Odd Happenings

[regularguy]

I noticed some really weird entries in my Raw IO page today, I pasted some of the entries below as well as a debug file. I am using 0.22

Jim

6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022057 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022073 | NET IN | Discarded Response 02
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022073 | NET IN | Discarded Response 00
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022572 | Net Send Timeout
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022572 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022588 | NET IN | Discarded Response 02
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022588 | NET IN | Discarded Response 00
6/10/2011 11:03:02 A | 59022588 | NET IN | Discarded Response C0
6/10/2011 11:03:03 A | 59023087 | Net Send Timeout
6/10/2011 11:03:03 A | 59023087 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:03:03 A | 59023103 | NET IN | Discarded Response F0
6/10/2011 11:03:03 A | 59023103 | NET IN | Discarded Response 00
6/10/2011 11:03:03 A | 59023103 | NET IN | Expecting Address 02, Received 06
6/10/2011 11:04:01 A | 59081197 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:01 A | 59081229 | NET IN | Expecting Address 03, Received FC
6/10/2011 11:04:01 A | 59081712 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:01 A | 59081728 | NET IN | 40, 03, 00 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:02 A | 59082321 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:02 A | 59082336 | NET IN | Discarded Response C0
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59082835 | Net Send Timeout
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59082835 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59082851 | NET IN | Discarded Response 01
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59082851 | NET IN | Discarded Response 00
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59082851 | NET IN | Expecting Address 01, Received E0
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59083350 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59083366 | NET IN | 40, 01, 80 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59083865 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59084224 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59084224 | NET IN | 40, 02, 00 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59084551 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59084551 | NET IN | Expecting Address 03, Received 02
6/10/2011 11:04:04 A | 59084567 | NET IN | Expecting Address 03, Received 0F
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085066 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085082 | NET IN | 40, 03, C0 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085441 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085456 | NET IN | 40, 01, 00 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59085955 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086314 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086314 | NET IN | Discarded Response FA
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086330 | NET IN | Discarded Response 02
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086330 | NET IN | Discarded Response 00
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086330 | NET IN | 40, 02, 00 Status Response
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086657 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:06 A | 59086673 | NET IN | 40, 03, 00 Status Response

[Michael McSharry]

You do not have good serial communications between the PC and Rain8Net. This type of response is typical for a USB/Serial adapter with poor quality Windows drivers.

The first byte back for the Rain8Net is almost always suppose to be 40. I do not see it in many of your entries in your serial IO stream. The following segment looks reasonable at first blush, but likely is not. mcsSprinklers issues status request (F0) and the Rain8Net responds with valve 8 on (80). Two seconds later it responds with no valve on (00). It is possible, but with all the other communication issues in the log one of these two is likely conveying the wrong information.

6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59083350 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:03 A | 59083366 | NET IN | 40, 01, 80 Status Response
:
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085441 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/10/2011 11:04:05 A | 59085456 | NET IN | 40, 01, 00 Status Response

[regularguy]

Thanks for the reply. I know that there have been communication issues with USB/Serial adapters, but mine is a network/serial adapter and I wasn't aware that they had the same issues. The unit that I am currently using is a Startech model and most of the time it seems to be okay, but ocassionally I get all kinds of crazy stuff showing up. I have downloaded the latest software from the Startech website so I am pretty sure that I am up to date there, I also have a unit from Lantronix but I have never been able to make that one work (connect) maybe I should go back and try the Lantronix unit again and see if I can get it to work, Do you have any suggestions? My pc is running Vista and I was tempted to replace the box as I know that Vista has all kinds of issues, but now with the Linux plug computer I am reluctant to spend the money on a new desktop computer. Keep working on the 5 watt plug computer I need it in the worst way.

Jim

[Michael McSharry]

Do you have the Pro version of mcsSprinklers to enable the direct IP communications? What model Lantronix do you have? I have been happy with the older EPS/ETS series and I did use their redirector will success before I went direct to IP.

[regularguy]

Thanks for your reply. I looked for directions on setting up the direct IP connection and unfortunately I'm not sure how to do it, right now I simply have the port number (4) in the Rain8 setup page. I'm not sure what I need to change. I do have a Lantronix UDS1100 that I have tried but have not had much success, maybe if I can figure out the direct setting it will be better.

Jim

[Michael McSharry]

For direct IP you setup your IP/Serial device to the desired baud rate settings which are 4800,n,8,1 for the Rain8Net. With my older Lantronix I do this via telnet. Some of the new units use a browser for this.

There will be a port number that the IP/Serial device uses to communicate Raw data in both directions. Configure mcsSprinklers to use the IP address of the IP/Serial device and the specific port the devices uses for Raw data communications.

[regularguy]

Amazingly I was able to get my network/serial adapter into raw server mode and make it work, but I am still seeing entries in the Raw IO log that I would'nt expect, at least I didn't see them when I used the serial port on the computer. Please let me know if I am worrying about nothing, at least at this point it seems to work and control the valves, but of course we are having a flood here too so I haven't had to much opportunity to try it out.

Jim

6/11/2011 1:58:02 PM | 83692679 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:58:02 PM | 83692991 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 1:58:04 PM | 83694551 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/11/2011 1:58:04 PM | 83694583 | NET IN | 40, 01, 40 Status Response
6/11/2011 1:58:04 PM | 83695035 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/11/2011 1:58:04 PM | 83695035 | NET IN | 40, 02, 00 Status Response
6/11/2011 1:58:05 PM | 83695441 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/11/2011 1:58:05 PM | 83695441 | NET IN | 40, 03, 10 Status Response
6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753426 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753972 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753972 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83754565 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83754565 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83755189 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83755189 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755719 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | Discarded Earlier Response 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | Discarded Earlier Response 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 2:00:02 PM | 83813128 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/11/2011 2:00:03 PM | 83813705 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 2:00:03 PM | 83813721 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/11/2011 2:00:03 PM | 83814064 | NET IN | 40, 03, 10 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814391 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814391 | NET IN | 40, 03, 10 Expecting 35, Received 10
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814391 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814906 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814906 | NET IN | Discarded Earlier Response 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 2:00:04 PM | 83814906 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 2:00:05 PM | 83815593 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/11/2011 2:00:05 PM | 83815624 | NET IN | 40, 01, 40 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:00:05 PM | 83815920 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/11/2011 2:00:05 PM | 83815998 | NET IN | 40, 02, 00 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:00:06 PM | 83816295 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0
6/11/2011 2:00:06 PM | 83816388 | NET IN | 40, 03, 10 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:01:05 PM | 83875481 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, 47
6/11/2011 2:01:05 PM | 83875762 | NET IN | 40, 01, 47 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 2:01:07 PM | 83877634 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, 38
6/11/2011 2:01:07 PM | 83877650 | NET IN | 40, 01, 38 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 2:01:10 PM | 83880629 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 2:01:10 PM | 83880645 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 2:01:13 PM | 83883531 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 01, F0
6/11/2011 2:01:13 PM | 83883562 | NET IN | 40, 01, 80 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:01:13 PM | 83883906 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 02, F0
6/11/2011 2:01:13 PM | 83883906 | NET IN | 40, 02, 00 Status Response
6/11/2011 2:01:13 PM | 83884218 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, F0

[Michael McSharry]

The sequence below shows that the devices have reasonable communication integrity, but the timing is not correct and there is insufficient time provided for the interfaces/devices to exchange data. It looks like you likely have a 500 millisecond response expectation which is setup in the Rain8/Devices page under the Rain8 Net / Wifi section. Change it to something like 5000 milliseconds now that you do not have a direct COM port with which to work. Back in the VB6 days there was more control of the timing and 500 was a good number, but with .NET and the IP/Serial adapter you need to give it more time.

6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753426 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753972 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:03 PM | 83753972 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83754565 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83754565 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83755189 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:04 PM | 83755189 | NET(0) OUT | 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755719 | Net Send Timeout
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | 40, 03, 35 Valve Command Acknowledge
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | Discarded Earlier Response 40, 03, 35
6/11/2011 1:59:05 PM | 83755751 | NET IN | Discarded Earlier Response 40, 03, 35