CAN-Do: Usage Problems

[JamesHenry]

I just completed assembly of my SOC meter last week and it is working as desired except that I have not been able to get any output from the logging port. The CAN-Do program is working with the downloaded files from Gary's Can-Do site but I am not certain of setup such as comm port setting or other things. I can't find any help on this on the forum after several hours of searching. Help.

 

[TickTock]

Do you see a "USB Serial Port (COMx)" in your device manager under "Ports?" Where x is the assigned COM port. If you right-click it, does it show the FTDI driver as "working properly?"

 

[garygid]

1. What version of CAN-Do?
Get the latest version of CAN-Do

2. There is a CAN-Do User Manual thread, I think.

3. Go to "IO Control", set the CommPort number, check "Show Counts", then click the "Read ...?" button nearby to start the input.

If your SOC-Meter is showing data (like GIDs), the RS232-to-USB connection is working, and you specified the correct CommPort, then you should see "counts" immediately in CAN-Do.

A GOOD adapter (usually with an FTDI chip) should show about 200 per second (from the EV-CAN bus), and a "poor" adapter (often $5) might show much less, perhaps 20.

 

[JamesHenry]

Successfully logging after replacing the serial to USB adapter. I was using Can-Do 1.63 with firmware 1.08 in SOC meter. I didn't find any direction in the "Can-Do Manual" thread on the comm port setting so I left it at 8n1/off, opened the meter to check the logging port wiring, and even connected the adapter directly to the board without success. The original adapter was the only one that I could get at Fry's in Sunnyvale but out of frustration, I put out $44 at Radio Shack for a Gigaware USB to serial cable and now it appears to be working as hoped.

 

[garygid]

1. Glad you found a "GOOD-Adapter" solution.

2. No need set the "8,none,1,no" settings, the program takes care of that, I believe, but we use 115200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity bit, 1 stop bit, and no flow-control.

3. The threads in the "Leaf CANBus" sub-forum provide guidance for many issues, for example getting a good FTDI-based Adapter.

4. The "GOOD RS232-to-USB Adapter..." thread (first post) lists my suggestion (that I have ordered and used), for $27.97 including shipping.

5. The latest CAN-Do version (1.6.2) has more features, and includes creating and using an INI file for saving many of YOUR settings.

Happy Logging, Gary