Troubleshooting

[zachtheterrible]

I have the p16pro40 breadboarded and I've checked the whole circuit over about 3 times. Everything is perfect! I can't get anything to happen though.

The two red LEDs are on and the green one is not. Nothing changes when I start the Winpicprog on my computer. I'm using my regulated power supply that is currently putting out 17.7V, I can change that voltage if needed. The powersupply says that the circuit is consuming about 80mA.

Whenever I start the programmer it says Port: none. Which obviously means it's not seeing my programmer.

Am I supposed to do something with the DLportIO program?

Very lost here, if someone could help me troubleshoot I'd be very grateful :lol:

EDIT: When I turned my PSU off and on, the green LED came back on, so all the LEDs are on now.

 

[williB]

Is 17.7 V too high ?
what does the programmer call for?

 

[zachtheterrible]

It can be anywhere from 16 to 30vdc.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I have the p16pro40 breadboarded and I've checked the whole circuit over about 3 times. Everything is perfect! I can't get anything to happen though.

The two red LEDs are on and the green one is not. Nothing changes when I start the Winpicprog on my computer. I'm using my regulated power supply that is currently putting out 17.7V, I can change that voltage if needed. The powersupply says that the circuit is consuming about 80mA.

Whenever I start the programmer it says Port: none. Which obviously means it's not seeing my programmer.

If it doesn't find the programmer during power up, then all external operations are disabled.

Am I supposed to do something with the DLportIO program?

Simple install it before WinPicprog - I presume you've done this?, or WinPicProg aborts with an error message.

Very lost here, if someone could help me troubleshoot I'd be very grateful :lol:

EDIT: When I turned my PSU off and on, the green LED came back on, so all the LEDs are on now.

You need to configure WinPicProg correctly, there are two preset settings for the P16PRO40, one for each buffer IC type, make sure you have the correct one selected.

From the hardware page you can manually select the port, and toggle the output lines, in this way you can do tests with a simple voltmeter (or even the LED's).

 

[mstechca]

check the hardware.

If you made it yourself, then it is most likely incompatible with the program.

 

[Joel Rainville]

check the hardware.

If you made it yourself, then it is most likely incompatible with the program.

The P16Pro40 is supported by WinPicProg, and the OP said that he verified his connections 3 times... Assuming he is right, the problem looks like it is in the communication between the PC and the hardware, especially the correct installation of the DLPortIO DLL, as suggested by Nigel.

 

[zachtheterrible]

Funny, now only one red LED is on, and the other red one comes on whenever i unplug the cable. The green doesn't want to come on.

I'm using a 7406 and I set the hardware settings to that.

Nigel, what do you mean by all the external operations are disabled?

I wish I knew more about this. I'll check everything with a voltmeter when I get some time.

Oh yeah, and should I have auto program selected?

 

[Someone Electro]

Unistall any drivers that use the LPT port like Printers,Scaners....

They are known to mess up.

Also test it whith your voltmeter.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Funny, now only one red LED is on, and the other red one comes on whenever i unplug the cable. The green doesn't want to come on.

I'm using a 7406 and I set the hardware settings to that.

Nigel, what do you mean by all the external operations are disabled?

If auto-detect doesn't find a programmer, then the programmer buttons that require a programmer (like read and write) are disabled.

I wish I knew more about this. I'll check everything with a voltmeter when I get some time.

Oh yeah, and should I have auto program selected?

You should have at least initially, to give it a chance to find the programmer. All it does is try each of the three standard port addresses in turn, and switch the data output line HIGH and LOW, whilst checking for the corresponding change on the data input line

 

[zachtheterrible]

Yes, the read and write buttons are disabled.

I'm beginning to think that the problem has nothing to do with my programmer. The reason I say this is that in the hardware settings, if I chang stuff around and turn things on/off high/low, I can't get the state of any of the 3 LEDs to change.

One of the red LEDs will turn on when I reboot the computer, but when I open winpicprog, it turns off.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Yes, the read and write buttons are disabled.

I'm beginning to think that the problem has nothing to do with my programmer. The reason I say this is that in the hardware settings, if I chang stuff around and turn things on/off high/low, I can't get the state of any of the 3 LEDs to change.

One of the red LEDs will turn on when I reboot the computer, but when I open winpicprog, it turns off.

For a start:

1) Check the address of your parallel port in Windows.

2) On the hardware screen, manually set the address to that, mine is actually set to $278.

3) For a P16PRO40. Vdd should be set to D2, and for a 7407 (like mine) is set to INVERT (a 7406 won't be set to INVERT).

4) Pressing the Vdd toggle button should turn the green LED ON and OFF, the label on the button changes accordingly - ON should be the LED ON, and OFF should be the LED OFF.

The Vpp and Vpp40 buttons should work the same for the Red and Yellow LED's resoectively.

If this doesn't work, try measuring the voltages on the actual parallel port pins, they should switch between 0V and 5V as you toggle the buttons.

 

[zachtheterrible]

Alright, I'm excited to say that I did get somewhere. I got the two red LEDs to flash. I found out that my port is $378.

It still won't recognize my programmer. Do I have to have a PIC in the programmer in order for winpicpro to recognize it?

Also, I don't get how pressing the vdd toggle button will turn the green LED on and off. On the schematic, the green LED is wired straight from vpp to ground. Also, when the two red LEDs are on, the green one turns off. I guess this is because there is insufficient current to feed them all?

I also tested the voltages on the port and got each pin to change voltage by toggling the buttons.

One thing I'm a bit conerned about is this: Whenever I restart the program and go to the hardware page, it is on the wrong port address. I'm wondering if this is having something to do with it?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Alright, I'm excited to say that I did get somewhere. I got the two red LEDs to flash. I found out that my port is $378.

It still won't recognize my programmer. Do I have to have a PIC in the programmer in order for winpicpro to recognize it?

No.

Also, I don't get how pressing the vdd toggle button will turn the green LED on and off. On the schematic, the green LED is wired straight from vpp to ground. Also, when the two red LEDs are on, the green one turns off. I guess this is because there is insufficient current to feed them all?

I suppose it depends which colour LED you've got where 8)

I also tested the voltages on the port and got each pin to change voltage by toggling the buttons.

One thing I'm a bit conerned about is this: Whenever I restart the program and go to the hardware page, it is on the wrong port address. I'm wondering if this is having something to do with it?

If it's set to auto-detect the programmer, then it will overwrite your manual setting.

Try this:

Set to the correct address.
Turn Vdd ON.
Toggle the Data Output line - the Data Input line should follow suit, if it doesn't you have a fault somewhere, which should be easy to fault find.

 

[zachtheterrible]

I hope it's an easy fault to find because I did what you said and it didn't work Nigel.
I even rebuilt the entire circuit with the same results.

Is there a possibility that I could've wrecked the buffer somehow? I was reading someone's page on the p16pro40 on the net and they said not to turn the computer off with the programmer on. I've done that numerous times.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I hope it's an easy fault to find because I did what you said and it didn't work Nigel.
I even rebuilt the entire circuit with the same results.

Rather than blindly rebuilding, try fault finding!, the manual toggle buttons make it simple. The entire design is simple to understand, the outputs from the PC can be switched either HIGH or LOW with the buttons, and all tested with a simple meter - do this on the port pins, and on the output of the buffer IC. There's only ONE input back to the PC, and as this is connected to the data output line, it should toggle along with the data output, again simple voltmeter checks are all you need.

Is there a possibility that I could've wrecked the buffer somehow? I was reading someone's page on the p16pro40 on the net and they said not to turn the computer off with the programmer on. I've done that numerous times.

Biggest problem with any parallel port work is killing the port, as they are now part of the motherboard it's bad news!.

 

[eblc1388]

Is there a possibility that I could've wrecked the buffer somehow?

You can test the 7406 easily. Remove the TTL IC from the existing circuit and place it on an unpopulated part of breadboard.

Power up 7406 and connect the LED to the output of each buffer. The LED should light up.

Short the input of the buffer to 0V. The LED should go off. The buffer is then good.

Test all six buffers. the pinouts are in the datasheet.

 

[senthil_var2000]

what is use of dllport

the program winpicprog 1.9 which come with a dll port software wher to use it and how to use it. do it have any link with the winpic prog 1.9 software if what is it

 

[zachtheterrible]

Took a little vacation from this project to pursue other things but I'm back to it.

Try this:

Set to the correct address.
Turn Vdd ON.
Toggle the Data Output line - the Data Input line should follow suit, if it doesn't you have a fault somewhere, which should be easy to fault find.

Nigel, I did exactly that and it did not work. The output of the p16pro40 DOES follow suite when I watch it with a voltmeter. It doesn't show up on winpicprog though.

I have also checked everything with a voltmeter to see if it's working and everything toggles when I switch it on the hardware window. That also leads me to believe that my buffers are fine as well.

I'm sure that my parallel port is fine because I have a laser printer hooked up to it when I'm not trying to program and the printer works perfectly.

I'm stumped! :lol:

 

[Someone Electro]

It checks if the programer is conected by making the data go high and low,if the data in folows that the software considers the programer conected.It also thuns all the other stuff(Vdd,Vpp,clock) high low to find you if there are any shorts.So check that.

Check the outputs on the LPT port whith the meter.(Or just conect LEDs to it.)If they dont change as they shood wen you set the outputs manualy then its an software problem.(A lot of programers have an programer test where you can set it all maunaly)

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Took a little vacation from this project to pursue other things but I'm back to it.

Try this:

Set to the correct address.
Turn Vdd ON.
Toggle the Data Output line - the Data Input line should follow suit, if it doesn't you have a fault somewhere, which should be easy to fault find.

Nigel, I did exactly that and it did not work. The output of the p16pro40 DOES follow suite when I watch it with a voltmeter. It doesn't show up on winpicprog though.

I have also checked everything with a voltmeter to see if it's working and everything toggles when I switch it on the hardware window. That also leads me to believe that my buffers are fine as well.

I'm sure that my parallel port is fine because I have a laser printer hooked up to it when I'm not trying to program and the printer works perfectly.

If it's going LOW and HIGH at the output of the buffer, that doesn't mean it's doing so on the printer port pins! - check back and confirm that the CORRECT pin on the port is toggling, you may have a faulty lead, or have it wired wrong.