Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

lidders
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Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 3:31 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by lidders » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:08 pm

Does anyone know if a frizzing part definition is available for this board? By the way, the board is great, I've managed to turn it into a usb gamepad with 12 digital switch inputs & 4 10 bit analog axis. I'm using it for my DIY CST pedals project (google it).

RogerL
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by RogerL » Tue Jun 17, 2014 9:27 pm

Are you likely to be offering a 3.3V version?

andrew
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Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by andrew » Wed Jun 18, 2014 7:06 am

We will take a look this week to see if we can find a suitable product, but I get the impression that this may be something that is difficult to source.
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RogerL
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by RogerL » Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:45 pm

I have just taken delivery of 2 Pro Micros from your latest batch and am having problems programming them from Windows. On my Win 7 laptop (Arduino 1.0.5) I have downloaded the support files from Sparkfun as described above and installed the Pro Micro driver. When I initially plugged in the board, Windows immediately loaded the Leonardo driver, so I updated this manually to the Pro Micro driver. The board is now shown as a Sparkfun Pro Micro on COM9 in Windows Device Manager. When I run the Arduino IDE I see a board on COM9 and I can set it as a Sparkfun Pro Micro 5V/16MHz. However, when I download the blink sketch the amber LED flashes on the board and after a few seconds I get a message:
Couldn’t find a Leonardo on the selected port. Check that you have the correct port selected. If it is correct, try pressing the board's reset button after initiating the upload.
The amber LED then stops blinking and the sketch isn't loaded.
I have tried both the current Sparkfun software on their Pro Micro page and the current known working snapshot link above, but the result is the same. I have also tried using another COM port.

I have also tried connecting it to an XP machine, but XP insists its a Leonardo and refuses to let me even load the Pro Micro drivers.

All the USB connections are direct with the computers; not via an external hub.

andrew
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Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by andrew » Sat Oct 18, 2014 8:12 am

The pro micro is a little bit different from most other Arduino boards in that it doesn't have a dedicated chip to handle the USB interface, this is taken care of in software by the main device. Because of this when the board is reset as part of the normal programming process the USB interface software temperately stops executing and the USB port disappears from your PC whilst the bootloader reboots. Once the bootloader has booted up the USB port should reappear again and it sounds like this is the point something is going wrong. The fact that you see a COM port in the first place is a good sign as it means that your pro micros are running code ok and are able to communicate with your computer (initially at least). Although we cannot rule out a problem with both boards, you would have to be very unlucky for them to be both faulty so hopefully this is being caused by something more minor.

When you get the error message after attempting to program the the pro micro do you still see it in device manager? If so is it still listed as a pro micro and is it still the same COM port number as it was before you attempted to program it?
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RogerL
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by RogerL » Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:00 am

After I get the error message it still shows as a Pro Micro in Device Manager and when I check its Properties it says its working correctly. If I repeat the upload everything behaves as previously -- the red LED is on, the amber LED by I/O header 7 flashes, and after a few seconds I get the error message again.

When I go into Devices and Printers it lists the board as a Leonardo, although under its Properties->Hardware it lists Sparkfun Pro Micro in its Functions list along with its keyboard/mouse/USB functions. Is it normal for the Pro Micro board to be identified as a Leonardo?

Edit: I have just tried a different USB cable I borrowed from a friend and still no joy.

andrew
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Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by andrew » Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:51 am

Ok, I think I know what the issue is now. If you are seeing it as a Leonardo in devices and printers it would imply that at some point you inadvertently programmed them with the board type selected as Leonardo. This is easy to do and because of how the pro micro works will lock the board out and cause the exact problem you are seeing. The board will then have been programmed with the wrong serial port driver making it appear as a Leonardo. There is a fix for this although it is slightly fiddly. Program the board with the board type selected as the sparkfun pro micro but at the exact moment the Arduino IDE finishes compiling the program and starts to program the board, try resetting it. The fiddly bit is that the Pro micro doesn't have a rest button so you will need to carefully do this with a piece of wire by connecting it between GND and RST. The timing is a little critical so it may take a few goes. Also make sure you only briefly reset the board, don't hold it in reset for too long.
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RogerL
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by RogerL » Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:30 pm

I can assure you that at no point did I try to program either of the boards as a Leonardo. When I plugged the first one in it was immediately identified as a Leonardo in the devices list (as stated in my initial post). I loaded the Sparkfun Pro Micro driver and selected the Pro Micro in the boards list before I attempted to do any programming. After a few failed attempts I tried the second board. That came up as a Leonardo as well from the start.

However, I will try out the reset as you suggest and let you know how I get on.

RogerL
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by RogerL » Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:08 pm

OK, tried the resetting. Resetting the board manually causes the port description to change from a Pro Micro to a non-functioning Leonardo for a few seconds before returning to being a Pro Micro. I tried this several times at the point of upload and the Arduino IDE just hangs for several seconds before issuing the error:

Binary sketch size: 4,864 bytes (of a 28,672 byte maximum)
Found programmer: Id = "B©J"; type =
Software Version = . ; Hardware Version = .
avrdude: error: buffered memory access not supported. Maybe it isn't
a butterfly/AVR109 but a AVR910 device?


After trying this a few times I gave up and went back to trying a standard upload. The board now resets automatically on upload (it didn't before) and instead of getting the error message I used to get, I now get the same message (above) as when I manually reset. So, something has changed, maybe not for the better.

I have been reading the Sparkfun notes on reviving a bricked Pro Micro by doing a double reset and setting the COM address to the bootstrap COM address. (see https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/pr ... q#ts-reset) I tried doing this, but couldn't get beyond the first step as I never seem to get a different COM port listed as described (Tools->Serial Port is either COM9 or greyed out and I don't get a different COM port in Devices). I haven't got an AVR Programmer, so can't re-install the bootloader, which was the other Sparkfun suggestion.

andrew
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Re: Arduino Compatible Pro Micro (HCDVBD0013)

Post by andrew » Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:03 am

That is surprising to hear. I've got one set up now. When I plug it in windows reports it as a 'USB IO Board' in devices and printers. If I attempt to program it with he board type set as a Leonardo it will program OK but it is then reported as a 'Leonardo' in devices and printers. After that, with the board type reverted back to a Sparkfun Pro Micro it can no longer be programmed which sounds exactly like what you have been reporting. If I do the suggested reset right at the point the Arduino IDE attempts to program the board (just as the two LED's by the crystal blink) it will program fine again. One thing to note is that the COM port can change after this so you need to make sure you the correct one is selected in the IDE.

You do seem to have a functioning pro micro because you wouldn't be able to see a COM port at any point if this wasn't the case. Beyond this I can't think of anything else that could be causing this. If you are absolutely certain that you can't get the reset trick to work, and that you have the correct COM port selected whilst doing this, then only other thing I can suggest is to try uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers. Beyond this they may have to be returned back to us to see if we can get them working for you.
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