers should allow the computer to recognize the FTDI chip as a USB to serial converter module. You should then be able to open the Arduino software and select the COM port from the drop-down menu. Note that you must also select “Arduino Duemilanove” as opposed to “Arduino Uno” in the Boards drop down menu.

This having been said, Windows 7 should have automatically picked up the FTDI drivers and allowed you to use the board without having to download any additional drivers.

Tell us how it goes,