Wink Tips and Tricks for First-time Arduino Upload problems
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:52 am
I've posted answers to a couple upload problem questions about my experience today regarding first time Arduino use and my failed attempts to upload my first program to my new Winks. There were enough questions that I thought I'd post a new thread with my findings, to maybe save people some time.
Long story, but suffice it to say I couldn't upload to my new Wink from the latest Arduino IDE 1.6.7. I kept getting avrdude messages indicating failure to connect and upload. After 10 retries, it finally quits, and I spent hours and hours debugging why. In the end, I had one of those kick-in-the-head experiences after I got it working by nearly random chance. The final answer...the ON button. Here are the critical details.
1) Make sure in the IDE, you have selected Tools->Board -> Arduino Fio
(Even though the web site talks about Wink and Ringo being an Uno design, do not select Genuino Uno!)
2) Make sure you select the right COM port at Tools -> Port.
(Pretty easy to discover. Plug and unplug USB cable and see what COM port disappears and appears)
3) Finally, though the Wink+Programmer board are plugged together and connected to USB cable and charging light is on, the WINK IS NOT ON!
You MUST gently push the left "ON/PWR" button. Wink will chirp and start executing the last program, which may make it run around. I don't know how to get it on without it running it's last program. But it MUST be on.
4) Now, press the UPLOAD button.
The kick in the head, after three hours, two computers, 3 re-installs, 2 usb cables, and a big headache...was realizing the WINK was not actually on when I was trying to upload to it! (And selecting Fio is critical, but at least the video and document told me to do that once I read them!)
The issue missed in the current documentation, based largely around the Ringo is that Ringo seems to have a physical slider power switch, so it's obvious and they tell you to turn the Ringo on. But because the Wink has no positional power switch, I totally missed that Wink wasn't on. There should be more instructions about that...so, here it is.
If others have more ideas, please add them to this thread.
Long story, but suffice it to say I couldn't upload to my new Wink from the latest Arduino IDE 1.6.7. I kept getting avrdude messages indicating failure to connect and upload. After 10 retries, it finally quits, and I spent hours and hours debugging why. In the end, I had one of those kick-in-the-head experiences after I got it working by nearly random chance. The final answer...the ON button. Here are the critical details.
1) Make sure in the IDE, you have selected Tools->Board -> Arduino Fio
(Even though the web site talks about Wink and Ringo being an Uno design, do not select Genuino Uno!)
2) Make sure you select the right COM port at Tools -> Port.
(Pretty easy to discover. Plug and unplug USB cable and see what COM port disappears and appears)
3) Finally, though the Wink+Programmer board are plugged together and connected to USB cable and charging light is on, the WINK IS NOT ON!
You MUST gently push the left "ON/PWR" button. Wink will chirp and start executing the last program, which may make it run around. I don't know how to get it on without it running it's last program. But it MUST be on.
4) Now, press the UPLOAD button.
The kick in the head, after three hours, two computers, 3 re-installs, 2 usb cables, and a big headache...was realizing the WINK was not actually on when I was trying to upload to it! (And selecting Fio is critical, but at least the video and document told me to do that once I read them!)
The issue missed in the current documentation, based largely around the Ringo is that Ringo seems to have a physical slider power switch, so it's obvious and they tell you to turn the Ringo on. But because the Wink has no positional power switch, I totally missed that Wink wasn't on. There should be more instructions about that...so, here it is.
If others have more ideas, please add them to this thread.