Hardware Utility doesn't find controllers

[Donl1150]

Few days ago I just downloaded the 6.1.4 version.  I must say I do like what they have done but for some reason, the HU does not find any of my controllers.  The CP finds my 2 networks  just fine and both have the green indicator.  When I hit Refresh in the HU, it comes up with 0 controllers.  Can't figure out why,

[Crimson Lane Lights Etown]

There is a possibility that the comm port selected is not the one used for your controllers when you refresh.  With 5 networks I run into that frequently.

[lightsintheforest]

Random Thought. Do you have the control lights dialog in sequencer? I had to re-enter my license info when upgrading to S6. This may not affect the Hardware Utility, but worth a look. 

[Donl1150]

2 hours ago, lightsintheforest said:

Random Thought. Do you have the control lights dialog in sequencer? I had to re-enter my license info when upgrading to S6. This may not affect the Hardware Utility, but worth a look. 

Nope.   But as I was tracking down another issue, I discovered if I close the CP and then open up the HU from its own icon, it finds the controllers.  But with the CP open and then I click on the controller icon within the cp, it comes up with no controllers every time.  A bug in the program maybe?

[randyf]

Pulling all mine out today in preparation for setup and verifying connectivity, and I have no problem detecting the controllers on 3 LOR networks (there is history) using the "Controller Setup" from CP.  As you have found them with HU on it's own...

    Do the entries in "Networks" (in CP) match what you find with stand-alone HU?
    If so, when selecting a COM port, does it pop up a dialog that indicates the port is in use and ask the CP to stop using it?

If the HU and CP don't match, you need to make sure that CP has the same configuration found in HU.

[k6ccc]

5 hours ago, Donl1150 said:

Nope.   But as I was tracking down another issue, I discovered if I close the CP and then open up the HU from its own icon, it finds the controllers.  But with the CP open and then I click on the controller icon within the cp, it comes up with no controllers every time.  A bug in the program maybe?

Confirming you are on S5 as your profile indicates or S6 as your description sounds like?  I was pretty sure what you are seeing is exactly correct in S5.  You should have gotten a pop up shortly after opening the Hardware Utility that stated that the comm port is in use and the messages even suggests that it may be the Comm Listener.  The message offers to tell the Comm Listener to stop using the port - however that may not be reliable.  I did try it in 5.6.10 and it did work.  However your description sounds more like S6, so what version are you using?  I recall that at least one of the earlier versions did have issues with the Comm Listener not releasing the serial port when requested.  That was fixed a revision or few ago.

 

[Donl1150]

Sorry Jim I forgot to update my profile.  I just updated to 6.1.4 Pro earlier this week.  And Yes I do get that pop up message asking to release the com port when trying to open the HU from CP.  It says it has released it but is unable to find the controllers.  Today when I tried the HU directly from outside the CP, it does find them.  So maybe my version of 6.1.4 still has that issue?

[dgrant]

Let me add, in the title bar of the S6 CP, if your license level is truly PRO, it will show that word. If it says DEMO, then its not activated in which case, go down to License on the left side and register it online.

[Donl1150]

Yes I have the Pro level. 

[Jeremiah Ackermann]

I am assuming you have both controllers daisy chained at the moment. Try disconnecting one and use the hardware utility. If both controllers have the same unit id, the HU can report back 0 controllers. If that is the case, then set the unit ID via HU and/or use the DIP switches on your controller.

[dgrant]

I'm the one whom Jim was referring too when the CP would not release the comm port but that was way back when we were in the very early BETA period. LOR did figure something out saying that my computer must be one of the few out there that has this issue. Whatever they changed, it fixed it. You might need to look in the "json" files in the LOR logs directory to find out whatever might be going on. Those may not reflect the issue as its happening before the system gets going. Have you altered the default directories for the installation? Just as a quick reminder, BACKUP all of your LOR files/sequences before changing anything.

In S6, everything launches from the CP. Make sure you close the HU first, then launch the CP. You get to the HU from the CP. If the CP is closed, you can launch the HU but you must close it before launching the CP.

[Donl1150]

Try disconnecting one and use the hardware utility.
 

I did that but when opening the HU via the CP, it still comes up with 0.  When I close the CP and just open HU, it finds the single controller.

 

 

 

 

[Donl1150]

2 hours ago, dgrant said:

I'm the one whom Jim was referring too when the CP would not release the comm port but that was way back when we were in the very early BETA period. LOR did figure something out saying that my computer must be one of the few out there that has this issue. Whatever they changed, it fixed it. You might need to look in the "json" files in the LOR logs directory to find out whatever might be going on. Those may not reflect the issue as its happening before the system gets going. Have you altered the default directories for the installation? Just as a quick reminder, BACKUP all of your LOR files/sequences before changing anything.

In S6, everything launches from the CP. Make sure you close the HU first, then launch the CP. You get to the HU from the CP. If the CP is closed, you can launch the HU but you must close it before launching the CP.

Have not changed any default directories. 
 

When I close the CP and just open HU directly, it finds the 3 AC units correctly on com3 and the finds the 4 Pixies on com4.  I even switched the usb ports the cables are plugged into the pc and searched again.   It correctly found all controllers.   But when I close the HU and then launch the CP and run the HU from within, it will find the Pixies on com4 but find no controllers on com3.  Just weird.  I’m not sure what a json file is but will see if I can find what you are referring to.  

[TheDucks]

A json is a database file.

In this case it will be where S6 keeps some of the configuration (not the sequence), that are used all the time (AKA startup defaults) by S6 on that PC.

[Steven]

I had this problem yesterday. The COM port is for my Aux A network, and is connected to an ELL. It wouldn't find either the controllers or the ELL. I played around with it a little, by refreshing the LOR RF tab, and eventually it found the ELL and the controllers on the other side.

I don't know what I did to get it to work, but I didn't worry about it any more, because I don't use the hardware utility much anymore. The only reason I used it last night is because I wanted to turn on multiple props at the same time.

[randyf]

First and foremost, verify the COM ports listed in the stand-alone HU are the *SAME* COM ports listed in the CP "Networks" list.

Second, I seem to recall an FTDI bug, so also make sure the USB FTDI drivers are updated (Device Manager -> Ports -> USB Serial Port...  -  would also show the actual COM port used by each instance)