First time user ...not going so well

#1

I need some help please.

Here is what I have done so far;

  1. Built Robot Tank from the starter kit.
  2. Installed mBlock.
  3. Installed USB driver.
  4. Ran firmware update.

With this my son and I were able to use the blue tooth IOS app and drive the tank.

I was puzzled why the distance sensor on port 3 was not reading, and we swithced ports and reconfigured it in the app to show the correct port…still no luck.

I then saw that maybe I needed the Arduino program, so I installed it.

Tried uploading the Ultrasonic car from the library but no joy, upload failed.

Now I have a tank that does nothing and just beeps.

I tried a nbew firmware update but that did not fix the issue and its not giving me an option to Restore Default Program.

I’m totally stuck please help if you can, I’m trying to at least get the tank working with the sensor.

#2

Just solid beeping even after total uninstall and reinstall.

10 yr old son very frustrated.

Help please

#3

Usually what works to get your board back in default modes is to use mblocks and flash the board with a firmware update from within mblocks.
It does the trick for me for my mBots and Ultimate Kit.
It’s at least worth a try.
:slightly_smiling:

#4

When uploading a sketch or the “firmware” (in fact just another sketch) to the bot, you need to disconnect the Bluetooth module. Just unplug the cable and plug it in again, after the upload finished. If this does not help, please post the exact errormessage.

#5

And to stop the bot beeping, use the tiny white switch at the board :-).
Also, please use the search function in the forum. These things have been discussed quite often here.

#6

Thanks for the responses so far.

I will try again later this week when I get back from my travels.

I guess I am a little frustrated that even accessing such basic functionality relies on forums and forum searching. If firmware updates require the BT module to be disconnected why don’t the instructions mention this?

Maybe I missed that on the Makeblock site.

#7

I’ve never disconnected the bluetooth module before.
So that’s new for me.
But I’ll give it a try and see if it makes a difference.
It could be related to the new firmware that they are currently implementing.
But I don’t have any reference the stack that ‘claim’

#8

I should probably be more precise here: If you want to upload anything through USB connection you need to disconnect the bluetooth module, otherwise arduino IDE throws an error. After upload of the sketch is finished you can reconnect and use BT.

#9

Without the proper libraries the program may not run. Many call the Makeblock Library not included with the MBlock program (go figure), or do not call Makeblock but generic Arduino Libs.

Check out this link for uploading the Makeblock Libraries:

Libraries and IR_Control

The Arduino file menu has several examples you can try.

Examples.jpg764x805 150 KB

The Arduino examples do not have Makeblock library includes, you have to get to the bottom of examples to get the Makeblock stuff.

#10

Thank you for all the replies, sorry for my late response I was away from home.

I have all the libraries installed as shown.

Here is what I do to update firmware

  1. Open Mblock.
  2. Disconnect BT module.
  3. Connect USB (power off on tank). Continuous beep starts, I hold down button to stop it.
  4. Connect via Com3, confirming that connection status is “connected”
  5. Update Firmware.
  6. Beep still happening. then I disconnect USB.
  7. Start phone app, reconnect BT wiring on tank and power on.
  8. BT shows connected to tabk, but tank is beeping and does nothing.

Still stuck sorry to say.

#11

First off, turn off the little white slider on the board, Orion doesn’t use tones apparently, but does beep after firmware upload.
Firmware is not necessarily an operable program, I do not know which version you have.

You do not mention uploading a program to run the unit as shown above. Did you already do the IR Remote upload and operate the tank with it successfully?

It might help to take it a step at a time rather than jumping right to the BT, some people report mixed functionality in the phone apps, not everything seems to work the same BUT there are new libraries whic may work better, I posted old stuff, sorry.

Here is the new download:https://github.com/Makeblock-official/Makeblock-Libraries/archive/master.zip

I believe the file you want to upload is:
Documents\Arduino\libraries\Makeblock-Libraries-master\makeblock\example\Firmware_for_Starter\BlueTooth_Ultrasonic.ino

#12

Gort,

Should I upload from the library using Mblock, or do it from Arduino?

#13

OK I tried that using the Arduino program as MBlock cannot see the library files as it is not looking for thr .ino extension.

Arduino gave me immediate error upon upload;

Pasted image1920x1080 92.6 KB

I am not sure what to do now. The tank still has a continuous beep as soon as the USB is plugged in.

#14

I cannot get anything to load on this thing at all.

I must be doing something wrong I suppose, but absent any actual instructions from Makeblock it is anyone’s guess.

Any more ideas anyone?

#15

On the Tools menu, be sure that Arduino/Genuino Uno is the board selection.

#16

Wait, that is a very old version of Arduino.

Try this first:

mBlock update Arduino to 1.6.7

#17

I would not say you are doing things wrong - you just lack some basic understanding of what an Arduino sketch does and what this “firmware” does. Not you to be blamed here; The Makeblock team is just hopeless in providing any good tutorial or even a manual of what they produce.

In fact, the “firmware” is nothing else than an Arduino sketch, just a horribly complicated one. The “firmware” is provided in order to allow steering the bot from an IPad or Android device through BT. This never worked very well, so as it is not working atm anywyuas, I suggest you skip this idea for the moment and focus on self-programming the bot through the Arduino IDE. It is more fun anyways, believe me!

Now, before you start exploring the example sketches delivered with the library, make sure you have

  • installed Arduino IDE 1.6.7 on your PC (Windows? LINUX? Apple?, what do you actually use?)
  • installed the latest Makeblock library, from this location, following the instructions given on the webpage. the actual download is received through clicking the “Download ZIP” button at the top of the page (this is the same link that was posted above, just I want you to read the instructions, so you know what you are doing!)

Then, mount the Ultrasonic Sensor on your bot, connect it to the appropriate port and open the ultrasonic example sketch, not the firmware. Check for the port assigned there and adjust if needed. Remember the instructions at the weblink I posted above? Good, add the appropriate line to the code if not already there. Then upload the sketch, while the BT cable is unplugged and test the sensor using the Serial Monitor in the IDE.

After this is all done post a report about what happened and include any error messages you may receive. But first you should fiddle around a bit on your own, in order to get a feeling of it. Congratulations you are already into serious programming of this fun bot! I am absolutely sure you will receive even more help here after you got things running and come up with more specific questions.

Heads up, we all made it, so will you and your son!
Stefan

#18

srothe,

Thanks for the info. I’m on Windows 10 FYI

I have 1.6.7 installed now and I downloaded the library from your link to [arduino installation directory]\libraries\makeblock\src

Here it is;

Pasted image1920x1080 166 KB

But when I open Arduino and look in libraries there is no mblock option there. I restarted Arduino and still no joy.

#19

OK I got the library installed correctly. Problem was that Aruino had installed to Programs File not Programs File (x86) where it needed to be.

#20

OK I’m making good progress.

I have Mblock and Arduino installed and functioning well.

I switched the small white slider to off, I had not noticed this before…beeping stopped…joy!

I downloaded several programs and everything works.

Now al I need is a dummies guide to programming…anyone?

Thanks for all the help, its been one of those weeks where nothing worked, but there is always a a solution, just have to keep trying.