3Pi Example Serial1 - where is the serial monitor?

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1

Hi -

I was trying to use the Serial1 example from the libpololu-avr library. I am stuck on how to access a serial monitor. The Arduino IDE has a built in serial monitor - is there a similar setup in the WinAVR IDE? I am using Windows 7 and the USB AVR Programmer. The programming port is COM6 and the TTL Serial Port is COM7.

Once I get the serial monitor question figured out - I would like to modify the PololuQTRRCExample.pde to monitor the outputs of the 3Pi sensors.

Thanks…

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Hello, navillus55.

You can use the Pololu USB AVR Programmer’s TTL Serial Port to send and receive serial bytes from the ATmega168/328p on your 3pi, much like the Arduino’s serial monitor, but you will need to make three extra connections:

  • The GND on the programmer needs to connect to GND on the 3pi.
  • The TX line on the programmer needs to connect to PD0/RXD on the 3pi.
  • The RX line on the programmer needs to connect to PD1/TXD on the 3pi.

You will also need to run a terminal program on your PC. For more information, see the “Communicating via the USB-to-TTL-Serial Adapter” section of the Pololu USB AVR Programmer User’s Guide and the “Orangutan Serial Port Communication Functions” section of the Pololu AVR C/C++ Library User’s Guide.

Because of the extra connections required, you may find it easier to just use the 3pi’s LCD to monitor and debug your program, as demonstrated in many of our example programs.

–David

3

David -

Thank you very much for the reply. I guess I should have taken the time to read the documentation on the Pololu USB AVR programmer…
I figured that the LCD display was the preferred method, but its nice to know that there are alternatives.

Dan