RoboticsConnection User Forum / RoboticsConnection Hardware Support / Robot Sensor Support / MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9 / Latest Posts

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:51:59 GMT

Hi Tyler,

Well, normally you shouldn't need to update the firmware, unless we've launched new functionality that you'd like to leverage. However, we flashed the first batch of the new Serializers with firmware that still had debuggin info in it. And yes, it pisses me off when that happens...I hate to waste customers time on stuff like that.

Yes, you can manually command any of the sonar objects to query at the time you like, instead of automatically. You just set the 'Enabled' property to false, then when you want to read it, invoke Update on the sonar object, then read the Distance property as you always did before. :)

ez3.Enabled = false;

...

ez3.Update();

Console.WriteLine("ez3 distance: {0}", ez3.Distance);

You can read more about this under the QueryableComponentBase class (which all of the querable sensors derive from):

http://www.roboticsconnection.com/multimedia/libraries/MSDNDocumentation/_1rf1ahaqi.htm

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:22:30 GMT

That did it! Thanks for all your help Jason. You may consider adding a section to the manual for people like me that says: "If you do not immediately update the firmware, your Serializer will malfunction, and you will die." :)

Now that I feel rather dumb I am hesitant to ask, but I will ask anyways. Is there any way to get just one reading from the maxsonar rather than a continuous update for reasons of having more than 1 sensor without interference. I imagine this is easily done by enabling and disabling the sensor as needed but I though maybe there is a more clever method. Thanks, as always.

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:32:15 GMT

Tyler,

I just posted an updated firmware download, which fixed some bugs we had related to the sonar sensors. See this post for info. Anyway, grab the latest firmware, and update your Serializer using this upgrade guide. I'll bet your app will work then! :) Lemme' know!

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:29:09 GMT

Sorry, I guess the 400x400 is too small to read.

The RoboticConnection refrence is Runtime version 2.0.50727 and Version 3.0.0.0

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:22:20 GMT

I set the target platform to .net 2.0 (it was 3.5 before) and still no luck. I would like to blame a faulty sensor however it works fine using hyperterminal. See anything abnormal here? Thanks

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:07:43 GMT

Well, I do have the target platform set for .NET Framework 2.0 in the Serializer .NET Library solution...

What .NET framework versions do you have installed? I would have expected the installer to complain if you did not have the .NET 2.0 Framework installed.

I just rebuilt it with the 3.5 Framework as the target platform, and have attached a link to it. Give it a try and let me know! :)

http://www.roboticsconnection.com/multimedia/libraries/Installer_15x.msi

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:30:50 GMT

I'm baffled.. I tried your code exactly with no luck. Does the library have different runtime versions for 3.0? If so, what was the version that you are using. Thanks for all your help, I am pretty sure it will end up being something stupid.

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:39:37 GMT

Tyler,

I just wrote this VB.NET app, and the MaxSonar-EZ1 and EZ3 work fine with the Serializer .NET Lib. :) Although I did fry one Ez3 while testing this! :(

[quote]

Imports RoboticsConnection.Serializer

Imports RoboticsConnection.Serializer.Components

Imports RoboticsConnection.Serializer.Controllers

Imports RoboticsConnection.Serializer.Ids

Imports RoboticsConnection.Serializer.Sensors

Imports System

Imports System.Threading

Module Module1

Dim WithEvents _serializer As Serializer

Dim WithEvents _maxEz3 As MaxSonarEZ1

Sub Main()

_serializer = New Serializer

_serializer.BaudRate = 19200

_serializer.PortName = "COM4"

_maxEz3 = New MaxSonarEZ1(_serializer)

_maxEz3.DistanceChangedThreshold = 0.1

_maxEz3.TriggerPin = GpioPinId.Pin3

_maxEz3.OutputPin = GpioPinId.Pin4

_maxEz3.UpdateFrequency = 5

AddHandler _serializer.CommunicationStarted, AddressOf CommunicationStartedEventHandler

AddHandler _maxEz3.DistanceChanged, AddressOf DistanceChangedEventHandler

_serializer.StartCommunication()

While (True)

_serializer.PumpEvents()

Thread.Sleep(10)

End While

End Sub

' CommunicationsStarted Event Handler

Sub CommunicationStartedEventHandler(ByVal reader As Serializer)

Console.WriteLine("Serializer CommunicationsStarted")

End Sub

Sub DistanceChangedEventHandler(ByVal sender As SerializerComponent)

Console.WriteLine("Distance: {0}", _maxEz3.Distance)

End Sub

End Module

[/quote]

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:05:41 GMT

Hmm...I must have a bug in there somewhere...I'll look at it tonight, and post the fix. :)

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:30:28 GMT

Thanks for the quick reply!

I tried the code posted above with no luck. I also tried it in vb (relavent code is below). As with the C# code, battery, connected, and disconnected events are updating fine. I am using Visual Studio 2008 with the Serializer FW version 3. If needed I can also post the C# code however it is identical to what you have above. Thanks

Public WithEvents Serializer1 As Serializer

Public WithEvents maxEZ As MaxSonarEZ1

Serializer1 = New Serializer

maxEZ = New MaxSonarEZ1(Serializer1)

maxEZ.UpdateFrequency = 1000

maxEZ.DistanceChangedThreshold = 1

maxEZ.TriggerPin = GpioPinId.Pin3

maxEZ.OutputPin = GpioPinId.Pin4

Private Sub maxEZ_DistanceChanged(ByVal sender As RoboticsConnection.Serializer.Components.SerializerComponent) Handles maxEZ.DistanceChanged

Label2.Text = covert.tostring(maxEZ.Distance)

End Sub

Private Sub Timer1_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick

If connected Then

Serializer1.PumpEvents()

End If

End Sub

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:51:48 GMT

Hi Tyler,

Can you post your code snippets please? :)

Also, which Serializer are you using? v2.0 or v3.0?

Did you sign up for the event, and add a handler like the example below?

maxez = new MaxSonarEZ1(serializer);

maxez.TriggerPin = GpioPinId.Pin3;

maxez.OutputPin = GpioPinId.Pin4;

maxez.UpdateFrequency = 50; // 50 msec

maxez.DistanceChanged += new SerializerComponentEventHandler(maxez_DistanceChanged);

static void maxez_DistanceChanged(SerializerComponent sender)

{

Console.WriteLine("MaxEz distance: {0}", maxez.Distance);

}

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Tyler — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:23:33 GMT

Hey Guys,

I have read through all the related forums and cannot find any help on this issue. I am using the EZ3 (which uses the same pins and libraries as the EZ1) with the serializer on pins 3 (Trigger RX) and 4 (Output PW) of the digitalIO. When I run the code, it starts up (I can hear the slight clicking) however it never updates the value changed event. I tested it in hyperteminal using 'Maxez1 3 4' and it returns the distance fine. Any ideas? Thank you in advance.

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Joe — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 17:19:17 GMT

Jason,

1,2 being off when I2c is on is well documented. - But my 0 and 3 go off too. Off - I shouldn't say that. - Had the bot on the workbench next to the PC, fired it up (with I2c on and an EZ1 in on gpio 0,3) - FULL POWER LEFT MOTOR when it went on, LOL! Luckily it was reverse and the bot got pinned against one of the PC monitors. But, it left a nice skidmark on my desk. He he. Didnt expect that one!

Joe

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

jsummerour — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:41:27 GMT

Guys,

It's documented in the Serializer User Guide (see Page 9 - Serializer Pinout), and in a few posts on this forum that pins 1 and 2 do not work for GPIO if you are using the Serializer I2C functionality. This is because the SCL and SDA pins for I2C are tied to GPIO pins 1 and 2. :) I see that I need to add this gotcha to the operational instructions for GPIO and I2C as well in the Serializer User Guide.

Best Regards!

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Joe — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:06:00 GMT

Me too. Couldn't get 0 and 3 to work when i2c was being used - or any combination from 3 to 0 for that matter. It seems all of my pins(3 to 0) shut down when i2c is on.

I wanted more sensors so I got the RangeWizard. - I posted something over in that part of the forum with regard to programmatically cooking the raw output to volts, then to the signal required.

Joe

RE: MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

baxelrod — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:41:41 GMT

I am seeing the same behavior.

MaxEZ1 Sensors not returning value on pins 0,3 or 8,9

Xphile1999 — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:41:02 GMT

Hello

I'm having some issues with ranging from a MaxEZ1 sensor.

When hooked to pins 0,3 (trigger and output) it never returns a value (from hyper terminal i get a NACK)

same with 8,9.

4,5 work as well as 6,7.

When hooked to 0,3 or 8,9 the sensor is firing (i can hear it pulsing at the specified update frequency)

I am using the following:

serializer = new Serializer();

serializer.PortName = "COM3";

serializer.BaudRate = 19200;

maxEZ = new MaxSonarEZ1(serializer);

maxEZ.UpdateFrequency = 50;

maxEZ.DistanceChangedThreshold = 1;

maxEZ.TriggerPin = GpioPinId.Pin0;

maxEZ.OutputPin = GpioPinId.Pin3;

maxEZ.DistanceChanged += new SerializerComponentEventHandler(maxEZ_DistanceChanged);

serializer.Run();

the distance changed routine is never called.

any ideas?

Many thanks,

-Xphile1999