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Radian software/Win7 wedges if you hot swap programming connector

Discussion in 'Radian' started by Andy Johnson-Laird, Sep 18, 2012.

  1. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    It seems as though if you have the Radian Software 1.0 up and running with the programming cable connected to one Radian, and you want to connect up to another Radian, that the USB connection wedges when you disconnect and reconnect.

    Caution: I'm running Win7 under Bootcamp on a Mac using the FTDI drivers, so perhaps that is the cause of the problem.

    Workaround for the wedgie: Power off gimbal/Radians, restart Windows 7, and disembowel a goat. OK, OK, that last bit was just for conversational effect. I don't own any goats, but it could explain why the guy that did was so upset. ;) And there I was thinking that the USB spec calls for devices to be hot-swappable.

    I think the best strategy to avoid said wedgie is to kill the Radian software, then move the programming connector to the new Radian. Do NOT unplug the USB port and plug it back in otherwise Win7 will sagely inform you that it's "installing a software driver" followed shortly by a message that the driver (whatever it was for) has failed to install.

    Hope this helps someone trying to do the same thing as I was.
    Andy
     
  2. Jim Swanson

    Jim Swanson Member

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    Andy,
    First, I love your DVD set on how to build a Cinestar. Even though mine was RFT, I've learned a lot about Cinestar parts and "how things work".

    Now, can you explain the term "wedge".
    It seems bad, but I'm not sure what it means.

    jim
     
  3. Joe Azzarelli

    Joe Azzarelli Active Member

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    Andy
    I am using Win7 (well, on my mac using Parallels) and have no, er, wedgies. Most of the time I am successful in moving the programming cable from one module to the other while hot. Seems I need to wait a few seconds before trying to read the module or I get a read error.
    When it does fail, a recycle of the radian power fixes things. Have never had to restart win7 or mac.
    Joe
     
  4. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Jim:

    Thanks for the kind words regarding the DVD set.

    "Wedge" is a term of art used in the computer software business. When a computer program appears to just stop (not crash or blue screen your machine), then we say it has wedged, or hung. Of course, with modern computers that are multi-tasking the program doesn't actually stop -- it might rescind control the operating system while it is waiting for something, or (as I suspect happens here), it makes a call to the USB drivers to check for incoming data, and the driver never indicates that there is any, so the program repeats the request and so on infinitum. Synonyms for wedge are hang, wait, dynamic loop (older term) or "WTF is that program doing?" ;)

    Of course, I used the word "wedge" and "wedgie" interchangeably for (I hope) humorous effect. I'll leave you to Google "wedgie" if you don't know what that is.

    Thanks
    Andy.
     
  5. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Interesting, Joe. The "wait a few seconds" suggests a timeout - which I do see if I try and "Read" from a Radian sensor -- suggesting that the USB driver has got its knickers in a twist (another synonym for wedgie, I suppose?) ;)

    I tried power cycling the Radians, but it didn't seem to help. I think the FTDI/USB drivers are a little fragile...or it's PEBKAC.

    (Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair: The explanation for many, many Bad Things that happen with computers.)

    Andy.
     

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