No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Maple Mini, Maple Rev3, Maple Rev 5 and Maple Ret 6, iTead Maple etc
g0mgx
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:41 pm

No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by g0mgx »

Hi guys

I'm trying to use a Maple Mini clone board:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STM32F103RC8 ... %7Ciid%3A1

and have followed the instructions here:

https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/ ... stallation

I now have a device listed in my Win10 PC in Device Manager under "libusb-win32 devices" called "Maple DFU" but I don't have a COM port listed in Ports.

Seem to have fallen at the first hurdle!

Anyone got one of these boards working OK that can provide any pointers?

Many thanks

Mark
G0MGX
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Pito
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Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:53 pm

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by Pito »

Maple Mini works fine with Roger (under Win7 here).
The installation of those drivers is sometimes laborious (drivers conflicts, several identical drivers in the drivers store, I had to clean it up).

You also must have the bootloader installed (or use stlink), and use Serial.begin in your sketch.
Then you will see the Maple DFU will switch to COMx Maple after the upload.
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ag123
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Answers: 24

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by ag123 »

you need to install a *sketch* with USB-serial selected when you build your sketch

Code: Select all


int8_t led = 0;

void setup() {
   // Serial.begin(); //this isn't needed, it is pre-initialised , otherwise you could uncomment it to test
   pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  if(Serial.available()) {
    char c = Serial.read();
    Serial.print("hello ");
    Serial.print(c);
    Serial.println();
  }
  led = ~ led & 1;
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, led);
  delay(100);
}
build and install the sketch
then tap a key send a char etc in the serial terminal to see the response
Last edited by ag123 on Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
g0mgx
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:41 pm

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by g0mgx »

Thanks for the pointer - I'm clearly not understanding something basic.

How do I upload a sketch if I cant select a COM port - I dont know how to use the DFU device or USBSerial.

Up to now I have been using the SAMD21 M0 clone boards without issue.
ag123 wrote: Fri Jan 10, 2020 2:56 pm you need to install a *sketch* with USB-serial selected when you build your sketch
can you give me more idiot proof guidelies please?

Assistance very much appreciated.

Mark
ag123
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Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2019 5:30 am
Answers: 24

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by ag123 »

the upload method should be stm32duino boot loader
the sketch is installed by means of usb DFU protocol, not com port

here i'm assuming that you are using the libmaple core
https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/Arduino_STM32

select maple mini as the board
boot loader should look like
- original 17k 108k flash or
- bootloader 2.0, 20k ram 120k flash
try one after another
if both of them doesn't work, the vendor did not install the stm32duino boot loader on your board

down at the command line in tools folder you should be able to find a utility dfu-util, installing a binary on the command line is actually
something like

Code: Select all

dfu-util  -a 2 -RD sketch.bin
and that's provided the stm32duino boot loader is installed in the chip

for the rest and most of the introductory, getting started stuff, it is in the wiki
https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/ ... STM32/wiki


if you are using the official core the wiki is here
https://github.com/stm32duino/wiki/wiki
and the core is here
https://github.com/stm32duino/Arduino_Core_STM32

instructions for the 2 cores are different
g0mgx
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:41 pm

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by g0mgx »

Thanks for the help.

I have a much better understanding now. My fundamental issue was an out of date java RE generating a load of errors at Upload that was throwing me off completely.

Now, I've tried your suggestions and will go back round it all again, but using one of the generic board types I am getting this on upload:

Code: Select all

Sketch uses 15444 bytes (11%) of program storage space. Maximum is 131072 bytes.
Global variables use 3176 bytes (15%) of dynamic memory, leaving 17304 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 20480 bytes.
maple_loader v0.1
Resetting to bootloader via DTR pulse
Searching for DFU device [1EAF:0003]...
Found it!
Cannot set alternate interface: usb_set_altinterface: could not set alt interface 0/2: win error: No more data is available.


Opening USB Device 0x1eaf:0x0003...

Found Runtime: [0x1eaf:0x0003] devnum=1, cfg=0, intf=0, alt=2, name="UNDEFINED"
Setting Configuration 1...
Claiming USB DFU Interface...
Setting Alternate Setting ...
Will report back as I dont think that I am yet managing to actually upload anything to the board, but I understand the concepts now.

Mark
ag123
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Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2019 5:30 am
Answers: 24

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by ag123 »

try both of the boot loader
- original 17k 108k flash or
- bootloader 2.0, 20k ram 120k flash
select that and build/install the sketch

chances are that what is installed on your board (by the vendor) is the first one "original 17k 108k flash"
but it seemed in your case the vendor installed the second one "bootloader 2.0, 20k ram 120k flash"
that is an improved one much of the effort by roger, it is a community contributed effort
https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/ ... bootloader
the messages for a successful sketch install should be quite distinctive
post that response here as a feedback.

if you are using the sketch i've provided a few comments above, you can change that delay(100) in loop() to a different value e.g. delay(1000)
that should make the led blink on and off every second
g0mgx
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:41 pm

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by g0mgx »

Success!

Thank you very much for your patience; very much appreciated.

Mark
bootloader
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:57 pm

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by bootloader »

I am in the same situation as g0mgx was.
Initially I used without problems a SAMD21 M0 clone board.
Later, I got a STM32F103RC8T6 Maple Mini clone board, which is not seen at all in Device Manager by the PC.
I followed all the steps provided by ag123, but no success.
When I use dfu-util batch I get the error message:

dfu-util - (C) 2007-2008 by OpenMoko Inc.
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Couldn't find the DFU device: [1EAF:0003]

If you have any ideas how to solve this issue please let me know.
ag123
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Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2019 5:30 am
Answers: 24

Re: No COM Port - STM32F103RC8T6

Post by ag123 »

did the board blink after you press reset? if it doesn't blink, chances are that there is no boot loader installed on the board

and for windows, you need to complete these steps
https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/ ... stallation
if you want to use the libmaple core or roger's or maple usb dfu boot loader
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