Windows7 64bit Support Ready?

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Windows7 64bit Support Ready?

(11 posts) (3 voices)

Started 3 years ago by liam.ll
Latest reply from gbulmer

liam.ll
Member

As of today, the IDE installation site does not include Windows7 64bit as a supported platform. When will it be supported?

I have a Maple Mini that I can not use and planning to order a Maple but having serious reservations. I can not justify spending an additional $45 dollars without support for the most ubiquitous & prolific (and probably most hated) platform right now.

I did notice a few threads describing how to hack in the IDE, but they seem very uncertain and problematic. As a paying customer, is it too much to ask that Leaflabs make a reliable IDE for Windows7 64bit? Thank you.

Posted 3 years ago #
crenn
Moderator

The IDE is not the problem with Windows 7 x64, the drivers is. Follow these instructions from this post and you'll be happily working:

http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=73#post-788

Posted 3 years ago #
liam.ll
Member

crenn - thanks for the lead. I would still like confirmation from the leafblowers verifying that approach. Will it work with an Xbee wireless serial connection? If Leaflabs does not sanction the crenn's cited approach, will Leaflabs support Windows7 64bit in the near future? How near? Thank you.

Posted 3 years ago #
crenn
Moderator

Just to let you know while you wait for the leaflabs staff to reply, I can personally verify that approach works. In fact, last night I uploaded some servo code to the Maple Mini so I could test some new servos I got. My desktop uses Windows 7 Pro x64.

Just curious, what do you mean by an XBee wireless serial connection? Do you mean uploading code via an XBee Serial Link as some have done with the Arduino?

Posted 3 years ago #
liam.ll
Member

crenn - yes, I do mean uploading code via XBee. The workaround you cited requires hitting the Maple board reset button when uploading. This defeats the purpose of wireless uploads.

I work with ZBasic chips (based on ATMEGA644P) which are programmable in Visual Basic. I have a wireless link setup using XBee Pro XBP24 modules (1 mile range):

http://www.zbasic.net/forum/about1630.html?pc_tzo=-25200&pc_d=20120403&pc_t=33936

I have never tinkered with Arduinos. I do have a Maple Mini but have not tinkered with it. Although I think the Leaflabs product line is perhaps the best in terms of price and functionality, which is why I purchased the Mini, I'm a bit disappointed about lack of Windows7 64bit support.

Posted 3 years ago #
liam.ll
Member

Perhaps Windows7 64bit support will be ready for Maple II and Native II?

What about Pymite? I notice the leaflabs wiki documentation is void of Pymite documentation. Any plans there? The possibility of python on a Maple board is a very promising prospect. With Numpy substantially better.

Posted 3 years ago #
crenn
Moderator

As the Maple's code is uploaded via DFU (USB), I highly doubt you can upload code via an XBee Module (it would be possible in the STM bootloader mode).

Officially, there is no Windows 7 support, but I've been using the Maples for over a year on Windows 7 (x64 was not successfully used until later last year) without issue, and the new library that I've been working on was developed and tested on a Windows 7 x64 machine. I cannot work out why you have not tried to tinker with your Maple Mini.

Regarding Pymite, it's only supported on the Maple Native last I heard due to RAM requirements.

Posted 3 years ago #
liam.ll
Member

crenn - I'm highly concerned that LIBUSB will conflict with my USB FTDI driver I use to operate my XBee wireless devices. I'm more concerned that Leaflabs has not solved this issue with a downloadable installation for 64bit Windows7. Until then, I'm very busy with my projects based on http://www.zbasic.net . I'll likely shift to the 32bit Arduino "Due" - should be out soon. Interesting thread below - they got David C. to respond.

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic=88029.0.html

I'm also eyeing the RaspberryPi - for me, as an avid Matlab user, Python is the ultimate programming language for microcontrollers, especially for matrix math. Coding Kalman filters is incredibly simple. Unfortunatley, the RPi has zero ADCs, few GPIO, and missing drivers for the I2C and SPI pins. I'm sure that will improve eventually (I give it a couple of years). If that actually happens, the 8-bit, 16-bit & 32-bit development board market will be fossilized.

Posted 3 years ago #
crenn
Moderator

I can assure you I've had no issue using LibUSB32 with the FTDI devices at the same time, and also using XBees.

I read that thread about the Due and am certainly curious about it (I'm not sure whether I'll get one or not) but there has been no official news about it apart from that post from early February, however I have no doubt it's coming out at some time.

I have a Raspberry Pi on order and plan to provide additional functions (initially with a Maple) for the RPi including ADCs, more GPIO, PWM and other timer functions, CAN plus RTC using a STM32F103 and the RPi SPI port. Lack of drivers for the SPI isn't a major concern for me. It also will be feeding into a later 'secret' project that I have planned later on. Got any advise on where to read about doing Kalman filters, it's one of the things where I need to learn how to do it. I doubt the RPi will actually have a ADC or any more GPIO without increasing cost, nor do I think that 8-bit, 16-bit and 32 bit development boards will suddenly disappear because of the RPi, they're for different markets.

Posted 3 years ago #
liam.ll
Member

crenn - I read most of Dan Simon's book on Kalman filters (link below). It really requires a background in dynamics. What sets Kalman apart from other filters is that it requires the governing equations of motion for the system in question. For that reason, it will be difficult for the novice to implement. On the other hand, I think the novice can take existing Kalman filters, say for arduino, and "tweak" them for their project. This is especially true for gyro & accel sensor fusion to obtain pitch and roll angles - here the governing equations are just kinematic relationships.

http://www.amazon.com/Optimal-State-Estimation-Nonlinear-Approaches/dp/0471708585/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334091753&sr=8-1

I think you're idea of linking the RPi with a Maple board is very interesting. I'd rather use a Maple than using RPi's PIC-based Gertboard - it makes me want to gert.

Posted 3 years ago #
gbulmer
Moderator

liam.ll - A good place to look for PyMite info is
http://code.google.com/p/python-on-a-chip/
http://groups.google.com/group/python-on-a-chip

AFAIK, the STM32F support is being created within that project, and there is very little Maple specific. LeafLabs probably had to change the linker script to avoid mashing the USB bootloader, so it might be easier to use an STLINK/V2 JTAG-SWD. Python-on-a-chip recommend 8KB minimum RAM, so the 20KB on a standard Maple is a bit tight. The Maple USB bootloader consumes some of that RAM, so you may be less constrained using an STLINK/V2, writing over the USB bootloader and using all of RAM for PyMite.

Posted 3 years ago #

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