Troubleshooting

  1. I am getting errors when I install / try to update OP Config

    1. The most frequent cause is an antivirus, anti-malware or firewall program blocking the install. The error message may not make this clear but please try turning off any such programs first and then try to install. See this thread for more information: Installing OP Config error.


  2. My monitor resolution is too small, I can't see all of OP Config on the screen!

    1. You can minimize the large header by clicking the small icon next the words "OP Config" (or select the Hide Header option under the Tools menu). This will reduce the window height enough to fit on a screen 768 pixels tall.


  3. I can't get OP Config to connect to the TCB!

    1. Drivers: Make sure you installed the correct USB drivers.

    2. Baud Rate: Make sure the Baud Rate is set correctly. For USB connections it should always be 115,200. That is usually also the best rate for Bluetooth as well, unless you specifically changed it on the Misc tab for some reason.

    3. Wrong COM Port: There can be multiple COM ports on your computer, each one assigned to various USB devices you may have. Make sure you know which COM port number belongs to your TCB. It is possible this number may change over time if you plug the TCB into a different USB slot. See the discussion in the Drivers section for ways to identify which COM port your TCB has been assigned. Note also there are two orange LEDs on the TCB board near the USB connector. These LEDs blink anytime communication occurs from either direction. The LED closest to the USB connector will light up anytime the computer sends data to the TCB. When you click the Connect button, this LED should blink several times (though it may take a few seconds to start). If this LED never illuminates and the OP Config program says that connection failed, you probably do not have the correct COM port selected.

    4. COM Port Busy: Only one program can access a COM port at a time. Did you connect to the TCB with the Arduino IDE or with some other serial monitoring program? If so, OP Config may be unable to open the COM port. Close the other programs and try again, you may also need to restart OP Config.

    5. Wrong Dipswitch Setting: Make sure Dipswitch #5 is in the correct position for the method you are using to connect. Set Dipswtich #5 to On if you are connecting with a USB cable. Set it to Off if you are trying to connect over the Serial 1 port (for example, with a Bluetooth adapter).

    6. Alternate Connection Method: If all else fails, try creating a connection using the longer two-step process. As usual select the correct COM Port, but instead of trying to connect go to the Firmware tab of OP Config and click the Snoop button. If a Snoop connection is successful you will see a notification to that effect at the bottom of the window, and the TCB will spit out some information in the console window. It may be a lot of information if the radio receiver is connected/detected. The Snoop connection only listens to the TCB, it doesn't talk. But if that part works, you are already halfway to a full connection. After the TCB has completed printing debug information, now click the Connect button and the full communication connection should be made.

    7. USB Power ManagementWindows Turning the COM Port Off: If even the alternate connection method isn't working, check to make sure Windows isn't turning off your COM port in order to save power. You can check this setting by opening Device Manager, then expand the USB Serial Bus controllers heading. Here you will find one or more items called USB Root Hub. Right-click on each one and select Properties, then on the Power Management tab un-check the option that says “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.” Expand the image at right to see an example.


  4. I fire the cannon but I see no recoil/Airsoft/flash?

    1. Is the Fight/Repair switch on the TCB set to Repair? If so, there is no recoil or Airsoft action and the flash unit also isn't triggered.

    2. Also make sure you haven't disconnected these actions from the Cannon Fire function. On the Motors tab of OP Config make sure Mechanical Barrel and Recoil Servo are set to Trigger with Cannon. On the Lights & I/O tab make sure the High Intensity Flash Unit is set to Trigger with Cannon

    3. Make sure you have not disabled Airsoft with a function trigger.


  5. When I fire the cannon, IR is sent and debug says cannon was fired, but I get no sound, flash or servo recoil!

    1. This often happens when you leave the Mechanical Barrel type set to Airsoft even though you aren't using an airsoft unit. This is easy to do since Airsoft is the default selection. Airsoft units sends a trigger back to the TCB to let it know when to start the special effects such as light and sound. If no airsoft unit is plugged in, the signal will never arrive and those effects will never occur. If you are not using an airsoft unit, be sure to set your Mechanical Barrel type to Mechanical Recoil or if you aren't using one of those either (for example you might be using servo recoil), un-check the Trigger with Cannon option under Mechanical Barrel to simply disable the mechanical barrel entirely. These options are found on the Motors tab of OP Config.

  6. My tank is constantly taking IR hits even though no one is shooting at me!

    1. Are you using an electrical slipring to achieve 360* turret rotation? These devices are electrically noisy and if you run the IR wires through them your model will falsely interpret this noise as an IR hit. Likewise the IR signal you send out when firing the cannon may become garbled when traveling through the slipring, and you may have difficulty hitting opponents. For this reason if you wish to implement IR functionality in your model you should not use slipring systems but instead wire the IR components directly. Try also to keep the IR reception wires especially away from other noisy signal lines, such as the wires which power the turret rotation and elevation motors, or any airsoft, mechanical or servo recoil wires.

wiki/tcb/operation/troubleshooting.txt · Last modified: 2019/05/23 19:55 by opadmin