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What exactly does Tools->Fix Serial Port do?

michaelshilohmichaelshiloh
edited November 2013 in Arduino

I teach with Arduino and Processing, and need admin privileges to run this fix. Our computer department would like me to explain what exactly this fixes before they grant me permission to do this.

I imagine it has something to do with permissions, but can someone tell me exactly?

Thanks, Michael

Answers

  • REASREAS

    Please check for certain, but I believe this is no longer needed for Processing 2.1. If so, the lab could move to the newer software.

    This is from revisions.txt

    Added a Tool for Mac OS X to help set up serial port. Using serial on OS X requires some incantations on the command line, and this prompts for an administrator password and takes care of them for you. The commands involve creating a folder and setting a few permissions. If everything is already set properly, the Tool will not be present in the Tools menu.

  • michaelshilohmichaelshiloh

    Hi Reas,

    Thanks for replying. We are currently using 2.1, and it is needed. In fact, if we revert to 1.5.1, we don't have this issue.

    As near as I can tell, the commands seem to create /var/lock, and then change access to allow everyone to write to that directory (chmod 777 etc.).

    The real question my IT department wants to know is why is this necessary with 2.1, while it was not necessary with 1.5.1 and earlier.

    They are just trying to protect the school computers. They have no issue with allowing me to make this change, but want to understand why this change is necessary.

    In other words, if Processing ran fine without /var/lock, why does it need it now?

    Any observations will be helpful, Thanks, Michael

  • REASREAS

    Michael, I didn't know the answer, so I asked Ben:

    It’s not part of 2.1. I removed it in 2.1, he’s using another version. It was specific to RXTX. It’s been “needed” forever (as long as we’ve had a serial library). It was implemented as a Tool in later releases as a way to help people out because the information on how to fix the port was in the documentation (reference, wiki, etc), and nobody read it.

    The Serial library for Processing was always based on RXTX, but for 2.1 it now works with jSSC. Are you surely using 2.1? Where is the disconnect?

  • michaelshilohmichaelshiloh

    Hi Casey,

    Yes, Ben and you are quite right. I was using 2.0.1; I wasn't paying close enough attention.

    I'll upgrade to 2.1 and I expect that will fix the problem.

    Thanks to both of you, Michael

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