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LMFlash.exe Build 1613 Open COM known known problem?

Nienscecco
Prodigy 110 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: LMFLASHPROGRAMMER, UNIFLASH

Hi everyone.

I use LMFlash.exe build 1613 to program a TM4C1231 microcontroller though the UART port.  I connect to the UART through a custom USB-to-serial adapter based on a FT232 chip from FTDI.

I noticed that when first attempting to program the flash memory of the microcontroller, I always get an "**ERROR** Failed to synchronize baud rate with the board!".  If I open the COM port with another software (Realterm) and then close it, After that LMflash can sync with the TM4C1231.  Enabling or disabling auto baud does not solve anything.  On a first attempt to program, It will not synchronize unless I open/close the port with Realterm before.

I also tried opening and closing the port with other softwares. For example if I use Labview To Open/Close the port before LMFlash.exe, it does not work.  Realterm always clear the glitch though.

1. Has anyone observed the same situation?

2. Could you think of a certain option that Realterm sets by default so that it makes possible for LMflash to work?

My OS is Windows 7 pro.

I would like to get rid of this situation to be able to set an automated test sequence with TestStand

- Program flash memory with a test firmware using lmflash.exe command line interface

- Execute electric tests

- Program flash memory with latest firmware release using lmflash.exe command line interface

Thank you in advance

Nien

  • 0
    TI__Guru**** 244400 points
    Hello Nien,

    I have used the FT232H with LMFlashProgrammer to download code with UART but never seen an issue. Can you

    1. Take a snapshot of the settings
    2. Can you check the default COM Port Settings?

    Regards
    Amit
  • 0 in reply to Amit Ashara
    Prodigy 110 points

    Hi again Amit,

    Not sure if you mean the settings within Flash Programmer or within my device manager... Here is a snapshot of both.

    My OS is in french but basically this is default windows settings

    baud: 9600, Parity: None, Stop bit: 1, Control Flux: None

    When programming with Labview or LMFlash, I will open the port and set the settings to Baud rate: 115200, Parity: None, Stop bit: 1, Control Flux: None just like it is in LMFlash settings. I am able to program with LMFlash after an open/close of the COM with Realterm. And I am able to program the TM4C with Labview using the LMFlash.exe command line interface after I was able to sucessfully program it once with the GUI LMFlash.

    Regards

  • 0 in reply to Nienscecco
    TI__Guru**** 244400 points
    Hello Nien,

    That should never be the case. The LMFlashProgrammer does not a COM port application to be opened so that it can begin communicating, unless there is a driver issue. Can you check if the UNIFLASH application also behaves the same way?

    Regards
    Amit
  • 0 in reply to Amit Ashara
    Prodigy 110 points

    You are right : I am never able to open my COM21 with Realterm and LMFlash at the same time.  I open the port with Realterm, then close it. And after that LMFlash will sync with the TM4C.

    As you suggested, this morning I tried UNIFLASH. It behaves the same apparently.  On first programming attempt, it doesn't work.  I get a timeout error like this log :

    [14:02:41] Begin Writing flash memory operation.
    [14:02:41] Loading program at 0x0: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin
    [14:02:46] ERROR >> Cortex_M3_0: <!>Serial Communication exception: Timeout expired

    [14:02:46] ERROR >> Cortex_M3_0: GEL: File: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin: Load failed.

    [14:02:46] File: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin: Load failed.
    [14:02:46] Operation Writing flash memory returned.

    At this step, LMFlash doesn't work either.  If I open and close the port with RealTerm, then LMFlash works and so will UNIFLASH, but not as good as LMFlash because I am not able to perform a complete programming. UNIFLASH will start programming and does not update the progress bar while it programs.  I can see the RX and TX leds flashing on my USB-to-Serial interface board.  At some point, the LED Rx and Tx stop flashing and the progress bar get updated to the value 30%.  1 second later I obtain an error. Here is the log :

    [14:01:07] Begin Writing flash memory operation.
    [14:01:07] Loading program at 0x0: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin
    [14:01:30] ERROR >> Cortex_M3_0: <!>Serial Communication exception: Timeout expired

    [14:01:30] ERROR >> Cortex_M3_0: GEL: File: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin: Load failed.

    [14:01:30] File: C:\z\LabTestsFullImage_1.90.bin: Load failed.
    [14:01:30] Operation Writing flash memory returned.

    Thanks

    Nien

     

  • 0 in reply to Nienscecco
    TI__Guru**** 244400 points
    Hello Nien,

    I think the issue is related to the manner in which the bootcfg in the other post is being used. I would suggest we fix the hardware issue first before reverting to this.

    Regards
    Amit
  • 0 in reply to Amit Ashara
    Prodigy 110 points
    My next step is to use a COM sniffer to analyse all the properties which are set by default when Realterm opens the port. It may give me a hint to what has to be explicitly set to serial properties before using LMFlash or UNIFLASH.
  • 0 in reply to Nienscecco
    TI__Guru**** 244400 points
    Hello Nien,

    That may be worth the investigation. Please note that the COM sniffer has to be passive.

    Regards
    Amit
  • 0 in reply to Amit Ashara
    Prodigy 110 points
    Here is my conclusion on the matter :

    After investigation, with a sniffer on the serial port I could see that Realterm sets DTR and RTS 'Unasserted' by default while Labview and other serial software I compared when opening the COM port set DTR and RTS 'Asserted' by default. That was the only difference I could notice. Even if I forced LabView to set DTR and RTS by default to 'Unasserted' when opening the port, I could not make LMFlash.exe synchronize with the TM4C. I also noticed that if open/close the port with realterm so that LMflash.exe start working fine, as soon as I change a property of the serial port with LabVIEW or another software than Realterm, LMFlash.exe stop synchronizing properly.

    I didn't want to spend more time on the matter so my solution was to add realterm to my library of tools and from Labview, I use realterm.exe command line properties to open/close the port before launching LMFlash.exe. This works just fine as if I was doing it manually myself. Now I have a Flashing tool useable from Teststand and providing me all the automation I needed to program the TM4C at will without any intervention of the operator.

    I did not know about the realterm command line properties until last week. It was the easiest work around solution.

    Best Regards
    Nien