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[on:]

Hi guys,

I am completely new to arduino, and I am in the process of making my own single sided board. The parts should be coming tomorrow. Well at least the rest of them, I already have a lot of them. Anyways I realized I have a problem. This uses a serial cable, and both of my computers don't have a com3 port. One computer has a printer port, but I don't know if I can use it. I have an adapter that would work to fit it in there, but when I looked at the compiling software it only has a com3 option. What can I do to make this work?

Any help would be appreciated, and thanks!

-Matt

[Reply #1 on:]

Anyone? I got the parts today so I am ready to go, I just need some solutions.

[Reply #2 on:]

I am in the process of making my own single sided board

One of these http://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardSerialSingleSided3 ?

I have an adapter that would work to fit it in there

Fit in where?

when I looked at the compiling software it only has a com3 option

Compiling software for the Arduino IDE?

[Reply #3 on:]

Sorry yeah it is the single sided serial board.

Also the adapter I mentioned is one of these:



And I want to use it to plug into my computer's printer port, since I have no serial port. Would I be able to change an option in the Arduino IDE to make it use the printer port? If not can I get a serial to usb adapter and will it work alright? Thanks man!

[Reply #4 on:]

Would I be able to change an option in the Arduino IDE to make it use the printer port?

"Converting" a parallel port to nine-pins is absolutely positively not going to work.

In the middle right of the board is a six-pin header labeled ICSP.  This can be used to program the processor "directly" rather than through a computer's serial port using the bootloader.  I believe this can be done through a computer's parallel port.  This is something typically done by an experienced Arduino user.  If you're new to Arduino, I suggest getting everything working using a serial port first.

But, even if you use the parallel port + ICSP to program your board, you'll want a serial port so you can debug the program.

If not can I get a serial to usb adapter and will it work alright?

Yes.  I've been very pleased with this...

http://www.usbgear.com/computer_cable_details.cfm?sku=USBG-232FT-1&cats=199&catid=626%2C106%2C199%2C465

Warning: It ships with a very buggy driver.  Get the latest driver from FTDI (or Microsoft).


But you only need a single serial port not a dual serial port.  Something like this is more appropriate...

http://www.usbgear.com/USB-PRODUCT-DETAILS.cfm?sku=USBG-232MINI&catid=&cats=

[Reply #5 on:]

or for about 12 bucks you can get one from modern device, usb comes in, ttl happy serial goes out

http://moderndevice.com/connect

as far as the com3 thing, i have no clue, i just downloaded the windows binary's and it works fine on com 1 (altho you still need something to convert from the pc's +-12v to the arduino's 0-5v)

[Reply #6 on:]

The shown adapter is a rather old serial 9 to serial 25 Adapter and NOT an adapter for the parallel port!

Ralf