Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

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asitech
Posts: 3
Joined: 23 Dec 2019, 23:28

Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

Post by asitech »

Hi everyone

I am new here and hope to find help with my problem. :)

I recently ordered a Gigatron which I built and which works without problems (i love this thing). Now I would like to use it with an Arduino to be able to inject code into it or also be able to use it with a keyboard.
...
My hardware :

Arduino Uno MEGA2560
Gigatron
And my actual serial connection is this one :
Image
Gigatron
...
My software :

Arduino IDE 1.8.10
Gigatron ROM V.4
...
I tried to download the GitHub sketch here : https://gigatron.io/?p=868
But the link is dead.
...
So i managed (i hope) to find the right files here : https://github.com/kervinck/gigatron-ro ... /BabelFish

I downloaded theses files and put all of them in a folder:
BabelFish.ino
Blinky.h
Lines.h
Terminal.h
TinyBASIC_v3.h
WozMon.h
bricks.h
life3.h
starfield.h
tetronis.h
tinyfont.h

Then i opened "BabelFish.ino" on Arduino IDE then when i try to compile it i get this error :
Image

I would like to say that i am new to Arduino world as well as Gigatron world so my understanding of theses things is limited.

Does someone has an idea about my issue? or maybe i am doing it in the wrong way?

Thank for your help
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marcelk
Posts: 488
Joined: 13 May 2018, 08:26

Re: Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

Post by marcelk »

I just leave the files in the same directory, and build in there. In this case it seems PS2.ino was forgotten?

Edit: Once it compiles and loads, check if you can talk with the Arduino using the Serial Monitor. Set it to 115200 baud and see if BabelFish is giving you a prompt. Use 'h' + enter to get a command list.

Screenshot 2019-12-24 at 10.47.15.png
Screenshot 2019-12-24 at 10.47.15.png (19.18 KiB) Viewed 4245 times

After that, close the Serial Monitor and try the sendFile.py program to transfer a GT1 file. GT1 files are Gigatron binaries. I'm not a Windows user, but I know it works in the CMD window.

Code: Select all

python3 Utils/sendFile.py -p <<COMport>> Apps/Overworld/Overworld.gt1

Yesterday we made some changes for it to auto-detect the correct COM port for Arduino. But that isn't fully tested yet. If that works the '-p' option isn't needed any more. (The MEGA2560 has the same USB controller as the Uno, so auto-detect should work.) If it gives problems, please post a screenshot here.
User avatar
Marco
Posts: 24
Joined: 08 Dec 2019, 15:33

Re: Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

Post by Marco »

Yes, as Marcel already said. Arduino IDE is peculiar like that. All necessary files for the sketch need to be in a single folder, but nothing else. To be on the safe side simply put the content of https://github.com/kervinck/gigatron-ro ... /BabelFish in an empty folder and you're good.

Once you get it up and running, you can check with the Arduino IDE built-in serial monitor if you can "talk to" BabelFish on the Arduino, but use a proper serial tty client like PuTTY from there on. Maybe it's just me but some commands didn't work with the serial monitor. Then it's just a matter of getting to know how to use the BabelFish commands, be prepared to switch to the terminal ("T") and back ("ctrl-D") often ;)

sendFile.py is another way to communicate with the Arduino / Gigatron, from the command line, and is very handy too!

Good luck!
asitech
Posts: 3
Joined: 23 Dec 2019, 23:28

Re: Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

Post by asitech »

Thank Marcel and Marco

Marcel

Indeed my problem was due to the fact that the PS2.ino file was not present. Thanks everything is working fine now :)

When connecting with the Arduino serial console i get a garbage prompt but when I use putty with speed 115200 it works fine.

I installed Python3 but when I run the command to inject MicroChess, I get this python error (tested with -p and none):

Image

Can you help? in meantime will try to figure out on my side

Anyway thank again both for your fast help and tips!
asitech
Posts: 3
Joined: 23 Dec 2019, 23:28

Re: Sending code to Gigatron with Arduino

Post by asitech »

Hi

Hi i just found it. I had to install pyserial using this command : pip install pyserial

Also see that i have to change Arduino serial console baud rate to 115200 to make it work... :oops:

Thank you :)))
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