I must emphasis that my Arduino projects are at the very simple end - still fun though.
A while ago I had a problem with a couple of Nano boards that ultimately proved to be duds. I purchased Nano Every boards from Element 14 to replace them but still couldn't get the program to load. After some discussion the following information was provided for me and proved to be the solution.
Firstly, goto Boards Manager (Tools\Board\Boards Manager) and find and install Arduino megAVR Boards". Then, select the device in Tools\Board, firstly select Arduino megaAVR Boards then Arduino Nano Every.
I did as instructed and now have two "Nano Every" boards in my project ,one controlling a small stepper motor and one controlling an LCD.
I am making the final component for the project. The program runs on a UNO but I am yet to fit it into the housing and install it into the project. Rather than use the UNO with an extender which would be a bit of an overskill, I thought I would use my last Every.
The program compiles normally but the green bar stays there forever and the upload is never complete. My settings tell me that the Com 4 port is functioning normally and I have checked and double checked everything I can think of.
I'm going to ask you to provide the full verbose output from an upload.
This procedure is not intended to solve the problem. The purpose is to gather more information.
Please do this:
Select File > Preferences... (or Arduino IDE > Settings... for macOS users) from the Arduino IDE menus.
The "Preferences" dialog will open.
Uncheck the box next to Show verbose output during: ☑ compile in the "Preferences" dialog.
Check the box next to Show verbose output during: ☐ upload.
Click the "OK" button.
The "Preferences" dialog will close.
Attempt an upload, as you did before.
Wait until you are certain the upload has hung, which will be indicated either by some time during which no new text was printed to the black "Output" panel at the bottom of the Arduino IDE window, or else by the same text being printed there repeatedly.
Right click on the black "Output" panel at the bottom of the Arduino IDE window.
A context menu will open.
Select Copy All from the menu.
Open a forum reply here by clicking the "Reply" button.
Click the <CODE/> icon on the post composer toolbar.
This will add the forum's code block markup (```) to your reply to make sure the error messages are correctly formatted.
I will plead seniors' ignorance. I suspect that 87 year olds should probably not bother anybody at all. If push comes to shove I will use a UNO and leave everybody alone.
Woodie, Welcome back!
The message you received may seem abrupt or impersonal - don't take it personally. With hundreds of posts per day, at least a few of them require the redirection you just triggered. The volunteers don't personalize the redirect message because they're just usual folk like the rest of us and prefer to spend their time on technical topics, but keeping the forum 'in order' is essential.
So, I suggest you work with @ptillisch's excellent assistance, as it will likely get you running quickly.
C
One of the problems when you get to my age is that most people seem to think you should be sitting under a tree somewhere smoking a pipe, not bothering anybody and just keeping quiet and out of the way. Conventional wisdom, and the one people are most comfortable with when you start to get close to 90, is that it is much better for everybody if you are actually in an old people's home somewhere because there are economies of scale with that system.
I am still in my own home, still have a workshop and still trying to make stuff, (it's all much slower now) and it gives me a reason to take my slippers off and put my boots back on..
Thanks also for the advice about working with @ptillisch's. I read his email which is almost, but not quite, swahili to me, but, like all things Arduino, I will start at the beginning of his advice and see how far I can get.
The truth is that I am within spitting distance of completion of a project I have been working on for a couple of years and there is a temptation to just use a Uno to get it finished, but then I will have given in and that irritates me.
Never give up. Watched my father do just that, and others as well; not pretty. I'm hoping they'll pick my dead body up from whatever I was doing. No drawn-out shuffle-off for me. A 93 year old acquaintance just drove 6 hours (500 km) to his residence a couple of days back, after driving here for a visit. His only concession was a day of rest in between the drives. Still plays violin in his local orchestra; he's stunning.
I'm two decades behind you, so you guys are my role model. I'm still burning firewood I drop, cut, split, haul, pile, and load into the furnace; did two canoe trips with wife and dogs on Lake Superior this year, 14 days/10 days; still portage my own canoe and gear. Keeps me alive.
Take care
C
I strongly recommend coming to the forum.arduino.cc website to read and write posts.
The emails you receive from Arduino Forum are useful as a notification of a response to a topic you are watching, but the content of the post may not be correctly rendered as shown in the email. The only way you can be certain that you are seeing the post as the author intended it to appear is by coming to Arduino Forum and reading it here on the website.
Likewise, if you post to a forum topic by replying to a forum email, your post might not appear as you intended when published on the Arduino Forum website. If you compose your post here on the forum website, you can get a preview of exactly how it will look when published and the post composer provides a toolbar you can use to format it exactly as you want.
You can access this thread on the Arduino Forum website via this link:
type or paste code here
```Sketch uses 3892 bytes (7%) of program storage space. Maximum is 49152 bytes.
Global variables use 22 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 6122 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 6144 bytes.
Performing 1200-bps touch reset on serial port COM4
Cannot perform port reset: TOUCH: error during reset: opening port at 1200bps: Serial port busy
"C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/bin/avrdude" "-CC:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf" -v -V -patmega4809 -cjtag2updi -PCOM4 -b115200 -e -D "-Uflash:w:C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino\sketches\8771658945FC2DCBF35591E93236F9C5/morse_code_project_introducing_variables.ino.hex:i" "-Ufuse2:w:0x01:m" "-Ufuse5:w:0xC9:m" "-Ufuse8:w:0x00:m" {upload.extra_files}
avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch
System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"
Using Port : COM4
Using Programmer : jtag2updi
Overriding Baud Rate : 115200
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\\.\COM4": Access is denied.
avrdude done. Thank you.
Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 1
Sketch uses 3892 bytes (7%) of program storage space. Maximum is 49152 bytes.
Global variables use 22 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 6122 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 6144 bytes.
Performing 1200-bps touch reset on serial port COM4
Cannot perform port reset: TOUCH: error during reset: opening port at 1200bps: Serial port busy
"C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/bin/avrdude" "-CC:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf" -v -V -patmega4809 -cjtag2updi -PCOM4 -b115200 -e -D "-Uflash:w:C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino\sketches\8771658945FC2DCBF35591E93236F9C5/morse_code_project_introducing_variables.ino.hex:i" "-Ufuse2:w:0x01:m" "-Ufuse5:w:0xC9:m" "-Ufuse8:w:0x00:m" {upload.extra_files}
avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch
System wide configuration file is "C:\Users\rlwoo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino17/etc/avrdude.conf"
Using Port : COM4
Using Programmer : jtag2updi
Overriding Baud Rate : 115200
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "\.\COM4": Access is denied.
Hi
Thank you for taking the time. I appreciate it. I think I have posted what you described.
What I don't understand about Nano Every is that I have two elements of my little project that are controlled by Every's and the programmes uploaded and run successfully. I had uploaded a programme to flash some RGBs on this Every and there was not an issue. But a few weeks later there is a problem for some reason.
Are UNOs more robust than Nanos normally because they work perfectly?.
So that is what you must sort out; something might be blocking your port. There is a tool called process explorer that can help to find a possible culprit; you'll need to install it. I'm not behind a PC this weekend so my options are a bit limited.
One possible culprit can be serial monitor if it's open; close it and try the upload again.
It is a bit hard to explain what I am doing but when I finish I plan to make a video just in case anybody is interested.
Arduino forms a very minor part.
I have used one "Every" to drive a second hand on a clock controlled by a switch that works a bit like a stopwatch.
I use a second "Every" to control an LCD (it was Bill on this site who sorted out the problem I was having with the LCD library a while ago) that explains the background to the project
This one was to control a Morse Code Array. I trained as a Telegraphist in the RAAF in 1955 and I wanted something in the project in case there are still some telegraphists left around the place. I have now settled on a Uno which compiles and uploads normally and is doing the job perfectly and without the hassles of the Every.
It is very irritating when the Every works perfectly, as they do for the stop watch and LCD, but then just refuses to upload. It is comforting to know I am not the only one. I will stick with Unos in the future.
Unfortunately I have too many more pressing calls on my time to get buried in the process of working out why my third Every will not upload when the Uno controlled array is flashing perfectly..
Incidentally, I have included the link to my webpages which probably gives a bit of context to what I am doing. https://timewithcharacter.org/
This will probably be my last large project and actually includes 7 different timbers.
The webpage is out of date and does not include other stuff I have done including a book I have written on "how to build an electromagnetic clock" but my daughter plans to bring it up to date when she posts the video.
Thanks so much for your time and I apologise again for not following "procedure"!
Just to complete this post. I have now programmed a UNO to do the job I was going to use the Every for and there is enough space to accommodate it. But, like a dog with a bone I couldn't really leave this "Every" issue up in the air.
I purchased three Every boards from Element 14 on the assumption that it is good quality stuff. One is working fine and then when I tried to get the second one to upload I struck the troubles I you know about.
I was disappointed in Element 14 because they should had included cables, something I had to purchase separately with extra postage. It was an expensive option and I will not use Element 14 again because there was not much good faith.
This morning, on a whim really, I decided to see if the third Every I bought would upload.
It did.
So, my conclusion is that the other board was a dud. I followed exactly the same process as I had with the others and while I realise I am old and a long way from being a Geek, I am not stupid either.
My conclusion is that Element 14 is not an empathetic supplier and just sell stuff. So they are off my list.
I plan to make a video of my project but it is probably not the sort of thing this site would be interested so I will not bother anybody with it.
What I may do, after looking carefully at the topics so I don't offend anybody again, is to visit this forum again when I am hooking up my Taig Lathe that I have modified to run using CNC. This is another of the topics about which I know next to nothing although I did instal a system designed by a member of the Sydney Clockmakers Society on my metal mill to cut all the wheels for the clocks I built It all helps keep me alive so that I can continue to irritate people.
Unless I missed it, you don't mention whether you did contact Element 14 or not to hear their side of the story.
Problem is that it makes the product more expensive. As not everybody needs the cables it would add additional costs to those that don't need them (as they already have them).
Element14 is an Avnet company which sells in Europe as Farnell and in the US as Newark.
The Nano Every's they supply are made by Arduino. If they come with the blink program running, it means they have been tested and programmed.
The access denied on COM4 feels more like a USB computer problem then a Nano Every problem. You did not run the process explorer tool to find out what was blocking the port.
What COM port was shown for the third Nano Every which worked correctly.
If COM4 is still an issue with the problem Nano Every, it may be possible to change the COM port in Windows.
This procedure is not intended to solve the problem. The purpose is to gather more information.