Hi there. Just spent the afternoon setting up the PolarGraph on OSX 10.8.3, with the FTDI drivers.

The controller app says Polargraph Ready (Uno), and it runs through the command queue as it should. The board flashes each time a command is received, but there is no reaction from the motors. The power supply is set at 6volts, and the motors wired as per the instructions.

How can we troubleshoot this further? We've reached an impasse!

thanks

Oh and does the uno and motorshield work with the standard adafruit example sketches?

Ah, well there is the issue I guess, it's old firmware, and the wrong firmware. Sorry I'd assumed it was an uno you were using because you'd loaded the uno firmware. So, what kind of board are you using, what version of firmware are you using, what's the name of the firmware, where did you get it from, did you compile it from source or upload a hex file, what kind of motorshield are you using, and what guide have you followed to get it installed?

Right, yes, polargraph_server_a1 is the firmware for an uno. If you are using a mega, with an adafruit motorshield, then you should be using polargraph_server_mega. If you are using a mega with a polarshield, then you should be using polargraph_server_polarshield. All of the most recent versions of these can be found in the most recent zip in the downloads bit of the google code project.

The machine no longer gives an ACK, where did you get the firmware for it from? I'm trying to track down and fix old links 🙂

If you are using an Adafruit motorshield, then you can try the example arduino sketches that Adafruit have written to test it - http://www.adafruit.com/products/81. That will confirm whether it works at all. It certainly looks like comms are working ok, so that's one thing you don't have to worry about though.

sn

Aha, things have moved on a bit since then. Seeeduino is an equivalent of Arduino Duemilanove, but the current version of polargraph_server_a1 does not fit on a Duemilanove. Just slightly too big.

So, there's an older version that still fits on though, version 1.2.5.

You can either compile from source in which case you need the arduino libraries (AFMotor, Accelstepper) installed in the right places, or you can upload a precompiled hex file using something like XLoader which is much easier for some.

sn

see answer above

Have managed to get v1.2.5 compiled and on the board, though I had to comment out a few lines to make it fit (just serial console messages). Now, however, I am not even managing to successfully connect when I open up the controller app. I will try XLoader from a PC when I get the chance, going to have to put this down for now! thanks for all your help.

Hi Sandy,
I'm using Uno with adafruit motor shield V2. My polygraph controller says "polargraph ready(uno)", but when i click "set home", the machine is not responding. the polargraph controller displayed "busy C09,2692,2241, Endc3573204119 "
What's wrong? I have been spend days to this point. I really want this to work out. Thanks a lot!