Dual Boards and dual ports and monitors

Projects Libraries
1

When working with two monitors on COM5 (2560) and COM8 (Uno) the COM 8 Monitor does not display any data with the screen Greyed out.
This is the error message that I'm getting:

An error occurred while uploading the sketch
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM8": Access is denied.

Is there some limitation of the IDE that prevents this from happening???

Both ports are set up as required at 9600 baud. The correct USB is hooked to the correct board.
I'm intrigued by the "avrdude" reference! I don't consider myself a dude.

Thanks in advance.

2

One more thing the Uno is still running the Blinking ELD program. The Uno's Rx or Tx leds are NOT flashing.

3

I suspect you need to open two completely separate instances of the Arduino IDE so that they are completely independent of each other.

...R

4

I did that, but they are sensitive to each other's existence I believe. It was difficult to do so.

It surprises me then when I click on Arduino in the menu the icon appears on the task bar, but the IDE does not open. When I click on the task bar icon the IDE opens but there are now 2 icons on the task bar (win 10).

This never happened before with any application that I have.

I had to keep removing instances until I had only 2 to get both to open with monitors at the same time. One monitor (the last one open) was always inactive except for when the other one stopped running then the inactive one became active but i still could not get it to work.

5

Robin2,

I found the error, i had not set up the "Uno" version with the proper CPU. All worked well after that.
I dislike that the IDE always opens with the very first file that it ever opened, even when it is already running.

"completely separate instances of the Arduino IDE?" tipped me off and I checked all setup data. Need to start keeping a setup log to remind me of all the different items to change.

Thanks,
Mel;

6

pamam:
"completely separate instances of the Arduino IDE?"

I mean starting the program twice from the Operating System as though you were starting two completely different programs.

The two instances may draw from the same preferences file when they start but after that they should be separate. Probably best not to modify the preferences while you have two instances of the program running.

...R

7

Robin2.

Thanks for your last response.

I've had no problems since then, getting used to the idiosyncrasies of the IDE system. Progressing nicely now thanks to everyone's help

Mel

PS I'm using Sublime Text for my editor now as well. Works a little easier. Then cut and paste to my test sketch to see if it compiles.

8

You can set the Arduino IDE (in Preferences) so it expects the code to be edited with an external editor. Then there is no need to copy the code to the IDE.

I use the Geany for all my program editing.

I have written a simple Python program to compile and upload Arduino code using the command-line IDE. I have a menu option in Geany to call the Python program. It can be used without Geany and it may be possible to call the Python program from withing Sublime Text.

...R

9

Guys, Thanks for the inputs regarding editors. I've tried some things with VSCode but the Arduino IDE got completely messed up and likewise VSCode so I dropped it. Too much time wasted trying to trouble shoot these applications.

Thanks for the updates.
Appreciate them.
Mel