Problem after I updated the PCLC/Phidget library [solved]

Hi Guy, Mainlinehobbies, everybody that can help there...

Just if you dont remember me... I have the PCLC connected to a phidget

http://www.mainlinehobbies.com/index.php?p=product&id=1682&parent=101

It worked perfectly until today .

I decided to move up to a new version 4.56. A lot of time since my last update, I don't know which version was before (a clue, my old version didn't have the "generate heat" feature)

I installed it, and everything seems right, but...
when I push the big red button, I have the "Pause" assigned to it, the race is Paused but the power is still on, worse... some times it works fine.
If I use the pause button from the PCLC software, it works perfect, power is cut, and everything is paused.

I would say that the big red button works well, because the clock stop, and the Zoom screen shows the word PAUSE.
I would say that software is right too, because if I pause from PCLC it works perfect.

Please, help me, may be I have to reconfigure something, or may be you know what else can I do to test it and send you more data.

Thanks a lot.
Eduardo.

This is really strange because clicking on the PCLC pause button and pushing on the big RED button trigger the same event in PCLC, i made a test with my Phidget 0/0/4 and 0/16/16 and i don't have any problem
Did somebody else have the same problem ?

Yes, it is strange, I imagine that it is the same event, even worse, if I think of a hardware problem... why if I click the PCLC pause, the power is cut?, it means that hardware works :-(.

Thank you Guy, I hope we can fix it, please if you have some clue, tell me I can test whatever you want, I realy need it working from the phidget instead of the computer, I have the phidget buttons at hand, while the computer mouse is more difficult to handle while racing.

Thanks again.
Eduardo..

I think Main Line Hobbies use version 4.55, maybe you can try it (available on www.pclapcounter.be section download)

Ok, I will try it. Besides that I found something in power control "Invert output", can I use it to try a different setup ? What I am trying is to do some tests to find out what could be the problem and Help you/me to fix it.

Thank you, I will let you know how the 4.55 test work.
Eduardo

I tried with:

1) 4.56d the same problem
2) 4.55 same problem
3) Phidget 2.1.6 and PCLC didn't work, a message shows up telling something like "you have the wrong Phidget version, download the 2.1.4 from pclapcounter/download". Then... it was not possible to know if it was something at the phidget side.

Then, I tried to use the keyboard, it works perfect, but... I can't use Zoom, because the keyboard works only when PCLC is on top.

Something else that was different from my previous version, now when I turn the computer off, the track keep power and I can use it. The previous version I had, I need the computer on and PCLC running in order to have power on track.

I need ideas, and whatever you can do to help me.
Thank you.
Eduardo.

I suggested to install version 4.55 because version 4.56 already have some Phidget RFID integration and i was
thinking that it may give some problem but it's like you have the same problem with version 4.55 and so Phidget RFID
integration is not giving any problem.
On my side i check my code and there is really no difference between clicking on the pause button and the BIG red button.

Please contact Main Line Hobbies and ask them to make a test with version 4.55 or 4.56d

I will try to run a test, but sounds like this is a comm error to a board caused by one of the following things:
1. bad USB cable, or USB cable is too close to a power line
2. if plugged into a USB hub, it may have gone bad
3. Remember, Phidgets MUST be either plugged directly into your computer, or into a POWERED USB hub.

We are running the latest version of PC Lap Counter in the store on both tracks and no issues that we have found, but I will test as soon as I can.

mainlinehobbies wrote:

1. bad USB cable, or USB cable is too close to a power line

Very unlikely, I didn't tuch anythin, I just made the update of the software, sadly I don't know which version did I have before, may be Guy can help me with that, may be I can try to re-install the one I had before.
I will replace the USB, just in case, and re-check the power line, but I think that the problem will be more erratic, instead of only having that problem
I could add that if I push restart buton, and then the big button, three times, it starts to work fine, at least next five or six times. I know, may be it doesn't mean anything, but I want to report you as much as I can.

mainlinehobbies wrote:

2. if plugged into a USB hub, it may have gone bad

Is not plugged into a hub.

mainlinehobbies wrote:

3. Remember, Phidgets MUST be either plugged directly into your computer, or into a POWERED USB hub.

It is plugged directly into the computer.

mainlinehobbies wrote:

We are running the latest version of PC Lap Counter in the store on both tracks and no issues that we have found, but I will test as soon as I can.

Thank you! and a last thing to ask you, which .NET version do I need to have installed in my Windows XP?, could it be that some update (automatic update) made some changes to my windows?.

I never plug this computer to the net, I have it just for the track, but to download the 4.56, I pluged to the net, may be it triger some windows update.

Well... thanks a lot, please, dont hesitate to ask me whatever you need from me.
Eduardo

We have the most up to date version of .net, 3.something I believe. But I think you need at least 2.2(?) for all the bugs to be gone.

Ok, I will check that, now I go to sleep, here it is 1:14 am.
Thanks a lot, tomorrow I will tell you which .net version I have, and I will check the USB.
Thanks again.
Eduardo.

Hi Mainline,
I checked the .Net, it is the 2.0, I installed the .NET 3.5 but the 2.0 was not removed. I tryied to remove it and Windows desn't allow it.

Now I have both frameworks installed 3.5 and 2.0, I don't know if it is ok, I couldn't find any .NET 2.2 or more, just the 3.5 at microsoft.

Let me know how can I see the exact version of .NET, It seems that what I read in "add remove programs" is just the main version but I think that should be a way to find which minor is it.

Anyway, 3.5 now is installed and I have the same problem. I don't think that .NET is the problem.

Beside help me with what I told you above, can you give me some ideas to make better testing of the phidget hardware?, including the buttons.

I moved the USB wire, and everything seems right.

The big button allways pause the clock and put in red the pclc screen, but not always cut the power both lines keep the power on, it is erratic, I will say 70% of the times it works fine.

If I use the computer keyboard (shortcut space bar) it always works fine.
If I use the mouse (pressing Pause PCLC button) it always works fine.

Only problem is when trying to use the red big button.

Ideas that I would like to try in order to help you to help me.

1) Can I assign, using PCLC phidget settings, the pause to a different button? We can discard the button with this attempt, and I am sure that it will discard some other possible things.
2) Can I wire in a different way the phidget interface, for example attach the big button to another card input and then change the settings to reconfigure the pause again?
3) Can I wire in a different way the swithches from the phidget, to use the other two left? (I don't think that this could help, because when the problem occurs both lines doesn't stop, I don't think that both relays (switches) fail at the same time.

Sorry for the long message, but I need help, I realy need your help.
Thank you.
Eduardo.

to answer your questions, yes, you can do all of them. When you press the large red button, do you see the check marks uncheck next to each line, in the column that controls the lane power?

mainlinehobbies wrote:

to answer your questions, yes, you can do all of them. When you press the large red button, do you see the check marks uncheck next to each line, in the column that controls the lane power?

Great!, then please, teach me how to do it. Please you choose the order that will be the best way to try.

First, I will check what you said here, but... my english is not great, can yo uplease rephrase what you asked me to do.

When you say "check marks" do you mean the little lights that are beside each input/output where I attached the wires?
What do you mean with "column"?


Thank you a lot.
Eduardo.

on your main PCLC screen, there us a column of check boxes that control lane power.

I checked what you asked me, we have more info now

When I press the big button the check in the column turn off and immediately turn on again, of course the PAUSE message and the red at the bottom of the PCLC stays on, the clock is stoped, the power is still on.

At least we have more data now..

I will wait for more instructions from you, I think that we can start to try using different buttons.
Please let me know how to do what I wrote in my previous message, or tell me what can I do to give you more info.

Thanks a lot.
Eduardo.
Could you tell me your name Mainlinehobbies?

If the power is still on, then it is not a button or Phidget issue (not Hardware). There must be an ussie in PC lap counter. Are you sure that you have the large red button input set for "PAUSE" and not "Pause/Restart/Restart"?

-Matt Cornely
Manager

Hi Matt,
I checked it after you asked me, it is in PAUSE it is not in PAUSE/Start/Restart

Again I was watching the check box, and not always turn off/on when it works wrong, but always (100%) the pause and the clock works when pressing the red button.

Do you want me to send you, or attach here, my Phidget configuration screens?

Thank you.

if the checkmark is still there, then it is not a phidget configuration issue. Make sure your Pc Lap Counter is loaded with the most recent version.

Yes, as it is in some messages of this thread, everything started when I updated my old version


Sadly, I don't know which was my previous version.

I turn to 4.56, and then to 4.56d, and Guy told me to try with 4.55. I had the same problem with each of them.

Thank you.
Eduardo.

I will check all settings in our systems in the morning when I get to the shop

ecominguez wrote:

When I press the big button the check in the column turn off and immediately turn on again, of course the PAUSE message and the red at the bottom of the PCLC stays on, the clock is stoped, the power is still on.

This is interesting because it mean that PCLC react to another event , i think PCLC receive a Pause event but just after it's like PCLC receive also a Power ON event.
Please send me the following files so i check your settings, all files are in Pc Lap Counter folder:
racectrl.ini
phidget.ini
phidget_sn.ini
seq.ini

Here some screenshots that can be usefull for you, I am sending the rest of the files by e-mail


PCLC screen paused but the lane power still on (see checkboxes)



Phidget settings


PCLC Options #1


PCLC Options #2


PCLC Options #3


Phidget Card Configuration Lane power


PCLC Race type settings


Phidget main screen


The .Net I have installed

In the phidget settings and specialy in the track call tabpage : why you put IO on unused command ?????
Just put a IO on the PAUSE command and leave other blank....i 'am sure that it will work better.

Do you mean, the 10 that are in Sensitivity... for End Race and Start/Pause....?

I don't know why, if that is not set automatic, I did it when I first installed the phidget.
I will remove both 10 that are in the that lines right now.

I will let you know.