LDC1612EVM - can't launch GUI.

Peter Clark25

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: LDC1612EVM, LDC1612

I've just got an EVM board. I've installed LDC13xx/LCD16xx EVM GUI Setup V1.0 on my Win7 PC. I can run the program once, and it indicates that the EVM is connected. If I then shut the program down, I can't launch it again (I just get a wait icon for a few seconds).

over 8 years ago

0 Suhas Raja Chandragupta55 over 8 years ago

TI__Intellectual 1690 points

Hello Peter,

Can you try uninstalling the GUI and reinstalling it? Use the latest GUI present on TI website.

Please let us know if you still face any problems.

If possible, please share a screenshot of the problem.

Thank you.

-Best Regards,

Suhas R C

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago

Prodigy 110 points

Hello Suhas,

It's a bit strange. I have re-installed the GUI, but it won't run from the desktop icon - instead I get a busy icon for 5 seconds. If I go into the application folder using Windows Explorer, I can run it by double-clicking ldc13xx16xx.exe, and the program starts up as shown in the attached screen shot (although there is an "invalid serial" error). If I now exit the program, I can't run it again - I just get the busy icon for 5 seconds. However, if I close Windows Explorer, open it again and go back to the application folder, it will run.

Regards,

Peter

0 Suhas Raja Chandragupta55 over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Clark25

TI__Intellectual 1690 points

Peter,

That is not expected to happen. Were you able to get any data on the GUI at all?

Can you try uploading latest firmware available on TI Website?

You can do this by accessing "Tools" section in the GUI and clicking "Flash Firmware".

Please let me know after you try it.

-Best Regards,

Suhas R C

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Suhas Raja Chandragupta55

Prodigy 110 points

Suhas R C,

When you say "upload latest firmware", do you mean the file snoc024.zip with the title "LDC1612EVM Firmware" on your website? I tried to flash the firmware with this file, but the transfer aborted with an error halfway through. So now, although I can still run the GUI (subject to the limitations in my last email), I am now unable to connect to the EVM at all.

Regards,

Peter.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Clark25

TI__Genius 14270 points

If you are having problems flashing the FW, please try the process in e2e.ti.com/.../405165.

Regards,

ChrisO

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 110 points

Hello ChrisO,

I started to flash the EVM but the transfer failed halfway through, so I assumed the EVM was now bricked. Is that correct? Anyway I sent it back to my supplier & I'm awaiting a replacement. So I'll have another go when I get it.

Regards,

Peter.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Clark25

TI__Genius 14270 points

My apologies for the problems you have been having with the EVM. There is a process to force the MSP430 into BSL to flash new fw and unbrick it.

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 110 points

Hi Chris,

I didn't know it was still possible to access the bootstrap loader after corrupting the application program, so I sent the EVM back to my distributor. I have ordered a replacement. Can I contact you if I get any problems with it?

Regards,

Peter.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Clark25

TI__Genius 14270 points

If you have any problems, please let me know.

Regards,
ChrisO

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 110 points

Chris Oberhauser said:
If you have any problems, please let me know.

Regards,
ChrisO

Hi Chris,

I've just received a replacement EVM.

I can't launch the GUI from the desktop or the Start Menu - I just get the busy icon for a few seconds.

However, if I use Windows Explorer to go C: > Program Files(x86) > Texas Instruments LDC13xx16xx EVM GUI,

then double-click ldc13xx16xx.exe it does launch.

At the top it displays "LDC13xx16xx EVM GUI 1.0.0.0 : COM13 LDC1612 Connected".

If I then close the program, I can't run it again (I get the busy icon again) until I close Windows Explorer and repeat the above.

I don't get this problem with any other application. I'm running Win7 SP1 64 bit.

Regards,

Peter.

0 Ben Kasemsadeh over 8 years ago in reply to Peter Clark25

TI__Genius 13650 points

Hello Peter,
I am sorry that you are having trouble with the GUI. We have identified a few systems in which the GUI doesn't launch as expected or crashes during operation after a particular automatic windows update.

We are currently in the process of writing a completely new GUI with an improved architecture which will be much more robust and will make the device much easier to use. The new GUI will address the issue that you are seeing.

Meanwhile, until the new GUI is available, can you please try uninstalling the GUI and re-installing it into a *different* installation directory? This method has previously helped some users whose GUI stopped launching correctly.

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Ben Kasemsadeh

Prodigy 110 points

Hello Ben,

No, I still can't get it to launch properly.

Would it be possible to notify me when the new GUI is ready?

Kind regards,

Peter.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to Ben Kasemsadeh

TI__Genius 14270 points

Hello Peter,

You may also be having a problem with the USB cable - can you check with a different cable to see if this resolves the issue?

Regards,

ChrisO

0 Peter Clark25 over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 110 points

Hello Chris,

Unfortunately the problem remained when I tried a different USB cable.

Regards,

Peter.

0 EC over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 40 points

Can you please elaborate on this process? My EVM is bricked after a failed flash attempt and I would like to try to make it functional again. Thanks.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to EC

TI__Genius 14270 points

Note there are two revisions of the EVM. On the bottom, if you see the number SV601126A, then you have the Rev A EVM. If the number on the bottom is SV601126B, then the trace width and space is 6mil ( 0.15mm).

There are two different EVM user guides, one for each version (www.ti.com.cn/.../snou133.pdf for Rev A, www.ti.com/.../snou135.pdf for rev B).

Which version of the EVM do you have?

Regards,

ChrisO

0 EC over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 40 points

On the silkscreen, it says SV601147 B.

0 Chris Oberhauser66 over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

TI__Genius 14270 points

If you bricked your EVM, you may be able to re-flash the EVM as described in the user guide by connecting the PUR pin to VUSB. This can be done on the LDC1612 rev B EVM by connecting R2 to C29 as shown below.

Regards,

ChrisO

0 EC over 8 years ago in reply to Chris Oberhauser66

Prodigy 40 points

Thanks. I was able to get it up and running again.

0 Ben Kasemsadeh over 8 years ago in reply to EC

TI__Genius 13650 points

Hi EC,
I am glad this procedure worked for you. I added the procedure to the Inductive sensing FAQ for future references: e2e.ti.com/.../295036

0 EC over 8 years ago in reply to Ben Kasemsadeh

Prodigy 40 points

Hi Ben,

Let me clarify that I didn’t need to make any hardware changes (ie connecting the PUR pin to VUSB) to re-flash the EVM. I just needed to select the correct firmware file (the file within the zip, not the zip file itself) within the GUI (Tools -> Flash Firmware) . This works even though the GUI doesn’t acknowledge being connected when the USB cable is plugged into the PC.

What got me into this problem to begin with was I initially didn’t realize that I selected the zip file (instead of the file within the zip) when prompted for the firmware file when re-flashing. The GUI program proceeded to crash and ended up bricking the EVM.

EC

0 Ben Kasemsadeh over 8 years ago in reply to EC

TI__Genius 13650 points

Hi EC,
thank you for the clarification. I will feed back your response to our software team and suggest that the next GUI will catch this kind of issue instead of trying to flash the MSP430 with a zip file.

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LDC1612EVM - can't launch GUI.