V5.6 software

[Ernie Hatt]

Hi Maurice, hope things are well with you.

I designed and rebuilt the CameraAxe v5 some years ago, still have one up and running, but I have two that I built but had no spare Arduino's at the time for them, which I now have, would like the software for them, any links where I can download them.

I found copies of 5.2 and 5.3 but I am getting lots of compiling errors.. Hope you can help, and that your business is looking up.  Ernie

[Dan Lenardon]

Happy Holidays, Ernie,

In case Maurice doesn't have an established place for the latest/last production version of CA5 software, I looked at my files and I have 5.6 beta 11.  From dates in the files, it looks like I updated something in March 2016, and I think that was the version that made it into production (but not sure).  I haven't tried to compile it in a long time, and I wouldn't be surprised if the current Arduino IDE will flag some compile errors.  I ran into some when working on a different Arduino/ESP8266 project and had to update declarations to satisfy the new compiler-IDE.  I will also want to bring my CA5 up to date and reload it for various reasons, so I'll work with you on it.  If it's OK with Maurice, I can post a zipped copy of 5.6b11 here.

Dan

[Ernie Hatt]

Hi Dan same to you on the good wishes.

I would appreciate any help you can afford me, as Maurice will vouch software has always been my week point.. cheers Ernie

[Dan Lenardon]

It turned out that v5.6b11 did compile successfully using the latest Arduino IDE (1.8.10) with no errors, and I uploaded it to my CA5.  Seems to work, but I only ran a couple of simple tests.  I'll attach it here, but we can move or remove it if Maurice wants.  Hopefully this will work for you, Ernie.

Dan

[Ernie Hatt]

Thanks Dan, much appreciated, can't try it yet the only spare arduino I have is an old Duemilanove the file is to big for it, so will pick up a uno on Friday, let you know how it goes. Cheers Ernie

[Ernie Hatt]

Dan Problems, tried to load the file, in Arduino 1.8 it did compile but with errors, only part of the sensor screen showed up.

So tried it with Arduino 5.8 and it compiled OK, but with problems, none of the switches worked iexcept the Activate switch, it did change to photo mode.

I then uploaded CameraAxe version 2, but had the same problem. Any ideas as to what is wrong would be most helpful and appreciated. it is the shield I am using.

I no longer have a circuit diagram for it, is there one still available.  Cheers Ernie

Edit.  I found the Circuit Diagram.For a start I will go through and check solder joints, there are a few that look a bit sus.

[Nathan]

Hi.. I recently completed a shield kit that I bought quite a few years ago.. I have an Arduino r3 clone. Should this work with the kit? I’ve copied the program to the Arduino platform.. but there are quite a few errors coming up. I’m ok with the building but rather hopeless on the programming side... I thought perhaps there is a compatibility issue with the program and the updated platform? not sure what to do next.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I tried what you have posted here but it still seems to be the same...

[Nathan]

Not sure why that's blue either..

[Maurice]

It shouldn't be the hardware that causes compile errors.  It is possible that the software has broken backwards compatibility.  They have done this in the past and I have not been following Arduino changes lately.  The top of the software probably lists a version of the arduino software I used to build it.  They used to allow you to download old versions so if they still do that maybe try with the old version of the software.  If you are still getting errors after that it is probably that you don't have the libraries in the correct place.

[Dan Lenardon]

Nathan,

I re-checked just now that the CameraAxe v 5.6b11 posted above DOES compile with NO errors using Arduino IDE 1.8.12 (the latest from the Arduino web site).  As Maurice says, be sure that you have copied the DogmCA library into the Arduino\library folder.  The version posted above is the one that I updated to work with most of the recent Arduino IDE versions.

Dan

[Paul Purdom]

I too had this issue when I had the 5.6 software on the desktop and as soon as I placed it in the Arduino folder at the proper path it worked fine.

Hi Dan, could you please share your diagram/schematic of the Camera Axe 5 improved lightning trigger with the Vishay TEPT-4400 photo diode. I'm trying to re-create to use in a sensor to other lightning triggers and do a test of lightning triggers that have been made (currently and in the past) to share with photographers so they can have some idea of which triggers will work for daylight lightning. Your sensor would be an attempt to show if you had a poor lightning trigger, could you improve by using an aux input rather than the sensor it came with. I would also plan to share my results with my camera club in Orange County, CA. 

Thanks,

Paul 

[Nathan]

Ok, cool. Thanks.

Just to be clear.. is that Arduino/contents/Java/libraries.  ? 

That's the only Library folder I can see..

Thanks for your patience.

[Dan Lenardon]

Nope, on a PC, the default location is Documents\Arduino\Library\

Paul, I'll dig up the schematic and pictures later today.  I had once wanted to try to test different lightning triggers, too, but never got around to it.  I can also share the test setup I used for verifying the snoot effectiveness.  Later.

Dan

[Dan Lenardon]

Here is the schematic ans some pictures of the latest CA5 version of the light / lightning sensor.  I also attached a pic of how I used a flash far away at low power to simulate lightning for testing.

Dan

[Paul Purdom]

Thanks Dan,

For lightning triggers I have to test

Lightning Stepper IV, Nero, Patch Master, AEO, StrikeFinder (several of older version), Camera AXE 5 AND 6 if i get the CA6 together and going including some case to protect.

I'll update when I have any results. Here in Southern California we hardly ever get any Lightning so I'll be waiting for a good Monsoon in Arizona.

Paul

[Nathan]

Ok. I'm on a Mac.. I definitely don't have Documents/arduino/Library.

[Paul Purdom]

Hi Nathan,

Its been a long time since I did tech support on macs (they were so simplified that they were a pain in the back).  I looked up online suggestions

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Locate your Sketchbook Folder and the Libraries Folder Inside

Your sketchbook folder is the folder where the Arduino IDE stores your sketches. This folder is automatically created by the IDE when you install it.

On Linux machines, the folder is named "Sketchbook" and it is typically located in /home/

On Windows and Macintosh machines, the default name of the folder is "Arduino" and is located in your Documents folder.

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I would try to create the folders in the right places or search for them and move them into the right place. But, first I would make sure I imported the libraries from the arduino ide application.

That will allow the Arduino IDE to know they exist..

https://www.arduino.cc/en/guide/libraries    for guidance on manually importing libraries.

[Nathan]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for that, it put me on the right path.. so on OSX, the default place for the sketchbook (Just calledLibraries) is:  /Users/<username>/documents/Arduino/.

So I've now placed DogmCa into that folder.

I can see it in the contributed Libraries section of the sketch>include library menu.

However I am still getting errors when I click upload.

[Nathan]

This is the first line in the error:

cameraAxe:127:15: error: 'prog_char' does not name a type; did you mean 'putchar'?

 PROGMEM const prog_char _tx_releaseButtons[]     = "Release buttons";

[Nathan]

Ok, sorry for being a pain..

I can't even load the blink program. I think my next step will be to determine if I have a hardware issue..?

If I try to retrieve board info, it says: Native serial port, can't obtain info. 

I am currently searching for info on this..

[Dan Lenardon]

Nathan,

I'm not sure what code you are trying to run, but the current version -- v 5.6b11, which is available as a zip file in my post above dated 12/3/2019 -- does not have "prog_char" declarations.  And the line number for the _tx_releaseButtons[] declarations is actually line 139.  I suggest that you re-download the zip file from my earlier post.  Those were some of the changes that were needed to comply with the current Arduino IDE syntax checks.

[Dan Lenardon]

while I have never seen the "Native serial port" message, I recall that the Arduino IDE does load some USB drivers (at least on Windows) that are used to properly communicate to the boards.  Maybe those drivers didn't load correctly?  Could it be the case that you have more than one COM port visible in the "ports" pick and you could try a different one?

[Nathan]

Oh my goodness, I was opening the wrong cameraxe.ino. 

It loads into the ide fine and verifies, now I have this error when uploading: vrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding

[Paul Purdom]

error when uploading: vrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding 

I believe is is due to the IDE not being able to connect to the Arduino device...Either the USB cable is slightly disconnected or you have picked a different type of Arduino in the IDE compared what which one you actually physically have.

I think I had a similiar error yesterday when I was working on the 3 stepper motor driver pcb and tested a 3 axis CNC shield and had the battery leads touch on the shield (frying it) and I could then only connect to the uno but not with the shield on the uno.

Hope this helps,

Paul

[Nathan]

Yep, I think you're right, I'll get a new usb cable tomorrow to try that. I'm using an Arduino uno R3 clone.

Hopefully it'll just be my cable.

[Nathan]

Hi Guys, 

A quick update. I just picked up a new Arduino R3 and plugged it in, clicked get board info and it came straight up.

Uploaded the program and voilà. 

Yay!

Thanks for all your help!

next step.. make some sensors..

Cheers.