RS485 NXT-G Block

[bazmati]

I am very curious as to why it has been so long since we were told that version 2.0 of his block would come out tomorrow relative to that post, yet nearly two months later it is still yet to come out.

Are you talking about Andy's High Speed link block or the text2number block?

cuz just above i found a zip of andy's new block and it features your graphics.. sweet

[haydenstudios]

I am very curious as to why it has been so long since we were told that version 2.0 of his block would come out tomorrow relative to that post, yet nearly two months later it is still yet to come out.

Are you talking about Andy's High Speed link block or the text2number block?

cuz just above i found a zip of andy's new block and it features your graphics.. sweet

That is not an official release, it is just a forum member contributing to helping me apply my icon to that block. The official next release of the RS485 block will feature some of the glitches fixed, such as the not-always-working output port. And it would most likely be Andy announcing it, not Studbrickmaster.

[haydenstudios]

I managed to work around this bug by converting the string into a number, and feeding that number into a tab viewed number switch block

There is another way to convert String to Numeric in NXT-G...

Text To Number.JPG

Text To Number My Block.zip

But why make a myblock for an operation if theres a single block that can already do it? It wouldn't be too hard to download and install the text to number block. Furthermore, it might be hard to find the right MyBlock in the midst of all your MyBlocks, theres really no point in making a MyBlock for it.

[bazmati]

that would explain why the Version has not changed (1.03)

also about the other way to convert text to number -- i see his example as a tutorial on what it takes to convert text to number natively using NXT-G
BTW for those wondering where to get that unique block -- i found it attached in this thread http://thenxtstep.com/smf/index.php?topic=1535.0

[milluzaj]

Hey,

Sorry I have been in and out a lot lately. I have been very busy with my shuttle and then other projects.

Seeing as the block took a back seat to some thing, TONIGHT I PROMISE TO WORK ON IT!!!!

That being said, if you want to be on the bleeding edge of Mindstorms technology and want accesses to a possible broken/unstable/bad block, I am will to set up a dropbox with it.If you want in, all you need to do is message Xander. He is taking over my public relations.

If you want in, send me an email at edrocket734 [at] gmail [dot] com. (didnt want to post a direct link to my email)

Tonight I will add people to the dropbox as well as post it. You will receive an email with instructions. I think this is the best way to do real time feedback and get you all a new block.

On a slightly different note, there are a few modified versions of this block now for the enhanced firmware that allow you to select the baud rate and the like. That is also in the pipeline and is in a closed beta through DI.

Thanks!

Andy "really needs sleep" Milluzzi

[haydenstudios]

Hey,

Sorry I have been in and out a lot lately. I have been very busy with my shuttle and then other projects.

Seeing as the block took a back seat to some thing, TONIGHT I PROMISE TO WORK ON IT!!!!

That's great! I'm very glad that you're active here again.

That being said, if you want to be on the bleeding edge of Mindstorms technology and want accesses to a possible broken/unstable/bad block, I am will to set up a dropbox with it.

Cool! How do I get in?

If you want in, all you need to do is message Xander. He is taking over my public relations.

Alright, I'll message Xander.

If you want in, send me an email at edrocket734 [at] gmail [dot] com. (didnt want to post a direct link to my email)

Nevermind what I just said, I'll E-mail you instead.

Tonight I will add people to the dropbox as well as post it. You will receive an email with instructions. I think this is the best way to do real time feedback and get you all a new block.)

Alright, I've got it all set up.

On a slightly different note, there are a few modified versions of this block now for the enhanced firmware that allow you to select the baud rate and the like. That is also in the pipeline and is in a closed beta through DI.

Thanks!

Andy "really needs sleep" Milluzzi

Cool.

[milluzaj]

For those of you who are in on the beta (or still want to get in) there is not 1, but 2 blocks in the folder! The first one is just a bug fixed version of the current one. The 2nd, is a new block will Boolean, numeric and string functions implemented.

I am 2 hours ahead of schedule! I welcome feedback. If you are in the beta, read the file posted in the folder.

Thanks!

Andy "about to take a nap" Milluzzi

[haydenstudios]

This is great! I haven't tried the number and boolean values yet, but I'm so glad that the text output plug is now working perfectly! I was desparate for it to start working better, and now I can continue the programming stage of my SumoBot. I received it JUST as you posted it. Standby for more feedback...

[milluzaj]

Glad to hear people are happy. There are only 2 people on the beta, so if anyone else is interested, let me know.

I will be traveling by Tuesday of next week. Save any major issues, I plan to release the full block (version 1.32) by then. It will likely get new graphics and another version bump, but that is the intention.

Also, I have a configuration block coming. This is specifically designed for the NXTBee and John Hansen's Enhanced FW.

DI will likely be hosting the new blocks (same as before). I will ask John to maintain both the "classic" RS485 block and the complete one.

It is kind of hard to juggle like 5 groups of beta testers, so I am sorry if I am sort of cryptic on some things. Just hard to remember who can know what and when. (Check the READMEs in the folder. Those are much clearer.)

[haydenstudios]

Alright, heres some more feedback. First off, I can't thank you enough for fixing that text output port. It now works very well. I have as well applied the usage of sending number values to my program that I'm working on, and it works. I haven't tested the number output port as much as I have the text one, so I'm not 100% sure that it's flawless, but it seems to be worknig fine. As for sending boolean values, I have had no luck getting it to work so far. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I keep getting false wether I'm triggering the true condition, or the false condition. Other than that, I do not know of any glitches. As for functionality in a program, it's close to perfect. Though it could use a little refining in terms of appearance in the programming enviorment. For example, it might be nice to have the input plugs always at the top, and all the output plugs always on the bottom. I've always thought that it looks somewhat un-professional when I see an output port stacked above an input port. Furthermore, you could give the block a more advanced pallette look since it's most commonly installed in the advenced pallette. I'm sure you know what I mean, like a more red looking block and configuration panel and such, so that it will fit in the advanced pallette better. Also, you stated earlier on this topic that you were going to use either my or timpattingson's icon. I guess I never really got confirmation on wether you would use his, or my graphics.
Anyway, I hope that this feedback will help.

EDIT: Everything that I said that works has all suddenly stopped working. The RS485 communication had been working for a little while, until it just suddenly stopped working. I don't understand how continued use of it caused it's demise. Even un-edited programs that previously worked now do not. Neither of my NXT's have battery power less than 90%, so I don't know what the problem is.

EDIT: The above is sessions running firmware version 1.28. Today I upgraded to firmware version 1.31, and I'm still having this problem. But, the old block still works to the extent that it did before.