Problem uploading program to my ZX24ae

[spamiam]

I asked over at OakMicros, and Mike was stumped and referred me here.

I have a problem loading programs onto my workhorse ZX24ae. I have been using the ZX24n for a while and went to download a program to the ZX24ae for the first time in a while. Previously it had been working fine.

I recently did a VM update which went fine. No errors.

I get this error when I go to download the program to the ZX

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ZX24ae v2.5 0000,0000
Downloading file "F:\Program Files\ZBasic\Stepper\Stepper.zxb":
.No response to firmware version check.  Please update your firmware.
ZBasic v2.5

I verified that I am compiling for the correct target device. The ZX24ae is fitted with a FRAM instead of an EEPROM, so I doubt that I exceeded the lifetime of the program memory.

Ideas on what to do would be appreciated. I can do whatever diagnostic checks might be necessary.

-Tony

[dkinzer]

Ideas on what to do would be appreciated. I can do whatever diagnostic checks might be necessary.

I assume that your previous download attempts were using the IDE. If so, try downloading using the zload utility.

Also, in the IDE, open the Device Options dialog via the Options menu. In the top left corner of that dialog there is a button with the caption "Identify Device". When you click this button the IDE sends an identification request to the device and displays the response to the right of the caption "Connected Device" near the aforementioned button. If that results in proper identification response then the device is working as it should.

I'd like to figure out the source of the problem but you can work around it by adding the option --no-add-target early in the .pjt file. This will cause the compiler to not add the target identification information to the .zxb file. When you download the .zxb, since the lack of target identification information will cause the downloader to skip the target identification process.

[spamiam]

In Device Options, the "Connected Device: does show up accurately, but I get this in the Output Window:

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No response from device, record 1.
ZBasic v2.5

I placed the --no-add-target in the .pjt file at the top, but I still get the error saying No response to firmware version check. Please update your firmware. when I try to download thru the IDE.

The Test Program I am using is:

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Option Explicit
Option TargetCPU ZX24ae

Sub Main()

Dim A as Byte
Dim B as Byte = 10
Dim C as Byte = 0

For A = 1 to B
	C= C+ 1
Next 'A

Debug.print C

End Sub

When I used zload from the directory with the test.zxb file using the command:

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..\zload -c1 -m test.zxb

I get the same error:

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No response to firmware version check.  Please update your firmware.

[dkinzer]

No response to firmware version check. Please update your firmware.

I gave you the wrong band-aid. The previously mentioned option prevents the target identification from being added. On the other hand, --no-firmware-version prevents the minimum VM version designation from being added so it will skip that check.

Can you download successfully using the zload utility (after compiling without either of the special options in the .pjt file)?

Was the device acting similarly before you updated the VM? If not, does it properly respond if you re-install the previous VM version?

What are the version numbers of the two VM versions and what is the version number of the IDE?

[spamiam]

Well, I added the new project file switch and it still failed both in zload and in the IDE. Zload still complained about the firmware version check.

Here is what the IDE said:

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ZX24ae v2.5.1 0000,0000
Downloading file "F:\Program Files\ZBasic\TEMP\Test.zxb":
.No response from device, record 2.
ZBasic v2.5.1

ZLoad says: "no response from device, record 1"

with a project file that looks like this:

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--no-firmware-version
Test.bas

I have been using VM 2.5.1 and 2.5.0 for the ZX24ae. I am using the newest versions of zload and zbasic IDE.

Zload has a date of 6/16/08

The IDE info is v1.4.4, and it says the compiler is v2.5.7

I did not have this problem "before" the last time I used the zx24ae, but I had not programmed the zx24ae for a while as I have been using the zx24n recently. I suppose something could have happened to it electrically, but the firmware updates seem to go without a hitch at this time. No errors reported and the LEDs seem to flash appropriately.

This is ODD!

-Tony