Getting started with mBot and a Mac

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-03 08:11:01 UTC

I found your earlier post re: drivers on Mac

Terminal is absolutely uncharted area for me. I tried and still couldn’t connect!!! Grrr! See below

chuckmcknight · 2016-05-04 04:45:35 UTC

Terminal is the easiest way for me (I’m an old Unix guy though). Here’s the best I can do for a step-by-step:

Open the Terminal
Change to the extensions library: cd /Library/Extensions
Run the following command (you will be prompted for your login password*):

sudo find /System/Library/Extensions/ /Library/Extensions/ -name osx-pl2303.kext -o -name osx-ch341.kext -o -name usb.kext -o -name ProlificUsbSerial.kext -o -name ch34xsigned.kext

This will show whether you have any conflicting serial drivers.

After installing the WinChipAhead driver, you should only see usbserial.kext in the /Library/Extensions directory. If you see anything like ProlificUsbSerial.kext or something else with USB in the name, I would suggest that you move them to a temporary folder in your home directory. A reboot should ensure that the correct driver is loaded on your system.

From there you should be able to connect the mBot with the USB cable, turn on the mBot, and then connect via the serial port on /dev.tty.wchusbserial410.

You must have administrator rights to do this

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-04 13:07:47 UTC

@chuckmcknight Many thanx for this…I almost gave up! Tried with wife’s Dell…Unfortunately the laptop is a company one and we don’t have authority to install any software.

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-05 08:14:58 UTC

Hi Chucky, how do I do the step #2?
Just type cd /Library/Extensions and return?
Still not good!

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-05 08:15:50 UTC

Install this?!

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-05 08:16:54 UTC

Not showing at all

chuckmcknight · 2016-05-06 17:42:08 UTC

Hi @Oliver_Li,

Yes, once you open the terminal you are working at the Unix shell (command line), so you will need to type in cd /Library/Extensions to change to that directory.

To see if the directory is there, you can type: ls

This works the same as dir under Windows. If the extension is installed, it will have a subdirectory (mine is named usbserial.kext). If not, double-click the CH34xInstall.pkg (make sure it’s the one from the sengotta blog) to install it, then recheck using ls.

Hope this gets you further along.

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-07 07:55:57 UTC

@chuckmcknight We did it! Thank you so much! Internet is becoming a better place because of you!
(Will bother you again…maybe!)

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-07 08:31:19 UTC

@chuckmcknight The driver seems not “stable”. After initial success, the driver is then gone! I can’t see it under the directory! I tried to install it again and it won’t appear under the directory which means the driver is not properly installed. Anyway the program we did is follow the line.

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-08 07:36:50 UTC

@chuckmcknight very frustrated! Not available again!!

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-09 08:55:17 UTC

@chuckmcknight had an one-on-one session with customer care people using Chinese social media Wechat. Found the problem! I have to switch on the mbot to get the connection!

My other question for you is: do I need to wipe off the previous code that was uploaded to the mbot? Seems my mbot is not doing well at avoiding obstacle. Cheers!

tech_support · 2016-05-09 09:29:06 UTC

Hi Oliver,

You can reset default program and see if the avoiding obstacle work properly.

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-09 09:31:19 UTC

How do you do that? Thx

tech_support · 2016-05-09 10:31:08 UTC

Hi Oliver,

Please refer to the steps in this link: http://forum.makeblock.cc/t/mbot-enginge-selectively-shutting-down/4350/2
Since you have Mac PC, please pay attention to Note part.

Any more issue, please send email to tec_support@makeblock.cc

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-09 10:42:28 UTC

Are you Kevin?
Just tried and found the reset choice is not available…(in grey, not black). Do I need to start a new project?

tech_support · 2016-05-10 03:58:33 UTC

Hi Oliver,

I am Daisy from Makeblock.

Are both the options grayed out (Reset Default Program, Upgrade Firmware)? Did you choose the mBot as Board and chose the correct serial port for mBot? Kindly send a picture.

chuckmcknight · 2016-05-11 14:08:49 UTC

Hi @Oliver_Li,

To reset the mBot to factory default, you will need to have the mBot turned on and connected to mBlock. When you have properly connected the mBot, click the Connect menu. The upgrade firmware and Reset Default Program menu options should be available at this point. I usually upgrade the firmware followed by resetting the default program to ensure that everything is properly cleared out of memory. Normally the contents of the mBot’s memory will be overwritten when you upload a program, but sometimes there appears to be residual data that just needs to get flushed out.

Hope this provides some help.

Chuck

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-15 03:20:59 UTC

Hi Daisy, I found the problem why the choice is not available - 'coz the mbot is not connected to the computer. However, after I did all the above (update firmware and reset to default setup), the mbot is not working properly (Supposed to avoid obstacle, but it acted strangely, the previous program of following the line didn’t work either) @chuckmcknight

tech_support · 2016-05-16 09:31:15 UTC

Hi Oliver,

While you reset default program for mBot, you connect the computer to mBot with USB cable or Bluetooth?
Please note: the bluetooth connection is only for wireless program. If you want to upgrade firmware or Restore default program for mBot, please disconnect the bluetooth connection and connect the mBot to PC with USB cable.

Oliver_Li · 2016-05-16 09:56:26 UTC

OK, will try it again! Thx!