How to flash firmware using Ardunio IDE

[Administrator]

Coming soon!

[Tmcgr77]

Are there instructions for flashing firmware using Arduino IDE? I am having problems reading it from T2 to see the settings.

[Administrator]

Welcome...!!!

I have not yet had any time to add that info...but have you tried XLoader? That's another tool that can flash your controller board.

Also, my BenCutLaser CAM software has built-in flashing capability so you can download that and try that as well. So there are several ways/options to flash your Nano on your controller board.

There is a download link to my latest 0.5.4 beta release in my signature below.

[Zax]

If the default firmware upload doesn't work in T2Laser (usually because of the clone Nano) then as Ralph suggested, use XLoader.

I will probably add an auto retry option in T2Laser for the next revision which will use a different method if it fails, the problem is I don't have any Nano's that fail with the standard method (and I have many!). So fixing something I can't get to fail is difficult.

[Tmcgr77]

I have been trying to get T2 working for a while now and have come down to a couple of issues. I have a 2500mW laser from BangGood with a L2 board. I had a lot of problems with T2Laser (Q) rev and just last night updated it to rev(T) which helped with the flashing problem. It also seems to have set the laser pin to 11 as required in GRBL 0.9 which was a big issue before. I have three problems that I would like to understand before I purchase.
First of all as I understand I should be able to see the GRBL settings by operating the CTRL and the left mouse and the Home key. Nothing happens when I do that. I assume that the home key you are referring to is the one in the middle of the positioning keys and shaped like a house.
Second, when I load a .bmp and run in the diagonal mode I wind up with a triangle which is what I would expect since I am using the trial version and wind up with a partial picture. When I use the horizontal engraving the laser moves on the X axis but not the Y. I wind up with a straight line. I can position the laser using the positioning keys in the laser mode and the only place I have the problem is in that mode. I am not able to see the G-code to tell if it is a compiling issue or a movement issue because the window does not show that many lines of code and I can't move to see more.
Third, All of my pictures come out black. I would like to try changing parameters but I am not able to read them to even see what they are set at. I tried reading them with a G-code sender program but it does not connect using the flashing from T2. I can connect using GRBl 0.8 though but then I lose the advantage of T2. If I could see the setting and adjust them in T2 Laser it would be a big help, but just being able to see the settings would help.
The engraver works fairly well using G-code sender. I use a program that I normally use for a CNC mill to compile the G-code and then I have to do some editing of the .nc file. I was even able to engrave fairly decent .bmp picture on a stone using BenBox but I have to take my computer offline due to the virus issue and I don't like the idea of running a virus.
Would appreciate any help.
Thanks

[Zax]

Hi, if you see the message "Grbl Ready" after it connects to the port then you should be able to hold down the Ctrl key and left mouse click the house icon (home). The status box will then show you all the Grbl parameters. This is the same as using UGS (universal g-code sender or any terminal program) and typing in $$ [enter].

In the T2Laser trial you can only view the settings, you can't get to debug/advanced mode which enables manual G-Code commands so using UGS or another program to communicate with Grbl will be necessary.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "I am not able to see the G-code to tell if it is a compiling issue", do you not see any G-Code in the window? The view button should also show you the result.

Using the attached Goofy image, I set resolution at 0.1 and size to 50 x 58 and generated the G-Code (using the trial) and this is the result, horizontal and diagonal scanning. You can see the X/Y steps are correct and the result is also, obviously incomplete due to the G-Code line limit in the trial.

[Tmcgr77]

I do see the message that the nano has connected but get no reaction when I try to use the Ctrl Home option.
What I meant when I said that I could not see the cade is that the g-code is listed in the window but will not scroll. I only see about the first 20 lines of code when I run a program.
Thanks for the Goofy picture. I will try that later when I get a chance. Maybe tonight.
Thank you.

[Zax]

The connected message only means it has opened the port without errors, when it receives the Grbl greeting it displays "Grbl Ready" which is what you need.

Even the 20 lines is enough to see the X and Y are increasing in the G-Code, also the view is actual data and independent so if that looks correct the result should be too if Grbl is working.