DISTRESS CALL Redirecting COM port software

[jan h]

This message is adressed to Technical.

With reference to my earlier forum message, I am now in serious doubt about the VSP software. I switched off the Windows firewall on both ends so nothing could spoil the fun. However, after pressing the refresh button no redirected COM port show up After closing that wizard page, the editor was wrecked and closed down with a request to send an error report to Windows. So I think that this is a serious software problem and has nothing to do with a computer configurations.

So I think that ony PICAXE can solve this puzzle.

Please solve this riddle and make me a happy Picaxe lover

 

[tarzan]

COM to TCP/IP Wizard - vspdxp_install.exe error (again!)

I was unable to get this working also.
Previous post:
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=67557&postcount=1

 

[hippy]

I have had VSP working but it was quite a while ago. I'll link-up a couple of PC's and see how it goes.

 

[jan h]

Distress CALL Redirection COM port

Thanks for the information guys now I feel not so alone anymore. Hippy I am curious for you findings. Its strange that Technical felt silent or hopefully this silence is because they investigate this "minor" problem, eh complication.

 

[Technical]

We did not see your other post, but 'ping test' is nothing to do with the 'serial port' redirection - it is just a normal network ping to check the computers can reach each other, it is not the same as the COM port redirection.

Tarzans post was way before before we released the VSP tool and so it looks like he used an incorrect procedure to try and setup e.g. using Prog Edit at both ends which will not work.

We have just tested here and the software worked ok on our network, so please provide exact details as to where you are having issues. As a service is installed you do need registry and administrator rights, and the sec_service.exe does need to be able to use the network (ie make sure firewalls are not blocking it).

 

[hippy]

Staff here have jobs beyond monitoring the forum and can get tied up with other things and even be out of office so there can sometimes be delays in replying to postings, plus there's time taken while problems are investigated, information is checked and tested before being given in a reply.

One question which would help us - What level of Service Pack do you have on your PC's ( eg SP2, SP3 ) ?

Also, which direction are you trying to work; ProgEdit on XP Pro SP2 to redirected COM on XP Home SP3 for example ? Have you tried with the direction reversed ?

Finally, for now, can the PC's 'ping' themselves and each other at the MS-DOS command line and do you get a correct / expected response in all cases ?

While the network I have appears to be working I have identified some behaviour which appears to me to be a 'Windows issue' on some PC's which could be the underlying cause of the problems. We will continue to investigate.

 

[Technical]

1) Before you start you need to know:
On the slave computer (computer where the cable is installed)
a) The IP address (which we will call slave address)
b) The COM port number (slave COM port). This can be either a real COM port for a serial cable or a 'virtual' COM port (e.g. generated when using a USB cable). Note that when using a USB cable you must ensure that it is always left in the computer in the same USB port, if not the service will fail when the computer is next re-started as the COM port won't exist.

On the master computer (computer where the Programming editor software is installed)
a) The IP address (master address)
b) An empty COM port number that can be used to create the brand new COM port for redirection.

2) On the slave computer install and run the VSP wizard software.
Run the software:
Step1: Select the slave COM port number
Step2: Enter the masters IP number. Enter the brand new (currently unused) master COM port number.
Optional. Step3: Ping the master computer. This is just to check the two computers can actually find each other.
Step4: Hit the start COM port redirection service button.

3) On the master computer run the COM>TCP Wizard from within the Programming Editor (PICAXE>Wizards menu)
Step1: Select the (currntly unused) Master COM port number. This is the number of the new port that will be created.
Step2: Enter the slaves IP number. Enter the slaves COM port number that the cable is attached to.
Optional. Step3: Ping the slave computer. This is just to check the two computers can actually find each other.
Step4: Hit the start COM port redirection service button.

If the process is successfully completed, a new virtual COM port will appear on the master (View>Options>Port - hit 'Refresh' to refresh available ports).

Things to check if it doesn't work:
A service is installed on both computers (sec_service.exe). This is to ensure the redirection automatically starts when the computer boots. To install the service you must have full administrator login rights.
All programs involved (progedit.exe, vsp.exe, sec_service.exe) need to be able communicate via the network. Make sure any firewalls allow these programs to communicate over the network.
If you have a previously failed redirection, make sure you use the 'stop service' button on the wizards before attempting to re-setup the system.
The new master virtual COM port will only be useable on the Ports page if the redirection is fully functioning ie the remote slave computer is switched on and slave COM port is available. It is possible for the master to attempt to be redirecting but for the slave not to be found- in this case the COM port will show up as 'redirecting' within the master's COM > TCP Wizard but it will not be 'useable' as the remote computer cannot be accessed.

 

[jan h]

DISTRESS CALL Redirecting COM port software

Dear Technical, The first conversation was on the 18th and the last reply was this morning on 09:18. May be my text was corner cutting but remember please that english is not my mother language. So I hope no more cold air.

I read your instructions and realise that may be the VSP software is not installed in the dir of the editor. An other thing catch my eye is that you said that the vsp softwere had to be installed on both computers. In my situation this software is only installed on the slave computer. I already switched off the firewall for this tests.

The slave show that it redirect COM 1 to VCOM2 and the master says that redirection has be esthablished to COM1on IP 192 168 254 101:8888

So tonight I make a new attempt and hopefully succesfull. I keep you posted until succes.

 

[tarzan]

Run-time-error '-2147417848 (80010108)':

I tried to get this working again and had all the troubles that I had before and then some.
Have you seen this “Run-time-error” before?

 

[jan h]

to Tarzan

No only an abnormal shut down after using the Refresh button. I start now a new try along the guidelines from technical

 

[hippy]

The issue is still being investigated - Any feedback for the information requested in post #6 ?

 

[Technical]

It sounds like you both may be having trouble actually installing the service executable to start with, this can be because of Windows blocking the install. Basically the wizard installs the service exectutable (if not there) and then configures it. To help things along you can also manually install the service to start with.

Browse to the Program Files/Programming Editor/vsp folder (or just vsp folder on the slave computer) and then run the file called 'vspdxp_install.exe'. This must run fully before the redirector will ever work.

Then reboot the computer, then try to run the Wizard again.

 

[jan h]

cont redirection

After carefully following the guidelines. I made a new attemp. The conditions were as follows:

Note My computersystem consist of a router with active wireless and is connected to internet. Both computer uses a legal Windows XP Home version 5.1.2600, Service pack 2, Build 2600. Editor version v5.2.0 syntax DLL 262144

1- the mentioned routine are all placed within the editor directory
2- checked the IP and COM ports numbers used and possible un-used COM ports
3- configure the Firewalls to allow the progeditor and sec_service.exe to pass the firewall
4- start the Service on the salve by entering of the IP of the MASTER and select the un-used COM2 port and the actual attached real COM1 port. ( no USB system is used)
5- Service started and respond with redirection made succesful. A Ping command shows that the MASTER is connected.
6- start the editor
7- use COM >TCP/IP configure with relevant IP adres and COM port identifyers.
8- Ping shows a working connection with the slave
9- no virtual com port show up.
10- refresh doesn`t do the job
11- after closing the wizard screen and shut douwn the editor a fault mesagge appear ( a failure occur send an error report to Microsoft).

The same produre performed again but now with the firewall totally switched off. Of course firts the service on the slave and master were stopped. From there a complete setup was performed with no result.

I hope that this information is usefull for Technical to tear the problem down because I am running out of my text.

 

[Technical]

Thanks, this sounds like you are doing everything correct, but the virtual COM port does not become enabled. We will look into this. Have you tried rebooting the computer after the wizard and seeing if the service is still running correctly?

 

[jan h]

cont janh

Hm, I missed the instruction in Technical`s replay from today 11:34. So I run vspdxp_install ( I did not assume that after vsp.exe an "additional" installation was necessary, how could I know this?) on both computers because I do not know if this is necessary. After a reboot a normal start was performed. The standard IP adresses and COM port allocations were made and Believe me there was the wanted COM 2 on the MASTER visible.
I had a 08M running with a counter and a sertxd output, so under the F8 I could monitor the counter.
A Firmware request was made and sometimes there was a reply in most cases " no hardware found on COM 1" was returned. In two instances a program could be downloaded but in most cases the error " memory verification failed (Byte 255)"
Also the editor sometimes stop abruply after using the OK button on the OPTION screen as conformation to use COM 2 ( in my case)

It seems to have no effect on switching the fire wall on or of. In addition I make an exclusion in the firewall for the programeditor and sec_service. But I am not sure if this really matters.

So please give me a new advise to make redirection to a succes.

 

[Technical]

You now have communication, so that is good. However you say the virtual COM port is COM2, but the error message reports 'no hardware found on COM1'? This is confusing and wrong - you should be selecting COM2 on the master and so have no error message relating to COM 1.

Have you also actually tested that the board/power supply are correct - ie the download does always work when you are not using port redirection?

 

[tarzan]

I’ve tried too many different configurations to list them here and make sense of it all but nothing has allowed me to get this working.

Here are a couple of clues that may help you figure out why I’m having such trouble.
Port not available .jpg “The local serial port is not available!”
Sec_service.txt “Error establishing connection with service: 10048”

This service is very unstable it closes down the application on most attempts and generates error reports.

 

[Grant Fleming]

I’ve tried too many different configurations to list them here and make sense of it all but nothing has allowed me to get this working.

I am watching this thread with great interest. I have spent TOO MANY hours trying to get this service up and running! Coming up against similar obstacles to you both, (mostly 'program has encounted a problem and needs to shutdown').

@Technical
While I realise that it is an ambitious project (and I for one thank Rev.Ed for offering it free)... it will be great when it is further developed (straightened out).

I offer only constructive criticism here:

I wonder whether the redirection software download could be made to come with a step by step set up guide & help-file? While many of the issues people are having may well be Windows based, it would be well worth mentioning in a well written guide exactly what has to be installed on which PC, firewalls, operating systems/settings etc...also a trouble-shooting guide.

Get away from the 'local' & 'remote' terminology as I fear it may now have become confusing (it is for me anyway)! Using 'master' & 'slave' may be better now and I see you have been refering to the PC's this way in later posts.
In industry, the 'local' is where the actual machinery or system to be controlled/monitored is (in the field). Then the 'remote' can be some distance away eg; in a control room where the operator REMOTELY controls/monitors the system/process. In the programmes offered- the end the PICAXE and the download cable are connected to is refered to as the 'remote' and then when you are on it's PC terminal the 'other' end is called 'remote' also?

Hoping to get this all working as I feel some great projects coming on!

Grant

 

[moxhamj]

I have just spent 3 weeks getting a CP/M board online and in the process have learned a lot about serial ports and redirection. There are many steps that have to work and every single one has to be working. I'm having trouble working out which part isn't working, even which of the two computers is not working properly.

1) Would it be possible for anyone/everyone who is having trouble getting this working to go through every step in Technical's post #7 and post the information for each step.

2) I'm not sure if the redirection needs static IP addresses for each machine, but I've found all sorts of problems when individual machines on a LAN have dynamic IP addresses set by the router. You get it all working, turn off the router at night and the next day it reassigns different IP addresses! Going out of the LAN onto the internet, you may have no choice but to go with the dynamic IP address your ISP assigns (though dyndns can fix this), but at least within a LAN it helps to make things static. You may as well use the number a machine already has been assigned, so run cmd, then ipconfig, note the ip address, the subnet mask and the gateway (ie router)[keep the window open], then start, settings, control panel, network connections, right click on the LAN, go to TCP/IP and change it to "use the following address" and put in those three settings. Given you are using the ones the machine has been assigned anyway, a reboot should not result in any data clashes and you should be able to browse the internet and see other machines.

3) Make the other machine static as well.

4) Break this down into simple steps. Can you program a picaxe via the physical serial port on the slave machine? Is this 100% reliable? If there are problems with that, maybe consider a loopback cable with pin 2 and 3 joined on a D9 and test it with hyperterminal.

5) Can the master machine talk to the slave machine's serial port? Again, maybe you need a looback plug and use hyperterminal/telnet on the master machine to just send a single character at a slow baud rate (1200) and see if you get that character back.

I'm not sure if portforward is needed on the router - maybe this is one for technical, but I think it is only needed if you go out of the LAN into a WAN or the internet. Certainly all firewalls need to be off though.

This is not simple and what Rev Ed have working is pretty cool.

Addit - also could we pls have some more screenshots of the setup screen etc.

As a general comment, I personally found it easier to just go down to my local PC shop and get a $20 old PC (800Mhz works fine) and install xp and use that. Older machines have standard serial ports on them.

 

[jan h]

CONT from janh

Technical you are right with respect to the error code, it is " No hardware found on COM2". and not COM 1. Unfortunately there is still no connection with the chip. The actual situation is now:

1- the PING works to both directions MASTER> SLAVE and SLAVE>MASTER

2-There is a running " channel from the SLAVE to the MASTER which can be monitored via the Terminal screen (F8) ( a couter is running on a 08M outputting via SERTXD the countnumber)

3- The program mode from the MASTER to the SLAVE fails with error code " no hardware on COM2" ( COM 2 is used as redirected COM port on the master)

testconfiguration; 08M>SLAVE_COM1, SLAVE_COM1 >>>redirected to >>>>>COM 2 on MASTER

4- Progedit stops often with " runtime error out of memory"

5- To comfort everybody, YES, the 08M runs correct, the supply voltage is 5VDC, controlled by a 7805 and filtered with the recommended capacitors.

6- the routine vspdxp_install is installed on both the MASTER and the SLAVE.

7-The Windows firewall seems to be NO PLAYER because all setting ( ON, OFF, allowing Exclusions) did not change anything ( for the better). Some message back there are detalis given about my Windows version etc.

I hope the someone can clear this last minor complication so that the world at last can be dominated by PICAXE.

 

[Technical]

We are looking at this at present. We are currently updating the sec_service file to make it more compatible/stable with the later Windows versions and hope to have a new release early next week.

 

[hippy]

Success

I now have the remote link working between two PC's with no problems so far, no crashes in Programming Editor or when closing, no invites to send bug reports to Microsoft, downloading, terminal and debug all working fine over the link.

Local PC : Laptop with Windows XP Pro SP3. Programming Editor 5.2.4 installed. Fixed IP address 10.0.0.95

Remote PC : Desktop PC with Windows XP Pro SP2. Programming Editor 5.2.4 installed. VSP.EXE installed. PICAXE connected to COM2. Fixed IP address 10.0.0.10

Network : Wired LAN, 100MHz via switch.

It seems that manually running 'vspdxp_install.exe' solved the problem for me as suggested by Technical in Post #12. I cannot give a detailed 'how to install from scratch on a vanilla PC' as I did a number of different things before getting it to work but this is likely to be the same situation most users are in, so this is how I got it to work, YMMV ...

Start with both PC's off. Boot the PC which has the PICAXE connected to it. Programing Editor 5.2.4 installed, VSP.EXE installed. Run the 'vspdxp_install.exe'. This is a silent install so leave a while, watch the HDD LED activity. Then re-boot.

Run the 'Serial Port Redirector for PICAXE' through the Windows Start Menu -> Programming Editor menu option.

In Step 1, this computer is 10.0.0.10 ( correct ), select COM2 the port PICAXE is connected to.

In Step 2, select 10.0.0.95 ( the other PC ) and COM9, the port which we will later use from within Programming Editor on the other PC to download through.

In Step 3, doesn't work for me because 10.0.0.95 won't respond to a ping. That's an issue which has nothing to do with the redirector so was ignored. It's really just a sanity check.

In Step 4, click "Start Service". I recall some sort of complaint, clicked "Stop Service", then "Start Service" and it worked. If there are complaints about port in use etc, click "Stop Service", change the Step 1 / Step 2 Com ports, then change back to what you want, click "Start Service". Message appears saying "COM2" redirected and not available for other use.

That was it, finished on that PC. My software firewall ( Kerio ) detected and shows SEC_SERVICE.EXE with three ports open; TCP 8888 and 8889 and another it was creating and closing to make a connection out.

On to the other PC, 10.0.0.95, the one which will be running Programing Editor ...

Turned on, ran 'vspdxp_install.exe' on that and re-booted.

Launched Programming Editor, View -> Options -> Serial Port, clicked on COM > TCP.

In Step 1, selected COM9.

In Step 2, selected 10.0.0.10 ( the other PC ), COM 2 ( the port PICAXE is connected to there.

In Step 3, pinging 10.0.0.10 worked, four replies "in 0 milliseconds". Again this is really just a sanity check so actual results may not be too important.

In Step 4, clicked "Redirect this COM Port", list box showed the activity, speaker sounded a "bing bong" during progress ( that hadn't happened previously ) and that was that. If there are complaints about port in use etc, click "Stop Redirecting all ports", change the Step 1 / Step 2 Com ports, then change back to what you want, click "Redirect this COM Port".

When the wizard closed, COM9 became available as a port. Selected COM9, closed the Options window, used the Programming Editor as normal and it works fine with the PICAXE on the other side of the room.

Images - Left, the "remote PC", 10.0.0.10, the one with the PICAXE connected ( Redirector for PICAXE ). Right, 10.0.0.95, the one running Programming Editor ( COM > TCP wizard ).

 

[tarzan]

Success

This is the step that got things working for me. I haven’t fully tested in both directions yet but that’s next.

If there are complaints about port in use etc, click "Stop Service", change the Step 1 / Step 2 Com ports, then change back to what you want, click "Start Service".

Thank you Hippy and others.

 

[tarzan]

Now working on both computers in both directions.
I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Update: Probably not a good idea to have this set up on both computers for two-way communications as there seems to be some conflict with the service. But it would be nice if it was able to work like that.

 

[hippy]

We're pleased it's now working tarzan and hopefully others will also be able to get their links up and running.

If there are still problems, as Dr_Acula suggests, "break this down into simple steps", is good advice, and start with the simplest system possible - Physically disconnect from the ouside ethernet if connected, turn off firewalls, assign fixed IP addresses, connect the PC's with direct cross-over LAN cable etc; remove everything that can get in the way of a successful connection, get it working then add a bit at a time back in, checking it still works as you go, until the system is back as it was.

And of course make sure the remote PC can download into the PICAXE it has attached to it first.

One thing I would pesonally recommend is not trying to create virtual ports for COM1 through COM4, at least not to start with. Get it working with COM5 through COM9 then when it does, move to the com port you want to use. Ports 1 to 4 and above 9 can be handled slightly differently within Windows and applications so this minimises the chances of problems arising.

 

[tarzan]

I should have crossed my toes as well. After shutting down both computers and then restarting them the service did not work until I stopped and restarted it again. So I would say that it does need some fixing.

 

[tarzan]

And here is a new one:

 

[jan h]

cont janh

Victory at last. May be the ques of Hippy was wild or luky I didn`t try it out just use it. In first instance no show. Than the light came on and I realised that two editor are installed the version v5.2.0 and v5.2.4 and in Program files there was only one Program Editor dir. So I uninstall everything including VSP and install ony v5.2.4 and vsp.

For some reasen the fresh v5.2.4 know already the redirection data including the COM ports used. But I was just one stap away from victory and waste no time to this detail. Reading the count perfect. Programming and Firmware reading perfect.

So now I come to the end of this Forum item and thank everyone for his/her contribution. Realising that this was a conversation all over the world to find the answer is really nearly a wonder. Hm, I remember that my friend and I make a simple machine who was capable in adding and subtraction with 5 bits wide. I remembedlthat we were extremly proud on ourselfs without the help of te world, well a little for transistor etc. That was 45 years ago my,my.

At now my friend and I are really fans of Picaxe what a beautifull machines.

The suggestion to write a good guildline for esthablishing communication via TCP/IP is a good one. I know it takes time but to go as deep as I did ( avalable time etc) is may be not for everybody realistic. So a comprehensive help.txt in the VSP download seems OK and everything we learned now will not be lost.

Tarzan has some difficulties during a cold start, I tried it and (luky me) no probleem at all.

Speak you another time om the forum with new amazing inventions.

Check my Website for a old project High Speed IR circuit which is capable to program a Picaxe via a IR LINK ( means wireless)

www.members.quicknet.nl/sagittaris

 

[jan h]

cont janh

Sorry wrong adres

This is the correct one

http://members.quicknet.nl/sagittaris