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AVR Dragon: What's in the box

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HarveyH42

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The Dragon was just delivered. The contents of the box a little discouraging.

The USB port isn't the same as my PC or any cable I remember owning. Might be the old version, I attached some pictures.

There are absolutely no cables or connectors or IC sockets included, just header pins.

No software, or paper documentation of any kind.

Basically, the box contains a minimal board. This is going to take me a little while to get going.

The documentation is suppose to be in the AVR Studio help files. I've yet to figure out how to access them. The are on my hard drive, they do have size, with a '.cbm' extension. Since this is the source of technical stuff for the Dragon, will have to put more effort into getting them open.
 

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No problem - that's a standard USB connector. You can get cables at most big-box stores but watch out for ridiculous costs - I've seen them for as much as $30. One end is the flat style you are familiar with and the other is that wierd shape. With out trying hard you can find one for a bit over $10. I'm surprised they didn't use the mini-USB connector.

check out this thread at avrfreaks - https://www.avrfreaks.net/index.php?module=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=39896

I think there are more discussions as well.
 
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Looks like all my USB cables? DOCs in the software, same as Microchip. Hope they send the header wiring, if so you should be good. What is a dragon? Like ICD2 or JTAG?
 
dragon is a $50 JTAG adaptor that also supports debugwire - Atmels single wire programmer/debug interface.
 
Think I found the USB cable at All Electronics (USB A to B) for $3.50...
Had much trouble getting signed up with AVRFreaks, but finally made it through yesterday. That thread didn't give much for specs, but will go back later (tomorrow) and get involved.

Just uninstalled AVR Studio, going to reboot and reinstall. The help files are .CHM, hoping they got messed up when I applied the service pack 4 upgrade.

Will keep updating my progress, maybe it will help others getting started.
 
That's why I'm sticking to Freescale's HCS08 family.

I bought a debugger for $49 from Witztronics.com.

The Codewarrior tools are FREE (including c compiler).

I'm writing C code with professional tools for <$50.

Just my two cents.

uCTechnoGeek
 
I'll put your two cents in the fish bowl with the rest of the pennies...

Well, looks like the problem is my computer. Search my HD for *.CHM files, and found quite a few. Couldn't open any of them, and got the same error message. So went to the Microsucks website, seems they decided that executiable-compressed-HTML-help files are a security risk. So, guessing that one of their late-night updates sodimized my computer. They gave a couple of work arounds involving screwing around with the registery. Kind of funny, the cautions, warnings, '..take no responsiablity..' stuff was considerably more in depth.

Wondering how long ago they crippled my computer. I'm not a huge reader of the Help menu, mostly when I can't find something myself (where'd they hide the function).

So, guessing I'll either have to find an alternate way of opening these files, or wait until somebody puts up an uncompressed version. I tried everything I've got installed, so need to do some searching for a utility.
 
There was a CHM encoder (that will decod them).. I get CHM files and read them all the time at work. So I have to wonder if acrobat reader or something will read them. Do not have one to click to see what opens it here at home. If you want to email me one I can try it. PM me.
 
I just went to my studio help directory (Program Files\Atmel\AVR Tools\Help) and double clicked on the chm files there. They open just fine. .chm is associated with \WINNT\HH.exe (calls itself html help) on my dev machine running win2K.

I suspect that your file associations got munged somewhere along the line. double click the .chm file and look for hh. It may not have been microsoft that did it. If you installed a program that took the extension and the you removed the program, it may not have fixed the problem.

Phil
 
I've got Windoz XP Home ed. Searched for hh.exe, don't seem to have that file. I did get a bunch of chm files with that name though (couldn't open them, but no error either). I'll attach that chm file for the Dragon, shouldn't be a waste of space as it suppose to contain all the released info.
 
Forgot I couldn't attach a quick-reply. If anybody can convert this to a PDF or most anything else it would help a great deal, since this seems to be the one and only source of information. Won't know where to hook up the wires (or what wires and connectors). Still got to fix this help thing. Apparently all apps using this type of help is effected, must be some sort of driver type thing. Will go back to Microsofts site and see if I can find something useful this time.
 

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Philba, you can send him the hh.exe, it is probably standalone code. But I did see abcchm and that other one last night.. No reason to convert them to PDF, just load a CHM reader on the machine.
 
since it's a copyrighted program, I'd really rather not. however,I posted a link to a chm to pdf converter he can use.
 
Well, tried a bunch of things today, thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately no success. I still get the same error message (attached screen capture).

ABC Amber says it loads it successfully, but doesn't display anything, and reports nothing to export.

Help Workshop wouldn't open it (same error).

Internet Explorer 7... useless.

Tomorrow I'm going to dig out my VB6 CD and install it. Maybe that or FrontPage will do something.
 

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If you are sure it is part of windows xp and owns windows xp ? But either way. If it was part of windows xp it will be on home and pro.
 
Did it install the software in c:\Disk on your hard drive? Can you remove all the text before the c:\Disk part? Is there a CD you need in the machine to see the files.

I will pull the zip before I retire and try them.
 
mramos1 said:
Did it install the software in c:\Disk on your hard drive? Can you remove all the text before the c:\Disk part? Is there a CD you need in the machine to see the files.

I will pull the zip before I retire and try them.


Actually AVR Studio is installed in \Program Files on my C: drive. No CD, its a free download from Atmel. I just copy/pasted it to \disk in the root to save time (quite a few sub-folders to click). The text before the c:\disk is from the help file utility (windows, so I must have something). I get the same error message from several viewers I downloaded (free trials). Guessing these programs are just adding a GUI to something that Windows already does, what $30 dollar scam...

I think my first thoughts on this problem was correct, a windows security update screwed me up. I very rarely use the help, and no reason to mess with it. It's a 5-6 year old computer, guess it's time for a new one. Doing a complete backup and reinstall would really suck. Windows would tie up my dial-up internet for weeks with updates. Was sort of thinking of getting a fast computer with my tax return, but that'll be several months away.

My chips haven't arrived yet, figured they would have been here this week. Doesn't matter, still need cables and connectors. The AVR Dragon has only been shipping for about 2 months now, so not much support yet.
 
hh.exe is in my \Windows folder, and still can't open any .CHM file on my computer, even the ones in programs that came with Windows XP. I some reference to ActiveX having something to do with Help files, but didn't pay close enough attention. Was thinking ActiveX was a web browser thing, but guess its used for other stuff. Spent some time looking through a bunch of windows stuff trying to find ActiveX controls or settings as related to windows xp, maybe enable/disable or security options. No luck so far, but there must be something.

Wonder if Microsoft cripples older computers at random, forcing the users to go through aggrivating crap like this, and eventually giving up and upgrading.
I don't remember going more than 5 years, without running to compatibility problems and having to move up. I've got Windows 3.11, Windows for Workgroups. Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows XP... Isn't there a new one coming out soon?
 
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