Problem with Location Engine example (CC2431)

Hi Tobias,

I have also seen some inconsistant behaviour, however for me it seems this has something do do with the docking station.

Please try the following

1) If you are using a laptop and have a serial port directly on the laptop, please try using this direct connection instead of a docking station.  My experience is the location dongle starts working reliably.

2) If you are not using a laptop or want to try this before the above I have found the following also seems to make sure the dongle is found.   Open the location engine program on the pc and connect a CC2430 or CC2431.  Program it as a location dongle.   Press the play/capture button.  If you still see dongle disconnected, try cycling the EB power once or twice. 

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

Yoda

I have now tried it on 3 different computers.
1 windows XP x64 with serial port
1 windows XP with serial port
1 windows XP laptop with  USB<->RS232 dongle

When I connect to the USB<->RS232 I get “Dongle: Disconnected”
But when I connect to the other computers I get
"Not able to send PING! Check if serial cable connected."

The reason for that I believe is that the USB<->RS232 dongle doesn't support handshaking.
And because of that says its work but i doesn't.

I have made a small test program for the UART and it works fine on port 1 but not at all on port 0.
On the Smart RF04EB the serialport uses UART 0 alt 1 at P0_3 and P0_2
So I am suspecting that something is wrong with my RF04EB.
I have tried with different  EM boards.

Regards Tobias

I have found what was wrong!
The serial cable I was using only had RX TX.
This works fine with just serial communication to the terminal.
But I think The Z-Location Engine needs RTS and CTS.
So when I changed cable it worked fine

 Regards Tobias

Hi Yoda

thank you, I actually downloaded the location example using IAR .I am trying to see my nodes on the location engine software.but it is not working.however when I download the location dongle .hex file which comes with the location engine software through the location engine it is working.I tried to generate my own .hex file and downloaded it by the location engine software.it gives me a message that it failed to verify the flash memory.

Hmmm ... I have not done much yet myself with the 1.4.3 version.  Try generating the hex file again.   This time however, instead of adding a -M option in your project options, go into the linker file (.xcl) and uncomment the line where it says ... uncomment to creat hex file or something similar.   Unfortunately the IAR IDE Manual is not quite the best source and the error you describe is typical if you follow it.  However the rest of the steps there (ie wehre and how to name the file etc) are correct.

Give this a try.  If this does not work.  I would contact your locatl support centre to see if you can get a copy of the preloaded hex/firmware.

Cheers,

Yoda

The preloaded hex files will be available under the directory where the PC application has been installed.

This will typically be: C:\Program Files\Chipcon\Z-Location Engine But unfortunately these files has only been build with version 1.4.2.

Regards, UOK

Hi

I believe I am experiencing the same problem (concerning the disconnected dongle). I only have one serial cable, which I found to have the following pintout when I tested it with a digital multimeter:

DB9 Male       DB9 Female

1                  -

2                 2+9

3                 3

4                 4

5                 5

6                 -

7                 7

8                 -

9                 -

I would like to make my own serial cable. Could you possibly indicate the pinout of the serial cable that worked? Thank you.

Regards Oniyuri

• Connect the USB and RS232 cables to a PC,
the board is powered from the USB port
o The USB connection is used for
programming and power to the board
o The RS232 is used for serial
communication between the Zlocation
PC SW and the location
dongle

i think the  USB and the serial cable  is OK,i face the same thing like you now,but i have done a test that prove both the USB and the serial cable  is OK.

Rick

Hi! How are you?,

I have read this post, and I believe you can help me. My problem happens when I use the "Location" example included in "Zstack 1 .4.3". I compile this example and I download it in the Smart RF04EB board of my CC2431ZDK Kit. When I download the .hex files included with Z-Location Engine everything works right, but when I compile the Location example included in Zstack, reference nodes doesn't appear in Z-Location Engine application. I have seen that my problem happens when my network ID is 0 when I compile the Location Zstack application, and when I download the .hex file "LocDongle_ZC_EB_1_4_2.hex" on the coordinator, the Network ID is 1200. How can I make it work right ?. Does the Location example work right?, are this example the same as the .hex files included in Z-Location Engine?. I don't know what to do, because I have to mix Location application with a data communication application, but Location doesn't work when I compile the example application. I suppose Z-Location Engine CC2431 application of Chipcon works right with the Texas Instruments Location application included in the Z-stack.

Is there any problem in 1.4.3 Z-stack Location application?

I was wondering if someone could help me.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Jaime,

Hi, if you look into the file LocationProfile.h you will see that you have to comment in or out the device you want to compile. Did you do that? First i worked with this example i made that mistake. Maybe it is  your mistake too.

The location example application is running.

Hi!

I suppose you refer to LocationProfile.h. There I have to comment the definition of the LocationProfile device to build:

#define LOCATION_REFNODE

//#define LOCATION_BLINDNODE

//#define LOCATION_DONGLE

I commented/uncommented these devices before build and download, but it didn't work.

What's your network ID, I mean, the number that appears on the LCD. Did you follow only the steps that appear in the document "Z-Stack User's Guide - CC2431DB(F8W-2006-0025), because I follow it.

Do you have other idea?

Thank you,

Jaime,

Hi, you are right. It was my fault. My network ID is DC8. I followed the steps in the manual. Are you able to see the Blindnode in the Z-Location engine Software? Are you able to sniff the over the air traffic?

Hi!

My problem happens when I switch-on the first reference node, because it doesn't appear in the z-location engine Chipcon application, so I can't see blind node position because I can't see reference nodes. I think that I follow every step. Do you push sw-5 in SmartRF04EB a the begining, and sw1 of reference and blind nodes?. Did you change any build option?. What's your EW8051 IAR software version. My version is 7.50A.

Thank you,

Jaime,

Hi. i test it with an unchanged Sample Application. I started the Dongle without pushing a button. LED 3 is on. No ID is shown on the display, only Router: 1 and Parrent:0. I open the Z-Location engine Software on the PC and press the Play Button. Then the Dongle is connected. After that i turn on the Ref Node without pressing any switch. LED 1 is on. After a moment the Ref Node is shown in the Software.

Maybe  you could erase the flash by setting the "Erase flash" option in IAR|Options|Debugger|Texas Instruments|Download. But have in mind that you have to set the IEEE address after erasing the flash. For logical reason you should reset the option.I had a problem in the past and erasing the flash helps me.

Hope it helps.

Whishmaster_de,

Lots of thanks!! That's right!!. Everything works right now!. I followed your information. I erased every reference, blind and coordinator flash memory and I wrote the IEEE adress using Z-Location Engine. After that, my application is just working with the Location application. As it seems some residual information was in flash memory and after erase, download, and program the IEEE adress again, the problem finished.

Thanks again!!

Jaime,

hi !!

I have just started using the ZigBee CC2430/31 with the Z-Location Engine program and the IAR workbench but I have many problems understanding how it all works.

First of all, I´ve got the feeling that the code included in the Chipcon/Z-Location Engine isn't the same as the one offered by TI/ZStack-1.4.3-1.2.1, because when I try to use this code in the Z-Location Engine program either I get a PING error or the Dongle appears as Disconnected.

Is there any way to get the Z-Location Engine source code?

Has anyone managed to work with these two programs correctly?

Any explanation, document or whatever you offer me will be of geat help, because as I've sed I've only just started working!

Thank you very much!!!!

Hi Helen,

Your feeling about the code included in Z-Location engine(PC app) not beeing the same as Z-stack 1.4.3 is correct. The examples delivered with the PC application is build on Z-stack 1.4.2.

Just to be sure that the version you have downloaded is working, I did a build with Z-Stack-1.4.3-1.2.1 and tried to connect the Dongle. In my case it worked out fine.

Short description of how I build the application with IAR 750A:

1. I'm using SmartRF04EB + CC2430EM as coordinator (or dongle if you like) so I select "CoordinatorEB" as project.
2. As already mentioned earlier in this thread, You have to make sure that the correct definitions are used in LocationProfile.h. For the coordinator the "LOCATION_DONGLE" should be defined. LOCATION_BLINDNODE and LOCATION_REFNODE should be commented out.
3. I wanted to produce a hex file so I had to change the linker options (Options->linker->output). Select "other" and output format "intel-extended". I also changed the name of the output file to "coordinatorEB.hex".
4. To generate a hex file it is necessary to un-commented one line in the f8w2430.xcl file:
   -M(CODE)_BANK1A-1FFFF,28000-2FFFF,38000-3DFFF,3F000-3fff7=(_CODE_END+1)-0xFFFF,0x10000-0x17FFF,0x18000-0x1DFFF,0x1F000-0x1FFF7
   This should be in.
5. To be sure I didn't have any network related data  in flash I also used the "erase flash" option (Options->debugger->Texas Instruments). Normally this is not necessary, but if the chip has already been used for this application before, it might be that there are some information in flash that can give some problems to startup a new network. This is not likely to be any problem in your case since you have just started.
6. Since I used the "erase flash" option in point 5, I had to program the IEEE address back into the chip after programming the hex image. You can use the PC application Z-Location Engine or the flash programmer that can be found on http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/flash-programmer.html

When I used my Laptop connected to a docking station I was not able to get the COM port working. I had to disconnect my PC from the docking station and connect the serial cable directly to the laptop. After that I was able to connect.

To build the applications for the blind node and the ref node you can follow the same procedures but make applicable selections for project and defines.

Hopefully this will help you a step further.

Regards,

UOK

Thank you UOK !!

I didn't know I had to uncomment that line in the f8w2430.xcl file, that was very helpful !! However, I've only managed to make it work the first time I've done the setps you explained, all the other times it still get the Dongle:Disconnect message.

I've tried "erase flash" and everything, but it doesn't work any more. Can anyone explain me why ?!?!

Thanks a lot!

Hello Tobias:

I have the same problem as you have. I use the straight-through serial cable, and CTS,RTS also used,but the problem still exist.

Could you give some details about how you solve this problem?

And I also did some tests: I opened the Z-Location Engine, let it send a ping message to the board, the board received the message and stop at the breakpoint i set, but the message data received always is “00,00 …” , while i send the same ping message in z-tool, the board received the message data is "0x02,00,07,…",just the PING message format as the document says.

So I guess whether the Z-Location Engine doesn't send message successfully?

expect you reply

Regards Luzi

hello Tobias

could you help me? could you tell me how to solve the problem?

Hi....

I am Saranya.... I am also have the same problem .When i connect RF04EB(CC2431) to Z-Location Engine software .It says "Dongle:Disconnected" and nothig happen....

Please Help me..I do not know whether the problem in Serial Cable or in usb cable... And how many nodes are required for Z-Location Engine Software

I Beleive u can solve my Problem..

I am waiting for your golden Reply.

My Email Id:psaranya.aec@gmail.com