Help with .net code for FB

erie · 02-25-2008, 01:03 PM

Using the .Net 2005 Studio and the code that I copied from Arrow, here) I can use the FUSB_Initialize command and I get a unique pointer, I can use the FUSB_Free command and I get a 0 if the device was opened, and a 50 if I click it again. So I know that I am talking to the device. But whenever I send the "USBIO.FUSB_Send(Uint0, OutChunks)" the program just hangs and I have to force it close. If I use FCC.exe I can turn on and off the DigOut ports, the board it tested OK. I'm at work right now so I cant post the code, but it is the same as Arrow's (thank you Arrow

. I am using VS 2005 Sp1, XP Pro Sp2. I am a newb to .net, but I figured this is a great opportunity to learn

Arrow · 02-25-2008, 03:46 PM

Sounds like you are able to establish a pointer, but not actually communicate properly with the board. There is one more step that was not included in my code. Maybe you are missing that. You need to have another routine somewhere that sets each of the onOffBit variables to either 1 or 0 and then calls SendDataBlock(). Maybe without that, the onOffBits are not the correct values and the Brain or drivers don't know what to do.

erie · 02-25-2008, 09:28 PM

This should look familiar.

Per your advice, on FormLoad I set all the values of OnOffBit(j) to 0. Still the same result. I've attached the code, hoping that you could spot my error. Thanks for your help

Code:

    
    Dim FlipFlop As Boolean = True    'Keep-alive for brain
    Dim OutChunks(64) As Byte   'Bytes for 64bit data chunk being sent to brain
    Dim OnOffBit(12) As Integer 'Bit to turn on or off an output
    Dim Uint0 As UInt32 = Convert.ToUInt32(0)   'Uint representing zero
    Dim VIDPID As String = "USB\VID_04D8&PID_000C\5&2C65B59D&0&1"

Code:

  
    Public Sub SendDataBlock()

        If Uint0 = 0 Then      'only Init once
            If USBIO.FUSB_Initialize(Uint0, VIDPID, Uint0) Then  'Initialize Device
                Debug.WriteLine("Initialized: " & Convert.ToString(Uint0))
            Else
                Debug.WriteLine("Error Initializing: " & Convert.ToString(Uint0))
            End If
        Else
            Debug.WriteLine("Already Initializing: " & Convert.ToString(Uint0))
        End If

        'Clear ByteBlock
        Dim cnt As Integer
        For cnt = 0 To 63
            OutChunks(cnt) = 0
        Next

        'Convert FlipFlop Boolean to an integer
        Dim KeepAlive As Integer = Convert.ToInt32(FlipFlop)
        Dim i As Integer
        For i = 0 To 11
            OutChunks(i) = Convert.ToByte(0 & KeepAlive & OnOffBit(i))
        Next
        OutChunks(61) = Convert.ToByte(255)     'wake up PIC

        USBIO.FUSB_Send(Uint0, OutChunks)

        FlipFlop = Not FlipFlop  'Flip keepalive bit

    End Sub


    Private Sub btn0on_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btn0on.Click
        OnOffBit(0) = 1 'Turn Output on
        SendDataBlock()
    End Sub

    Private Sub btn0off_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btn0off.Click
        OnOffBit(0) = 0 'Turn Output off
        SendDataBlock()
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim j As Integer
        For j = 0 To 11 'need to fill a value for all dig outs
            OnOffBit(j) = 0
        Next
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs) Handles Me.FormClosing
        USBIO.FUSB_Free(Uint0)
    End Sub

AtomicMonkey · 02-26-2008, 12:56 AM

It hangs because that DLL is borked. The second (and often first) call to FUSB_Send will hang, as you've said. All will work provided you first do a read first. Waste of time but at least it works. So before you start setting your On/Off bits on the array do a read and all will be ok. One additional cosmetic detail is that your array is actually 65 elements long. Won't hurt anything, just not tidy. Apparently in VB you declare last index of the array not length.

HTH
Also, I still don't know what that deal with this flippity floppy thing is, just set your keep-alive bit when you want the output on (together with bit 0 set to 1) and don't set it when turning output off. Otherwise if you get your order switched somehow and don't set the keepalive bit when the button is supposed to stay on, it won't.

erie · 02-26-2008, 02:00 AM

AtomicMonkey - That was it, if I do a USBIO.FUSB_Receive first and all the USBIO.FUSB_Send commands complete without any problems. Thanks for the tip on the keep-alive. Its a good thing to able to talk to the brain. Thanks

galvitron · 02-26-2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

It hangs because that DLL is borked.

Best line ever.

Arrow · 02-26-2008, 05:45 AM

Hmm... I flippity floppity that bit all day long and my stuff works like a charm.

Arrow · 02-26-2008, 05:46 AM

Actually, If i don't flippity floppity that bit, the brain works like it's supposed to and shuts itself off.

2k1Toaster · 02-27-2008, 12:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Arrow

Actually, If i don't flippity floppity that bit, the brain works like it's supposed to and shuts itself off.

That is the supposed function of the Fusion Brain.

AtomicMonkey · 02-27-2008, 12:27 AM

Toaster I realize that is the function, what I'm saying this flipping does not appear necessary for the the function to function. The timer will shut the output off with or without the keep-alive set (matter of timing), though w/o it timer will not reset on subsequent same state write, but if always sending 3 + timer for ON and 0 + timer for OFF does the same exact thing: output will shut off after timer expired with no state confirmation sent.
Ok, my apologies for spreading crap information. Appears the timer in fact will not reset if u sent same value before it expires.

joeberni · 04-06-2008, 06:20 AM

Would someone who has been able to get this working through VB.net be willing to post their entire code? By entire I just mean all of the pieces that are needed to turn outputs on and off.

I've been pulling my hair out for hours now but my app is still hanging. I know it's just a small stupid error that I've made but for the life of me I cannot find where it is.

Thanks.

mx270a · 04-06-2008, 10:43 AM

Here is the code I'm using in VB2008 Express.

Code:

    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_Initialize(ByRef pFusionUSB As UInt32, ByVal deviceID As String, ByVal instanceNumber As UInt32) As Boolean
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_Receive(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32, ByVal buffer As Byte()) As Boolean
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_Send(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32, ByVal buffer As Byte()) As Boolean
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_Free(ByRef pFusionUSB As UInt32) As UInt32
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_printf(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32) As Boolean
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_GetWinUSBerror(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32) As UInt32
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_GetFUSBstatus(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32) As UInt32
    End Function
    <System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("FusionUSB.dll")> _
    Public Shared Function FUSB_GetDeviceInstanceID(ByVal pFusionUSB As UInt32) As String
    End Function


    Public VIDPID As String = ""
    Dim Uint0 As UInt32 = Convert.ToUInt32(0)   'Uint representing zero
    Private KeepAliveBit As Integer
    Private OutputArray(64) As Byte
    Private InputArray(64) As Byte
    Private DigOut(12) As Integer
    Public AnalogIn(10) As Integer



    Public Sub LoadVIDPIDfromRegistry(ByRef textbox As TextBox)
        Dim location As String = "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinUSB\Enum"
        Dim storedvidpid As String = My.Computer.Registry.GetValue(location, "0", Nothing)
        If storedvidpid = Nothing Then
            MsgBox("VID/PID for device #0 not found in the registry. Are the Fusion Brain drivers loaded?")
        Else
            MsgBox("The following VID/PID was found:" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & storedvidpid)
            VIDPID = storedvidpid
        End If
    End Sub





    Public Sub FB_Connect()
        'Check the status to see if it is already connected
        Try
            If FUSB_GetFUSBstatus(Uint0) = 0 Then
                'Status is 0, meaning it is already connected. Can't connect it again.
            Else
                'Status isn't 0, lets try to connect to the Fusion Brain
                FUSB_Free(Uint0)

                If FUSB_Initialize(Uint0, VIDPID, Uint0) Then
                    'Init was successful
                    For i = 0 To 63
                        OutputArray(i) = CByte(0)
                    Next
                    OutputArray(61) = CByte(255) 'This is needed to wake up the FB, for firmwares after November 2007
                    For i = 0 To 11
                        DigOut(i) = 0
                    Next
                    FUSB_Send(Uint0, OutputArray)
                    If (FUSB_Receive(Uint0, InputArray)) Then
                        lblFirmwareVersion.Text = InputArray(63).ToString & "." & InputArray(62).ToString
                    End If

                    KeepAliveBit = 1

                    'Start the timer for sending data to the FB
                    Timer.Start()
                Else
                    MsgBox("Failed to initialize that Fusion Brain. Make sure it is connected and that you are specifying the correct USB VID/PID number." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "The VID/PID specified was: " & VIDPID)
                End If
            End If

        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("Error: DLL not found. Are you sure the fusion brain drivers are installed and the FusionUSB.dll file is in the same folder as the .exe?" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "The reported error is:" & vbCrLf & ex.ToString)
        End Try
    End Sub




    Public Sub FB_Disconnect()
        'This gets called from the MyBase.FormClosed event as the app closes
        'Disable timer, Set all outputs to off, send data to the FB one last time, then disconnect from the FB
        Timer.Stop()

        For i = 0 To 11
            DigOut(i) = 0
            OutputArray(i) = Convert.ToByte(0 & KeepAliveBit & 0)
        Next
        FUSB_Send(Uint0, OutputArray)
        FUSB_Free(Uint0)
    End Sub





    Public Sub FB_SendReceive()
        'This sub is called from a Timer_Tick event, which runs at 10Hz.
       
        DigOut(0) = 1
        DigOut(1) = 0
        DigOut(2) = 0
        DigOut(3) = 0
        DigOut(4) = 0
        DigOut(5) = 0
        DigOut(6) = 0
        DigOut(7) = 0
        DigOut(8) = 0
        DigOut(9) = 0
        DigOut(10) = 0
        DigOut(11) = 0


        For i = 0 To 11
            OutputArray(i) = Convert.ToByte(0 & KeepAliveBit & DigOut(i))
        Next
        FUSB_Send(Uint0, OutputArray)



        'Now, get the info from the fusion brain
        If (FUSB_Receive(Uint0, InputArray)) Then
            'It retured true, meaning it got data. Process it.
            For i = 0 To 9
                AnalogIn(i) = CInt(InputArray(i * 2 + 12)) 'Uses only the first byte 0-255 (8 bits)
                'AnalogIn(i) = (CInt(InputArray(i * 2 + 12)) * 4) + CInt(InputArray(i * 2 + 13) / 64) 'Uses both bytes 0-1023 (10 bits)

                'Range of 0-255, so divide by 255 to get a percent, then multiply by 5 to get volts.
                'AnalogIn(i) = (totalin / 1023) * 5
            Next
        End If


        'Toggle the keepalive bit for nexttime.
        If KeepAliveBit = 0 Then
            KeepAliveBit = 1
        Else
            KeepAliveBit = 0
        End If

    End Sub

joeberni · 04-07-2008, 02:42 AM

Thanks MX! Very much appreciated.

Even after using your code my app is still hanging. Can you please confirm that the code you posted above is all in a separate class (i.e. USBIO) which is referenced from your form (i.e. Form1)?

Also, did you have to throw in some FUSB_Recieve calls on your form as per a previous post?

Thanks again for your help.

Joe

2k1Toaster · 04-07-2008, 03:47 AM

Try unplugging the device, wait for the windows "duh-ding" and then plug it back in.

If you call the DLL and do not exit it correctly, it will lock the device stream. So if you were debugging or something and didnt close it properly, you have to close it. Easiest way is to let Windows do it for you by making the device disappear to start fresh and plug it back in.

It is the limitation of the FusionUSB.dll file. If anyone has ideas on how to improve the dll let me know as I am learning as Im going!

But it works as long as you dont hang it.

joeberni · 04-07-2008, 05:54 AM

OK, finally got it going. Turns out that somewhere along the way I began sending a null value as the VIDPID. It makes me cry thinking about how many hours of my life I've spent chasing down stupid little errors like this... :

:

Thanks again everyone!

Joe

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