Axepad on Ubuntu 12.04

H

Hundred1906

Member
I can program my Picaxe's from an old laptop loaded up with Windows XP but I cannot do the same from my Ubuntu Linux workstation. I prefer using Ubuntu because that workstation is also used for Arduino stuff and I want to use both types of controller together.

What I get is a hardware not found message from Axepad. I think that the USB-Serial converter is seen by the Ubuntu Kernel because I can see it in lsusb output. However it is not seen by Axepad.

I had something similar with the Arduino and in that case the solution was to change a setting in Users/Groups to enable access from my user account. Is there a similar need for Picaxe?

The listings below are taken from my system:

Code: 
dmesg
[  847.336081] usb 6-1: USB disconnect, device number 2
[  854.320036] usb 6-1: new full-speed USB device number 3 using uhci_hcd


lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05e3:0606 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB 2.0 Hub / D-Link DUB-H4 USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 006 Device 003: ID 0403:bd90 Future Technology Devices International, Ltd 
Bus 008 Device 002: ID 05c7:0113 Qtronix Corp. PC Line Mouse
Bus 008 Device 003: ID 04ca:0050 Lite-On Technology Corp. 


# /etc/udev/rules.d/99-axe027.rules
# contains axe027 udev rule to patch default
# FTDI product id to AXE027 product id (0xbd90)
SYSFS{idProduct}=="bd90",  SYSFS{idVendor}=="0403", RUN+="/sbin/modprobe -q ftdi_sio product=0xbd90 vendor=0x0403"
The DMESG output shows the result of my disconnecting, moving and reconnecting the USB cable.
The lsusb output shows Bus device 003: ID 0403:bd90 connected
The /etc/udev/rules.d/99-axe027.rules files shows the configuration file for that device.

Where am I going wrong with this?
 
O

obroni

Member
Can you see if you have a /dev/ttyUSB0 file?

There shouldn't be any reason for it to stop working after moving to 12.04

Is that udev rule custom or is it a default ubuntu one?
 
hippy

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Hundred1906 said:
What I get is a hardware not found message from Axepad. I think that the USB-Serial converter is seen by the Ubuntu Kernel because I can see it in lsusb output. However it is not seen by Axepad.
Click to expand...
If you could clarify how you mean by 'not seen by AXEpad' that may help identify the problem.

Which serial device have you selected when you get a hardware not found error ? If the device were not present one would normally expect a 'cannot open serial port' error message.
 
C

cactusface

Senior Member
When all else fails try the manual..

Hi,
I used Axepad on Mint Linux a couple of years ago, and I'm sure you have to modify a bit of code somewhere?? But I know i found it in the HELP files. Hang on lets take a look.....:D

Yes it's in the AXE027 USB cable install manual page 10+, it worked for me.:rolleyes:

Regards
Mel.
 
J

Janne

Senior Member
Hi,

They changed the way udev syntax works in 12.04.. I had a head scratcher too before getting my usb developement tools working on the new xubuntu. Can't remember exactly what needed changing, but google is your friend here. Also don't remember if the problem was also with axe027 or with AVR programming tools only.

(OT)Still, setting it(axe027) up on linux was much easier than on win 7. On windows I bet many will really struggle with it, having to go to control panel changing com ports etc.. Wonder how many simply give up?
 
hippy

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Janne said:
(OT)Still, setting it(axe027) up on linux was much easier than on win 7. On windows I bet many will really struggle with it, having to go to control panel changing com ports etc.. Wonder how many simply give up?
Click to expand...
I suspect very few, if any, have simply given up having invested their money in the AXE027 and a PICAXE system and Technical Support is always there to help those who do run into difficulties.

Only a minority seem to actually run into problems and most of those are usually in not following the instructions in the installation guide exactly. For most there should be no need to go into Control Panel to change COM port numbers and that process is reasonably straight forward and is again documented.

There can always be unanticipated problems and system configurations that aren't standard and behave differently than expected plus users are often not experienced or familiar with using Device Manager so we are here to help when that does arise.
 
H

Hundred1906

Member
OK, thanks for the replies. I was not aware of an Axepad forum because I was searching on Picaxe and not Axepad, obviously it was right under my nose as usual. Not sure now whether I should be moving this across to the other forum but there does not seem to be much activity over there wrt Linux.

I went first to the USB Cable install instructions and that is where I picked up the udev code I showed in my original post. By not being seen on Axepad I mean that it does not show under the options page, more specifically whichever port I choose the Firmware Check reports "Can't Open Port".

The advice from Janne was spot-on. I found a relevant notification and made a change to the udev file. It now works and looks like this:

Code: 
# /etc/udev/rules.d/99-axe027.rules
# contains axe027 udev rule to patch default
# FTDI product id to AXE027 product id (0xbd90)
ATTR{idProduct}=="bd90",  ATTR{idVendor}=="0403", RUN+="/sbin/modprobe -q ftdi_sio product=0xbd90 vendor=0x0403"
So if anyone else gets stuck with this in the immediate future this might just be their way out. Unless udev rules change again. Thanks everyone.
 
J

Janne

Senior Member
Hundred1906 said:
Unless udev rules change again. Thanks everyone.
Click to expand...
Yes that is somewhat annoying, with new patches sometimes breaking old stuff. But luckily with 12.04 being a long term supported version, one should not need to worry about that in any near future =)
 
hippy

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Hundred1906 said:
The advice from Janne was spot-on. I found a relevant notification and made a change to the udev file. It now works and looks like this:
Click to expand...
Many thanks to Janne for the solution, and thanks to yourself for providing the udev file.
 
M

mkirkhart

New Member
Wow!

I just got this working on my Acer Aspire One running Xubuntu 12.04, and thought I should put this info on the forums just in case someone else ran into the problem, and lo and behold, someone else did run into the problem and figured out the solution. Hopefully, the PICAXE folks will go ahead and update the AXE027 documentation.
 
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