Members Introductions aka The Icebreaker discussion.
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Hello @butch I agree with you that UIFlow is not fully featured. it is built on micropython so you can expand function by using code.
If you look in the projects forum for the uiflow handbook roadmap you will find the manuscripts for my books i'm working on. Im behind schedule on picking apart uiflow but i'm slowing finding issues that need solutions.
if you have suggestion please lets us know.
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I can see how to reply to a post but not how to create a new post.
I got my wife to give me the M5Stack Core for my birthday. I am interested in using it for industrial projects. I have worked with the Arduino UNO a bit, but wanted to up my game to a 32-bit microcontroller. I also have a very, very strong interest in learning Python and MicroPython.
So far, I have built a simple MicroPython program that responds to events from Button A and Button B. Button A causes a Grove-connected relay to turn on. Button B causes that relay to turn off. I am using UIFlow to edit the MicroPython because I cannot seem to get VSCode to work with the M5Stack and MicroPython. Using VSCode, the M5Stack keeps resetting while connected. It is very hit-or-miss even downloading a program. It is also very hit-or-miss viewing the directory tree of the M5Stack.
On the UIFlow side, I can edit a program and save it to the computer hard drive, but when I open that program the contents are nothing approaching what I saved. I have figured out that I can copy the MicroPython code to another file and then paste it back into UIFlow after I have opened the file. The MicroPython program does download to the M5Stack fine and I can then reset the device and run my program.
Not pleased with what I see so far, and not seeming to be able to progress with VSCode and MicroPython, I turned to Visual Studio (not Visual Studio Code) and installed the Visual Micro plugin and built a C++ program to toggle the relay. Everything works as expected.
Apparently I need some help. I don't know if it is possible to use VSCode to program an M5Stack using MicroPython. I have seen videos on youtube that appear to demonstrate that it is possible.
If there is someone who could guide me through the process of getting started with an M5Stack and MicroPython using VSCode, I would be grateful and would post material that might help another poor soul, who is also struggling, to get these pieces working together.
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@hamster I can't help with vscode but I can with aspects of UIFlow as I'm writing english documents.
Have you tried Maixpy IDE? -
@ajb2k3, I have never heard of MaixPy IDE. I'm open to any ideas. I am downloading MaixPy IDE right now. Thanks.
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@ajb2k3, I downloaded and installed MaixPy IDE. The M5Stack Core was not listed. I selected M5Stick. MaixPy has been sitting here for more than an hour trying unsuccessfully to connect to the device on COM5 (which is the correct port number).
Any suggestions on how to get MaixPy IDE working with M5Stack Core?
Any suggestions for other IDEs to try?
Thanks
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Let me guess, you are on windows.
Step 1 delete driver.
Step 2 switch off computer for a few minutes,
Step 3 start computer but DO NOT plug in the M5Stack ,
Step 4 install SIlabs driver,
Step 5 restart computer,
Step 6 Plug in M5Stack and check that you can connect.The com port driver is very unstable and the face that 2 IDE's are struggling point to the driver not installing correctly
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Yes, I am on Windows 10 Pro. I never thought about cranking up a Linux VM and developing for the M5Stack on that.
I have the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge, version 10.1.8.2466, dated 6/20/2019 installed. Is this the one to uninstall? If I uninstall this one, what driver should I install?
So I uninstalled, turned off the computer, got some coffee, restarted the computer, installed the same driver, and plugged in the M5Stack.
Neither MaixPy or VSCode likes it any better.
Any chance I would be better off running either of these IDEs from Linux?
Thanks for all your help!
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@hamster Have you tried a new usb lead?
Linux vm, I don't know about that as I dont have a machine to test. -
I have 3 M5Stack Core microcontrollers (my wife is generous). Each comes with its own USB cable. I have tried to of the 3. They both behave the same.
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@hamster said in Members Introductions aka The Icebreaker discussion.:
I have 3 M5Stack Core microcontrollers (my wife is generous). Each comes with its own USB cable. I have tried to of the 3. They both behave the same.
That's two of the 3.
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@hamster
I disconnected my StickC and StickV
i opened device manager.
Removed the driver.
Rebooted.
installed new driver.
https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers
Rebooted.
plugged in.
verified both working. -
@hamster said in Members Introductions aka The Icebreaker discussion.:
Yes, I am on Windows 10 Pro. I never thought about cranking up a Linux VM and developing for the M5Stack on that.
I have the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge, version 10.1.8.2466, dated 6/20/2019 installed. Is this the one to uninstall? If I uninstall this one, what driver should I install?
So I uninstalled, turned off the computer, got some coffee, restarted the computer, installed the same driver, and plugged in the M5Stack.
Neither MaixPy or VSCode likes it any better.
Any chance I would be better off running either of these IDEs from Linux?
Thanks for all your help!
You need to restart the computer again after installing the driver and before plugging it in.
this second restart is required for the driver to finish installing and to make it available from boot.I dont know why but the multiple restarts during install are required for both windows and osx.
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Again, thanks for your help.
Today I uninstalled driver, then rebooted computer, then installed driver (v10.8.1), then rebooted computer, then started VSCode, then plugged in M5ST A CK, not M5ST I CK, into computer. Up to this point, while the M5Stack is plugged into the computer the M5Stack has not rebooted.
I then connected the M5Stack using COM5, which is the COM port for the M5Stack. The M5Stack did not reboot.
Then, in the Explorer pane under M5STACK DEVICE, I touched COM5. This is supposed to expand and show the files and folders currently on the M5Stack device. At this point, the M5Stack reboots. It shows the QR code for roughly 10 seconds and then reboots. This behavior repeats, even after closing VSCode until I unplug the M5Stack from the computer.
When I plug the M5Stack back into the computer, it reboots once and continues to show the QR code without rebooting.
I then start MaixPy IDE. When I try to connect to the M5ST I CK (which is really an M5ST A CK) a dialog is displayed that has text, "Connecting ... Please wait ...". That dialog has a sweeping green bar that continues to sweep until the cows come home.
I then start UIFlow and connect to the M5Stack. The M5Stack does not automatically reboot. I then open an existing project. I then run the file. It runs. There is no cycle of rebooting.
I then attempt to "Download" the file to the M5Stack. The M5Stack displays "Uploading ...". The computer displays an Uploading message, "Uploading, please wait a minute ..." , then displays, "Upload code failed. Maybe your device is offline check it and retry". I have not usually had that happen previously. In the past, I have been able to download (or upload?) to the M5Stack.
I rebooted the computer and tried again. Same result.
I opened a different project and tried to download (or upload?) it. This was successful.
I then opened the original program and copied the contents into the buffer. Then I opened the second project that downloaded successfully and replaced its contents with the contents of the buffer. I downloaded the program and it ran correctly.
So, in general, I can make things happen with UIFlow that I cannot seem to get working using either MaixPy or VSCode.
Does anyone have suggestions for what to try next?
Again, thanks for your help.
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Apparently I am dislexic (sp). The driver version is 10.1.8.2466.
Is my problem Windows 10? Should I try this on a 32-bit Windows 7 machine?
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@Hamster to set the record straight Maixpy is not developed by M5Stack and is only intended to be used with Stick V. It is possible to open a serial terminal in Maixpy and code M5Stack devices from the REPL, but there are much better ways for doing that.
I just wanted to double check, when you used vscode did you set your M5Stack into USB Mode?
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Yes, I set the M5Stack in USB mode.
I installed the toolchain for programming the M5Stack using VSCode in Windows 7 32-bit. The doohicky at the bottom of the VSCode window for adding an M5Stack did not even show up.
I have been able to REPL to the device using PuTTY without issue.
At this point, I think I need to move on. I am using a Visual Micro plugin for Visual Studio to develop using C++. Have I mentioned that I really wanted to use MicroPython instead? I'm much more versed in C++, but I wanted an excuse to learn Python. Oh, well.
I know that the ESP32 has not been out that long and it is amazing what can be done with it. I'll check on MicroPython for the M5Stack in a few months.
Thanks again for all your help!
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Hi 2 All,
I'm Red_Ant from Germany.
I thought, it's time to start experimenting with these Arduino/ESP/whatever stuff, and I'm honest, I'm a real newbie. For that reason I decided to buy the M5Stack IoT StarterKit (white device).
First hurdle was the setup of the editors ... I'm running Linux Mint.
No chance to get it running ... so I switched to WIN10 ... no chance. Finally I figured out, that the short USB cable of the starter kit doesn'twork. With my Samsung phone line, everything worked fine.
Great .... but
Next I started with the sample app, already installed on the M5 ... ok, sensor on port A worked fine.
But on port B, I wasn't able to get any of the other sensors running ... no feedback signal.
I also found the explanation: no 5V on port B or C. Connecting the sensors to the 5V of port A (only 5V and GND) and all sensors worked fine.
After all this, I thought to be ready for my first program ... so I give it a trial.
What to say ... of course no success ... something with "uiflow lib missing".
I also figured out, what's the problem: very old firmware.
And after updating the firmware everything was fine ... except the missing 5V on port B & C.
Any ideas ? Is there a switch to turn it on ? Setting/parameter/ ....Currently I've got the feeling, that I have to return the device.
(Buy the way: in parallel I started with an Arduino ... without any trouble)
Red
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Be very careful with the units. They have colour coded connectors and only work with matching ports.
How do you know that there is no 5v on the other ports?
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Hi ajb2k3,
I measured it with a multimeter ... no I didn't put the probes into the connector ... first I applied the original grove cable to the M5 and then extended it by breadboard cables, where it was easy and safe to connect the multimeter.
And so I did for all three ports ... only on port A 5V could be seen -
@red_ant Is the base fitted securely and squarely to the face plate?
