Problems uploading sketches to stripboard arduino using FTDI cable

Hey,

I've set up Arduino on stripboard and have it working fine - transplanting the Atmega328P from my Arduino Uno into the board works fine. I set up headers for an FTDI cable too which does power and run the board fine.

My issue is with using the cable to actually upload from the IDE to the board. Most of the tutorials for using the FTDI cable say "Upload sketches as usual but just remember to press the Reset button before you upload". ??? how vague is that! When should I press the Reset button - before I hit "Upload"? After? Do we hold it down until the IDE starts the upload? The majority of the time I do this and pin 13 flashes for a second and then resumes the sketch, meanwhile the IDE sits there for a few seconds saying "Uploading..." and then craps out with either "Problem uploading to board".

I have managed to upload some code once but haven't been able to since. Is this just a case of finding the right timing for hitting the Reset/Upload button combo?

The official Arduino tutorial says to set the IDE to "Duemilanove or Nano with 328P" with which I had zero luck - the one time I managed to upload a sketch I had the IDE set to "Arduino Uno". Probably wrong.

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Cheers,
Adam

You have two choices. If your FTDI cable breaks out the DTR signal then you can wire it to the reset pin through a series .1ufd cap and the IDE will automatically reset your chip at the correct time. If your FTDI cable does not provide that function then you must use a manual reset button. The timing is tricky but most use a method of holding down the reset button, then press upload on the IDE and when you see the completed complied sketch size report then release the reset button. May take practice but it will work with a little practice.

Lefty

Thanks very much for your reply - not sure whether the FTDI does provide RST but the trick of waiting for the compiled sketch message before releasing the Reset button is fairly reliable.

Cheers!