Help me,Protomat s42 ,boardmaster 5.1 VCS_* error ,USB to serial adapter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 06:09:45 pm
content: Please for the love of the all mighty help this hopeless man, my school has a protomat s42 ,and im trying to get It to run but unfortunatly i have been unable to do so, i got the software boardmaster 5.1 installed on winxp,Win7 and win10 and Always have me the same 3 errors as listed below, im currently connected with a male to male adapter(no null modem),a f tò t cable(not a null modem) and what i think presumably to be the original rs232 tò USB(prolific driver installed) i don't have .ini file but for now it's my last problem, i Guess(?), here i Will post my configuration

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 06:13:00 pm
content: 1 errore

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 06:14:04 pm
content: Error n.2

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 06:20:57 pm
content: Is that the original cable(so theoretically It doesn't Need a null-modem)

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2025, 06:23:37 pm
content: I'm trying tò make It run with this config, male to male adapter+f tò f rs232 cable and at the end my USB to rs232 that i suppose Is original, boardmaster 5.1 gives me these error are these error because there Is no connection beetween the machine and the computer or because my installation Is broken?

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 12:51:59 pm
content: Hello. Let me try to help. We are long time manufacturer of such adapters but prefer other brands, not Prolific which is a low end USB bridge controller. Trusting that it should work if it was supplied with this tool.Met LPKF a few times at trade fairs and felt they truly will assist if you reach out to them. Met the lady with the red hair in HK.Review your device manager -> Ports -> hunt for the USB port name for the attached USB to RS232 cable. There will be a COMx port name assigned. Be sure that your LPKF software is using the same port name. Otherwise, the wrong port is being pinged on your host PC.Next, enter the configuration of the same COMx port assigned to this USB cable. Configure the settings to be 38400, HARDWARE flow control. This is demanded by their user manual. When you use HARDWARE flow control, the RTS line from this USB dongle will mate with the CTS line of the machine and vice versa. They act like a control mechanism to tell the host PC that the buffer inside the machine is too full and any more sending of data will overflow the buffer (FIFO). So this acts like a stop-go mechanism without data losses.Start with the above details and post back on your status. Another suggestion is to consider another USB to RS232 cable but must contain the FTDI (Fred Dart's company out of UK / Scotland) that pretty much owns the USB bridge market. They offer mature bridge controllers.Again, if the dongle in front of you was supplied with the machine, then it must work. Perhaps, just guessing here, the RS232 transceiver that is present inside the dongle and also inside the machine may be defective. These are low cost dongles, so the dongle can be replaced. The transceiver inside the machine is $1-$2 and can be easily replaced by any local cell phone repair shop in a few minutes. This is only if the part is found to be defective. We can assist on the details if you share your details of which part is onboard the LPKF. For now, believe the issues are just conguration related unless proven otherwise.reference on the COM port configuration are posted here:https://people.ece.ubc.ca/leos/pdf/tools/lpkf/BoardMaster51.pdf* see pages 41 & 42The manual notes the use of Windows XP but being a USB product, the same should work on higher OS but this is an educated guess. Be sure your USB device driver package is suitable for your OS.Start with confirming the USB dongle is being detected by the host OS under Device Manager -> COM ports. Unplug the cable and the port should disappear. Attach and it should appear once again using the same COM port name. If not, the USB dongle will be a pain to use but not impossible. Once the COM port name is known, use the same to setup the LPKF machine.

author: SMTech
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 01:46:46 pm
content: I don't have one of these machines, but I've had fun talking to old serial hardware before.Is it just me, or are those non-standard errors relating to the software trying to setup the COM Port? FTDI, for example lets an application developer bake support for the bridge chips into the client app so they don't need a driver creating a virtual com port.Comport assignment is another rabbit hole worth chasing, other dongles/adaptor plugged into the machine currently or in the past could be making that dongle have a very high com port number and you might simply be looking at the wrong one. I have also encountered apps where the com port is hardcoded to an anticipated number, or doesn't go any higher than X.PC's that have previously had lots of USB serial devices plugged in might also have had a registry hack applied that stops a new USB serial device generating yet another new COM Port. In some cases this can then cause conflicts.

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 02:16:35 pm
content: I am suspecting that you will see the same error code messages even if the cable is not attached to the LPKF machine. That is, this is a LPKF software configuration issue and have little faith in the Prolific USB bridges.PS: Have alerted LPKF (Germany HQ) to this thread and hope they will chime in to assist. Also saw your cross posts on Facebook. With a bit of trial and error, should be able to get this to function. Do review your local Amazon stores and hunt for a FTDI based RS232 dongle that features the full 9 wire connections of RTS / CTS, etc. Link it here for a review before purchasing. Very possible the LPKF software is attempting to make API calls that are just being ignored by the Prolific driver but that would be non-standard if they did not support the same calls.

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 03:14:40 pm
content: LPKF has replied...QuoteUpdate this thread with the above details and I am confident we can figure this out without factory support. It is lame if the factory does not jump in but at least they have replied.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 06:52:36 pm
content: Thanks for the response ,i did follow the steps, and i can confirm my rs232 tò USB works,when PIN 2 and 3 are shorted i can type in a terminal and get and Echo, i don't know if the machine works last teacher tò use It was many years ago, for comparision a grampa of One of my friend was a Lab tech there(different Lab unfortunatly so he doesn't knwo much) and he reported that they never used It nor did he know Who operated It, my school Is an ITIS what in Italy Is referred to as a techincal Institute im in the last grade my. Age Is Little over 18 ,i documented about the machine 3 years ago when i asked if i could try and fix It, however It wasn't possibile at the time, same teacher asks me if i want to fix It now and since i have tò present a project for my last grade i tought screw It,(this was for a Little background about my education and how i got to try this piece of equipment)now returning to the argomenti,i did set up the com port with the value reported on the manual, tomorrow i Will do a general check-up of the machine, i feel like im really close tò get It running and at this point Is a personal matter tbh, Sorry for lack of decent english

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 06:56:03 pm
content: Contacted the many times 3 years ago ,they were useless tò day the least ,not really their fault probably the mother house restricted the access or Lost access to many resource, i want tò get in touch and get at the very least firmware for the smcu 3 and the original .ini file ,both of there are for sure something that i don't Need, but at this point im going tò get as many resource and group them in a GitHub repo with documentation as long as the bible

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 07:15:21 pm
content: Disconnect the USB to RS232 dongle from the machine but leave the USB side connected to your PC. Run this software again.Do you see the same error messages pop-up? If yes, the issue is more to do with configuration of the LPKF software. This must be tackled first before we can even consider the machine hardware to be non-working or defective.Also, most likely there will be other users of this machine on the internet and perhaps on Reddit. Highly recommend to hunt the user groups down and post your same information as you have done here and on facebook. Someone will chime up and attempt to assist you. Ask if they have the latest firmware / software for this machine.It is always recommended to install from an installer package and not just copy & paste software folders onto a new target drive. Only the installer will perform all the steps to install your LPKF software. Continue to update this thread.

author: djsb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2025, 07:28:48 pm
content: Found a users group on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/lpkfuserclub/membersIt's based in Taiwan, but there may be others. And they may be able to help.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 08:07:49 am
content: errors pops up regardless of the usb cable being connected to the machine or to the computer

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 08:08:52 am
content: i'm already in contact with the group and made a cross post on there too

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 08:10:48 am
content: but as i can see if a use a .ini file ,nor the original nor the one that i have ,no errors pops up and im awaited with a the simple connect box which doesn't work

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 08:15:17 am
content: these are my config for the prolific

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 08:29:30 am
content: i'm at the point in which measuring voltage seems to be the only way to check if the machine works

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 10:50:13 am
content: Share your screens showing the configuration of the boardmaster 5.1 that must map to your COM7 portname.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 10:55:26 am
content: i have no .ini, i selected com7 on the screen and it did't connect

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 12:05:36 pm
content: Doesn't this cable look crossover?or im i ,this Is the cable i have found in a Locker near the machine ,i can confirm that It does work when i short RX and TX

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 02:23:46 pm
content: Yes it was Indeed a crossover, and im the dumbest man alive

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 03:09:17 pm
content: There's a voltage beetween PIN 3 and ground of the USB to rs232 roughtly 6.4 volts , doesn't that mean that the USB tò rs232 doesn't have an internal crossover?

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2025, 03:19:44 pm
content: Fuck It , i have verified the functioning of my cable, i have verified that the USB tò rs232 isn't a crossover (as lpkf told me some time ago),and noticed that my rs232 cable Is Indeed a null modem, at this point i Need tò have Faith in the hardware and screw a Little bit with the software ,Will post update thursday

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 11:53:03 am
content: Can you confirm the following details?1) Do you know if you require the cross over wiring? This is when, the TX from your USB RS232 cable mates with the RX of the target machine and vice versa. Also, since the documentation mentions hardware flow control lines, this means that your RTS from the USB cable will mate with the CTS of the target machine and vice versa.See attached diagram for the wiring. The null-modem and cross over terminology is the same. The yellow highlighted pins are what I expect your setup requires and will pacify the need for the hardware flow control lines as well.Use a meter to check each connection. This adapter or null-modem cable is available off-the-shelf on Amazon or similar. However, you may have it already.2) Next, the setup of your software is important. Given that you can receive an echo of your typed data when you short pins # 2 - # 3, the USB dongle is working. This is a good start but only validates the cable is working using the terminal program (Teraterm, etc.).Continue to setup the LPKF software to use this COM port. If you receive an error at this stage, the issue may be due to the wiring to the target machine (assuming the target machine's RS232 transceiver is not damaged).3) One concern,as raised by another reply above, is if the LPKF software was written with FTDI specific libraries in which case this Prolific USB cable will not function. Thanks to the above posted on the LPKF forum details. Request confirmation in that forum if you are ok to use any USB to RS232 cable or must the cable be the FTDI based version. This is important. So far, unable to find out this detail.If you are confident the null-modem cable wiring is required, then review the attached.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 12:44:09 pm
content: Got some other files from the all mightyhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1x4aNQUILM9ZWe6Vm4axrFD2Mf2f0MHNz/view?usp=drivesdk

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 04:56:03 pm
content: .ini inside this folder makes boardmaster crash on both Win7 and win10, i don't think it's feasible tò use ,Will try tomorrow different configuration

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 07:03:55 pm
content: The shared folder offers the firmware to reflash the internal microcontroller using the USB to serial bridge but with a null modem wiring diagram. Same as what I have posted earlier.Do you have a separate program to reflash this machine's firmware? If yes, does that software run without crashing? If not, you will have to either attempt to emulate the older Windows operating systems using 'compatibility mode' or just run the software on the approved target Windows version. That is, if this application is for Windows XP use, remain with Windows XP. At least it will boot and not crash.No idea on how this machine actually operates using the serial port but the other ports on the back may have to be used.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2025, 08:56:23 pm
content: The Port on the back, i can Say for sure that One db25 Is occupied by the vacuum , other people run boardmaster 5.1.214 on win10 , i can Say with 100% trust that the setup requires a crossover cable, so the setup that. I have RS tò USB, f tò f cross over and male to male adapter ,Is right ,shorting the TX and rx and writing into the terminal gets me an Echo,cable has been tested with another device that has a rs232 cable and It function getting data from that said device ,the cable should be the One that came with the machine and the cable setup should be the original One ,i can only but think that the only way or running this piece of hardware Is by screwing with the software a Little bit, also trying version 5.1.210 which w user on the facebook group lpkf (Taiwan) has used tò succesflully open my .ini

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2025, 09:22:36 am
content: It finally decided tò connect ,.ini that i got from assitance still makes the program crash, installation was made without any .ini by selecting a empty folder, and the going into configuration,connect and unlocking tò select the smcu 3 option, then connecting It ,only problem now Is the fact that It Can't move the head i suppose because It doesn't know It's boundaries ,as a matter of facts It pops an error

author: jwet
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2025, 12:56:21 am
content: There is a facebook group for LPKF. Good place to get support.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2025, 04:59:53 pm
content: Machine works can follow a Path and spindle spin, only problem Is z axis does not work, also option for the z axis are greyed out in boardmaster, someone know what the problem might be?https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BQ9bzyjb5/here's a video of the problem, up/down Button the One with an Arrow point ing downward Is clickable but does not produce anything ,nothing clicks nothing moves,the z axis position value are empty and the up and down movement beside are un clickable and greyed out

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2025, 12:35:24 pm
content: Someone has an idea of why z axis doesn't work?

author: mon2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2025, 02:13:31 pm
content: See if this helps:https://people.kth.se/~maguire/ProtoMatS42-2010/ProtoMatS42-removing-motor-assembly.htmlUse this article to study your machine.

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 07:56:38 pm
content: Found this digging around and stalking North america support, i'm really looking forward tò get this machine working, my school could make many project with It even If this Is my last year here

author: RDR10212
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 09:11:56 am
content: Applying 24v directly to the solenoid doesn't make It move ,so i assume it's a solenoid problem,someone can look at It?