Downloading From Oceanic Data Plus 2?

[SpareGeek]

I have an Oceanic Data Plus 2 dive computer that I've had for years and it works perfectly. I've been using it with the original OceanLog 2.0.4.1 software that was made for the computer. The original software is windows only and does not have any data export option that I can find. The dive computer uses a Serial Port to connect with the desktop and an infrared transmitter/receiver to communicate with the dive computer. OceanLog stores all the dive information in an .MDB (access database) file type.

I've been using Mac computers for a long time now but I have to keep that one windows computer around for the dive computer. I'd like to be able to start using subsurface but I'm running into a few issues:

1) I can't seem to figure out how to get my existing data out of OceanLog 2.0.4.1 in order to import it into subsurface

2) Would it be possible to use a Serial to USB adaptor to connect the computer to my mac?

3) Can Subsurface download my dives from the Data Plus 2? (If this would work using the serial to USB interface, this would also solve issue # 1).

Does any one have any thoughts suggestions? 

Could the Data Plus 2 dive computer be added to the list of subsurface dive computers?

Thanks in advance!

[Linus Torvalds]

On Jun 19, 2017 4:08 AM, "SpareGeek" <spar...@gmail.com> wrote:

Could the Data Plus 2 dive computer be added to the list of subsurface dive computers?

I suspect you'll just have to test. It's quite possible that the Data Plus 2 ends up being just a variation of one of the existing oceanic backends, and it might just work if you download using the Pro Plus 2 choice, for example.

But there are a few different oceanic protocols, so you might need to try a few different versions. 

Using a USB to serial dongle should work, but there can be issues. I don't think most USB dongles do 12V for example, and some unusual devices might care. 

In other words, I think it's just more "test it - it probably works, but no guarantees"

     Linus

[SpareGeek]

I purchased a USB to Serial adaptor and tried downloading the DC. I tried every profile under the Oceanic computers and none of them worked.

I kept getting the error: 

Error

Unable to open /dev/tty.usbserial-AH05FWL9 Oceanic (Versa Pro)

I got that error with everyone of the profiles.

The Data Plus 2 computer uses an infrared sensor that fits over the front of DC. It interfaces with the IR lenses between the two buttons.

Any other ideas to try?

-Sparegeek

[Linus Torvalds]

On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 9:47 PM, SpareGeek <spar...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I purchased a USB to Serial adaptor and tried downloading the DC. I tried
> every profile under the Oceanic computers and none of them worked.

Very annoying. It might be something really trivial, or something
really fundamental, but it's hard to tell.

> I kept getting the error:
>
> Error
>
> Unable to open /dev/tty.usbserial-AH05FWL9 Oceanic (Versa Pro)

We've fixed some of the really misleading errors recently, but our
error reporting when things go wrong is still not great, so it's hard
to tell at what stage things went south.

But it's possible that the IR thing needs some very specific setup to
really work, and there's not even a hint of documentation online.

Some divecomputer interfacing hardware has things like status lights
that light up when they are in the right mode. I assume the
serial-to-IR thing doesn't have anything like that? Is there any
indication that anything is happening at all?

Linus

[Dirk Hohndel]

> On Jul 1, 2017, at 9:02 AM, Linus Torvalds <torv...@linux-foundation.org> wrote:
>
> On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 9:47 PM, SpareGeek <spar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I purchased a USB to Serial adaptor and tried downloading the DC. I tried
>> every profile under the Oceanic computers and none of them worked.
>
> Very annoying. It might be something really trivial, or something
> really fundamental, but it's hard to tell.
>
>> I kept getting the error:
>>
>> Error
>>
>> Unable to open /dev/tty.usbserial-AH05FWL9 Oceanic (Versa Pro)
>
> We've fixed some of the really misleading errors recently, but our
> error reporting when things go wrong is still not great, so it's hard
> to tell at what stage things went south.
>
> But it's possible that the IR thing needs some very specific setup to
> really work, and there's not even a hint of documentation online.

That device name makes me think that you are on a Mac.
I seem to remember that macOS has no support for IRDA - I wonder
if that is part of what's getting us. I don't know enough about how
these adapters work and what protocol stack is needed to make things
play nicely...

/D

[Linus Torvalds]

On Sat, Jul 1, 2017 at 10:18 AM, Dirk Hohndel <di...@hohndel.org> wrote:
>
> That device name makes me think that you are on a Mac.
> I seem to remember that macOS has no support for IRDA - I wonder
> if that is part of what's getting us. I don't know enough about how
> these adapters work and what protocol stack is needed to make things
> play nicely...

I don't think the Oceanic infrared is IrDA - I think only Uwatec did that.

Afaik, the Oceanic infrared is literally just "serial over infrared"
without any of the IrDA nonsense or complexity.

However, it may be a fairly custom serial thing. When I looked for
Oceanic information, I also found references to a version that was
connected to the parallel port and where the Oceanic Log software was
bit-banging the parallel port hardware directly (very traditional DOS
thing to do, it used to be one of the simpler interfaces out here).

Linus

[SpareGeek]

Yes, I'm currently using a Mac. I was hoping the USB to Serial with Subsurface would allow me to get the dives off the computer and keep using it with Subsurface on my Mac.

I'm Using the Starch.com USB to Serial Adaptor. Part # ICUSB2321F - There aren't any status lights on it, there was a MacOS driver that came with it and the system does seem to recognize the serial port when it's plugged in. I can see the device in the system report.

I currently have the Original Oceanic OceanLog Software CD and the serial sync adaptor that I received when I bought the DC.

The software is horrible, there isn't even an export function that allows me to export the the current dives I have in software on my one remaining ancient PC computer. The original software is running on XP.