A step in the Right Direction....

So I'm back and working on the Java environment. I have been able to get the firmware to download to the RCX unit once again. I ended up googling "leJOS 3 serial port", which ended up leading me to a page that gave me information that the error I was getting was related to bad code in the 3 release. I followed the directions/suggestions that was suggested for getting the firmware to download. The summary of the fix was to copy files for the COM port from version 2 and replace the version 3 files. So right now I am sitting with an RCX brick that is ready to receive the Compiled Java code, which I would love to get to download. But I have received a large error message about not being able to find certain file(s), so hopefully I will be able to find a solution pretty quickly on the leJOS forum.

(I once again edited out the user name to protect the identity of the computer.)

On another note: To account for the time of when Uni was closed on Friday...what did I do you ask. Well honestly I didn't do anything but I made up for it on Saturday by working 3 hours on my paper. The good news is that it is pretty close to done, of course if I get the Java up and running I will have some revisions to make.

Time worked Since Last Post: 4 hours 15 minutes
Overall: 37 hours 40 minutes

More on Trouble Shooting...Back Tracking....

As I have been informed, dealing with hardware related issues can make life tough and difficult. Through out my independent study, I have dealt with the problem of getting programs to transmit from the computer to the RCX unit. And just when I thought that I had figured it out (problem being that it didn't want to transmit when I was remoted into the computer), I find that once again, I am trying to figure why it won't transmit.

Since the last post I have:

• Changed the battery in the IR transmitter (Doesn't seem to make a difference, although plugging it in fully does)
• Tried changing a setting on the Serial Port through Windows, since someone mentioned on a forum that they had been able to get it to work but that it ran slow...so I tried turning off a buffer setting to see if that made a difference. It didn't. I then turned it back on.
• So I then decided to see if I could load the Lego firmware back onto the RCX, it did it. Just fine and dandy!! I was able to load a NQC program on to the RCX brick and it worked just fine.

What I am thinking could be the problem is that the leJOS for the RCX is no longer being supported and Java has since moved onto a newer version. According to the leJOS website, it should work with Java 1.1 -1.5, I think that we might be on Java 1.6 or version 6 (that is if they haven't changed their confusing ways ;-) )So my next plan of action is to go dig up an older installer of Java that I have, in hopes that maybe installing an older Java will fix the problem and that any problems I do face, I will be able to solve quickly since I might have already seen them.

On a happier note: In doing this trouble shooting, I reinstalled the NQC program for my LucyLeia (she was still all together....Just wasn't connected to her brain ;-)). Then after reconnecting her up and running the program, I noticed she switch which side of her that she was putting the colors on. Taking a wild guess that this might have to do with the orientation of the Lego block with the wire was plugged onto the RCX, I turned it by 90 degrees so that the wire was now running off the side instead of the bottom, like I had first reconnected it. Ran the program again. And Exciting stuff....she switched back to the sides that she was dropping them before, when I first had connected her up.

Time since last post: 2 hours
Overall: 33 hours 25 minutes

Still Trouble Shooting....

To continue on from where I was yesterday....With the lovely error of not being able to find the classes....This is where I started today....I have since tried multiple things to try and solve that error, which it seems that I may have. I know receive an error of not finding the Tower. Specifically: "error while downloading: Tower error: write failure". But let us back track and see what I did to get here.

• Multiple deleting of files and recopying: I have deleted the folder that I had put the leGOS files into. Copied over straight the newer 3 version with no version 2 files in the folder. Still getting the error. Deleted files again copied over version 2 files and then copied over only one file from version 3, in hopes that that would take care of both the former problem (that was corrected with version 3) and the new one. And then reverted back to only having version 3 files in the folder.
• Our friend Google, linked me out to a forum, where someone mentioned that to fix their problem they had to change the RCXTTY =USB variable to all lower case. So I tried that with my RCXTTY=COM variable...after making it lower case and putting a 1 directly behind it (and a couple of good old reboots), I got a new error....

"error while downloading: Tower error: bad ir link"....Have yet to google this one or try changing out the battery but from what I have read the IR tower is only suppose to be turned on when transmitting data or when the green light is on. So I have not yet pursued that route.

Time for today: 2 hours
Overall: 31 hours 25 minutes

Moving Right Along......to JAVA

Just thought that I would update everyone out there watching the blog that I am now starting to work with Java for programming the RCX. I have set it up and downloaded the firmware to the RCX, now on to how to program in the RCX. I am following the information on this site. The leGOS from what I can tell provides the tools so that the RCX can understand the java bite code. I have begun by using the tutorial that is provided on the website.

Time since last post: 50 minutes
Overall: 27 hours 40 minutes

Trouble Shooting......With more that should be coming later today....

So I worked for about 30 minutes this morning on trying to figure out what is going on, why I can't get the program to transfer to the RCX. To show some other readers out there, who are not familiar with the set up....


The yellow brick is the RCX unit shown in another the post. The black unit standing up, is the IR transimitter, which is hooked up to the computer. The connection that it uses is a 9-pin serial connection (My guess what be that new models of the Lego Robots are now coming with USB connection....to answer a question of how it connects to the computer....according to the help that is linked in the next paragraph).

In the sense of trying to figure out why stuff won't transfer, I have tried googling the error message and got what I felt was very little help.... Try inserting new batteries into the RCX unit.....So Right now...This is what my "built" robot looks like.....


Two large pieces....because the battery section is on the bottom of the RCX, which makes sense for the buttons need to go on top....but it is a pain to change batteries then once the robot is built.

When that didn't work yesterday, I took books home with me to see if I could figure anything out. While since the message that I was getting was about the IR transmitter, I thought that maybe it some how drained its battery and needed a new one. So that is where I started this morning: Changing the 9 volt battery. I also checked the computer to make sure that the Device Manger was showing the port working (it was) and then told it to check for a new driver update (nothing was out there that was better....according to Windows)

The good news is that I got the IR transmitter to transfer the firmware to the RCX (it had "disappeared" since the batteries must have been out of the RCX unit for longer than a minute). Evidence:

The green light that is showing is blinks and lights up when the IR transmitter is transmitting data.

The numbers keep adding one while the firmware is transferring.

And that is all the farther I have gotten so far, as I had to run and go do something for a couple of hours....I am now back and am going to try to convince the software on the computer, the IR transmitter and the RCX unit to all work together and transfer the program!

Time Worked So far today: 1 hour
Time worked over all: 10 hours 30 minutes