thanks for the idea, but the preference file looks identical to my serproxy.cfg file
serial.port=/dev/tty.usbserial-A1015S9
i do have a weird character if i check on the device in the terminal i get:
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 9, 15 Jun 7 21:22 cu.usbserial-A10?15S9
crw-rw-rw- 1 root wheel 9, 14 Jun 7 21:22 tty.usbserial-A10?15S9
I'm asuming that
** **?** **
might be a problem, although the serial monitor in the IDE works fine.
Also I've made sure that all serial port using software is working still.
EDIT: so I was gonna make a symbolic link to the serial device (total shot in the dark but i'm new to this) and when i hit tab to auto complete the path to the cu. arduino, it auto completed with: /dev/cu.usbserial-A10^P15S9
but changing to that or using the symbolic link in the cfg didn't appear to change anything. Still refused connection.