How did I debug output to terminal (when no serial port available)?

Projects Programming
1

Hello

I'm doing a project that involves writing to an LCD using the Arduino/Adafruit LCD library and also writes to and reads from a howebrew MIDI interface transmitting/receving on pins TX/RX and using the FortySevenEffects MIDI library.

This means I can't serial print to the IDE's debug console as the serial port is in use (and at a different baud rate to 9600 as it's MIDI).

Now a few years ago I remember doing a similar project and I found some kind of solution where I could start a CLI program in terminal (on OSX) and send debug messages to that from my code? I've been Googling for an hour or so and I just can't remember what it was.

Maybe something to do with SoftSerial?

I remember it being quite straightforward. Open terminal, start a program. No hoops to jump through from IDE. A simple line of code would send any info of my choosing.

Does anybody know how to do this or what I might be thinking of?

Thanks
Jim

2

SoftwareSerial on 2 currently unused pins, a TTL to RS232 converter and a terminal emulator such as PuTTY and you are in business

3

UKHeliBob:
SoftwareSerial on 2 currently unused pins, a TTL to RS232 converter and a terminal emulator such as PuTTY and you are in business

Probably have better luck with a TTL to USB COM Port converter as few computers these days have a real RS232 port anymore.

4

Thanks for prompt reply that sounds like a great solution (and the right one!) but I don't think it's what I was doing before.

There was no additional hardware needed as far as I can remember.

In fact I just found a clue in some old source code

// debug @ 31250 bps
// see miniterm.py http://www.sinneb.net/?p=136
// Serial.println(note,DEC);
// Serial.println(veloc,DEC); */

But the link is dead

Hmm ... I've also got a vague memory of using two Arduino boards once, for something! ... might I have been using a second board as " a TTL to RS232 converter" as you're suggesting?

5

Probably have better luck with a TTL to USB COM Port converter as few computers these days have a real RS232 port anymore.

Very true. The reference to RS232 must have come from deep in my suppressed past memories of dealing with the horrors of RS232 interfacing