Programming the Robostix in ISP mode

[vidam]

I bought Sparkfun FT232R breakout kit in order to program my Robostix. But now looking at the webpage for robostix it seems I need to buy a commercial programming dongle -usb in order to program it. I also want to read from the micro-controller values and store them on my laptop API. Do I use the UART pins for that?

Curious?

Thanks

http://docswiki.gumstix.com/Robostix_ISP#Build_your_own_Programming_Dongle

[vidam]

I just searched the forum and found a link to this discussion on AVR USB ISP Programmer kit:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=2294.0
I think this is the product I will need to get to program my robostix:
http://www.elfa.se/elfa-bin/setpage.pl?http://www.elfa.se/elfa-bin/dyndok.pl?lang=en&dok=5865.htm?_73_680_04
And I will follow John's UART tutorial to read values from the micro-controller to my laptop c/c++ api. or is there an easier way through the dongle?

-Melanie

[Admin]

Check the documentation to see if it has something called a 'bootloader' preinstalled.
If it doesn't, then you need a programmer to program the robostix. If it does, then you can program it using UART.

I found this on a quick search, but not sure if its preinstalled . . .
http://docwiki.gumstix.org/Robostix_i2c_bootloader

[JesseWelling]

I think there should be a way of doing In circuit re-programing with just a serial line.
I own a robostix but I always use my gumstix to reprogram it. But it uses a regular serial connection and a special program (UISP) to reprogram while holding the robostix in reset. Jon Hyland's brother Dave is whom you need to talk to. Most of the robostix code is his stuff. You might beable to catch him on the gumstix mailing list...

But maybe the way of least hassle is to use this http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=ATAVRISP2-ND
And a rig like this http://docswiki.gumstix.com/Robostix_AVRISP_cable
Connected to the 'ISP' headers (bottom edge near the center): http://docswiki.gumstix.com/images/e/e4/Robostix-Top.jpg
And then use AVRStudio to develop with: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=2724

The i2c boot loader is not installed and it wouldn't help you much unless you have some way to send your programs over i2c (which works very well for the gumstix)

As for the actual program interface you will need to write the software on both sides for a serial connection. I would go with some a PC client / Robostix Server kind of arrangement. So you would have the PC send a request for data and the Robostix reply. Another option if you have a relatively small set of things you need to know form the Robostix is to just have it spam the info out as fast as it can and then just receive commands from the PC.

Does any of that help?

[vidam]

I think there should be a way of doing In circuit re-programing with just a serial line.
I own a robostix but I always use my gumstix to reprogram it. But it uses a regular serial connection and a special program (UISP) to reprogram while holding the robostix in reset. Jon Hyland's brother Dave is whom you need to talk to. Most of the robostix code is his stuff. You might beable to catch him on the gumstix mailing list...

But maybe the way of least hassle is to use this http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=ATAVRISP2-ND
And a rig like this http://docswiki.gumstix.com/Robostix_AVRISP_cable
Connected to the 'ISP' headers (bottom edge near the center): http://docswiki.gumstix.com/images/e/e4/Robostix-Top.jpg
And then use AVRStudio to develop with: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=2724

The i2c boot loader is not installed and it wouldn't help you much unless you have some way to send your programs over i2c (which works very well for the gumstix)

As for the actual program interface you will need to write the software on both sides for a serial connection. I would go with some a PC client / Robostix Server kind of arrangement. So you would have the PC send a request for data and the Robostix reply. Another option if you have a relatively small set of things you need to know form the Robostix is to just have it spam the info out as fast as it can and then just receive commands from the PC.

Does any of that help?

Yes this is very helpful Admin and Jesse. Thank you.

Question for you Jesse...On the PC side, do you think I could use RoboRealm C++ API to make the request for data from the Robostix reply? This would be my ideal arrangement because it is lease costly for me and I would not have to purchase the whole gumstix pack.

[JesseWelling]

I'm not really familiar with RoboRealm... but sure... why not 

[Admin]

Thats not really a question just for Jesse . . .

Both roborealm and your atmega can communicate over serial, so yes.

[vidam]

Thats not really a question just for Jesse . . .

Both roborealm and your atmega can communicate over serial, so yes.

Thanks both of you. I'm beginning to get the warm fuzzy feeling that this is the solution for me.

[JesseWelling]

Yea... I was all like API?! WTF OMG LOL!