OT a little: Linux program to talk to serial port for downloading firmware?

I'm working on a project using a TI MSP430.
The compiler/IDE tool (IAR) wants to run on Windows.

To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
over a serial line. Which seems to be pretty straightforward
on Windows using Hyperterminal.

I haven't used a modem or serial communications program
in this century. Is there a nice linux way to 
do the same thing?

Thx

-- 
Pat

Pat Farrell wrote:
> I'm working on a project using a TI MSP430.
> The compiler/IDE tool (IAR) wants to run on Windows.
> 
> To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
> over a serial line. Which seems to be pretty straightforward
> on Windows using Hyperterminal.
> 
> I haven't used a modem or serial communications program
> in this century. Is there a nice linux way to 
> do the same thing?
> 
I would recommend minicom.
-- 
Bertrand

On 2006-02-09, Pat Farrell <pfarrell@nospam.com> wrote:

> To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
> over a serial line. Which seems to be pretty straightforward
> on Windows using Hyperterminal.

It may seem to be straightforward, but Hyperterminal sucks so
badly that things which seem to be straightforward usually
aren't.

> I haven't used a modem or serial communications program in
> this century. Is there a nice linux way to do the same thing?

Kermit.  If you have sz/sx installed, Kermit knows how to
invoke it to send files.

Or you can just invoke sz from the command line or a shell
script.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  NOW do I get to blow
                                  at               out the CANLDES??
                               visi.com            

> It may seem to be straightforward, but Hyperterminal sucks so
> badly that things which seem to be straightforward usually
> aren't.

If you need a good windows terminal program, try teraterm.

On 2006-02-09, Artenz <usenet+5@ladybug.xs4all.nl> wrote:
>
>> It may seem to be straightforward, but Hyperterminal sucks so
>> badly that things which seem to be straightforward usually
>> aren't.
>
> If you need a good windows terminal program, try teraterm.

Yup, that's what I was trying to remember.  I avoid windows as
much as possible, but on occasion in the past have had to do
terminal stuff on Windows. Teraterm was always the terminal
program that was recommended by the people who suffered windows
for a living.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Now that I have my
                                  at               "APPLE," I comprehend COST
                               visi.com            ACCOUNTING!!

Grant Edwards wrote:

> It may seem to be straightforward, but Hyperterminal sucks so
> badly that things which seem to be straightforward usually
> aren't.

I've never understood this. The version shipped with Windows 2000 and
XP is particularly heinous; under Windows 95/98 it mostly worked.

Pat Farrell wrote:
> I'm working on a project using a TI MSP430....
> To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
> over a serial line. 

The normal MSP430 boot loader doesn't use zmodem, so I assume this is a 
loader that is part of the application. There are various Linux terminal 
emulators available, XTerm, eterm, rxvt, xvt among them. Look here:
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Text-Terminal-HOWTO-9.html

Paul Burke

Paul Burke wrote:

> Pat Farrell wrote:
>> I'm working on a project using a TI MSP430....
>> To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
>> over a serial line.
> 
> The normal MSP430 boot loader doesn't use zmodem, so I assume this is a
> loader that is part of the application. 

Didn't know that. Its an Ember ZigBee board, 
The loader is not part of my application, may be part of
the Ember stack.

> There are various Linux terminal 
> emulators available, XTerm, eterm, rxvt, xvt among them. Look here:
> http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Text-Terminal-HOWTO-9.html


I'm trying minicom. using an Xterminal is the wrong direction,
It works great to let me enter shell commands on my linux box.
I want to send characters out /dev/tty0

It seems that no one talks boring old serial RS232 anymore
everyone assumes you have Ethernet and use TCP/IP for everything.
Or they implement PPP for you.

-- 
Pat

On 2006-02-09, Pat Farrell <pfarrell@nospam.com> wrote:

> I'm working on a project using a TI MSP430. The compiler/IDE
> tool (IAR) wants to run on Windows.
>
> To download new flash code, it want me to use zmodem protocol
> over a serial line.

Eh?  The '430 has a built-in serial bootloader, and it doesn't
use Z-Modem.  Are you talking to some sort of ROM-monitor?

> Which seems to be pretty straightforward on Windows using
> Hyperterminal.
>
> I haven't used a modem or serial communications program in
> this century. Is there a nice linux way to do the same thing?

Unless you're talking to a ROM-monitor program on the 430, you
could just use an MSP430 downloader utilities that runs
on Linux

  http://mspgcc.sourceforge.net/manual/x1607.html#pybsl

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  My CODE of ETHICS
                                  at               is vacationing at famed
                               visi.com            SCHROON LAKE in upstate
                                                   New York!!

On 2006-02-10, Pat Farrell <pfarrell@nospam.com> wrote:

>> The normal MSP430 boot loader doesn't use zmodem, so I assume
>> this is a loader that is part of the application. 
>
> Didn't know that. Its an Ember ZigBee board, The loader is not
> part of my application, may be part of the Ember stack.
>
>[...]
>
> I'm trying minicom. using an Xterminal is the wrong direction,
> It works great to let me enter shell commands on my linux box.
> I want to send characters out /dev/tty0

Minicom will proably work.  I prever kermit.  For Z-modem
support, both depend on the command line "sz/rz" command
line programs from the lrzsz package (at least that's the
package name on Gentoo).

> It seems that no one talks boring old serial RS232 anymore

There are a few of us left.;)

> everyone assumes you have Ethernet and use TCP/IP for
> everything. Or they implement PPP for you.

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  I'm not available
                                  at               for comment...
                               visi.com