LPD8806 square one

[bmco2n]

I tried another approach. The flora tutorial tells you to plug in the device, go to the device manager, right click on the device shown and update>browse for the driver. Not having the flower, I plugged in the Atmega32u4 device, and browsed the flora 1.0.2 drivers. I see three things: a FTID file folder, amd64 and i386, but no other contents to drivers. There was no way to find the driver I needed.

Forgetting flora, I noticed that, device manager>Arduino Leonardo bootloader> update driver > browse > desktop > the Atmega32u4cdc file doesn't show up, but it appears on my desktop. I've used all the options for this. No dice.

Question: I tried other Atmega boards with the same chip, but when they are connected to the computer I don't get "Arduino Leonardo Bootloader" in the device manager. Instead, I get Teensy something. Otherwise, the Atmega breakout boards look exactly alike. Can you comment?

[adafruit_support_bill]

I see three things: a FTID file folder, amd64 and i386, but no other contents to drivers. There was no way to find the driver I needed.

The device manager browse window does not show the actual drivers. Just browse to the drivers folder and click OK. It will find them.

[bmco2n]

The device manager browse window does not show the actual drivers. Just browse to the drivers folder and click OK. It will find them.

I'm guessing you're referring to the drivers list in Flora. Is there a button in that list that says, "OK"? I don't see it.

[adafruit_support_rick]

I think you are misunderstanding the instructions for installing drivers. This has NOTHING to do with the arduino IDE.

You are supposed to be looking in the WINDOWS Device Manager application. Please look at this page of the Flora tutorial, starting here:

Now go to the Start menu (bottom left corner, the round windows logo) and click on it and start typing in Device Manager


Click on the Device Manager (top icon in the menu) to launch it, scroll down until you see Adafruit Flora with a ! mark.

The only difference is that you are looking for your adafruit device in the list (i.e., not the Flora).

Carefully follow the tutorial instructions from there.

[bmco2n]

Perhaps you can tell me how to bring up the Flora page for opening the device manager----without first plugging the Flora device into the computer.

[adafruit_support_rick]

No, no. You don't need a Flora. I linked you to the Flora tutorial so that you could see how to open the Device Manager. The Device Manager is a standard Windows program that is not specific to Flora or Arduino.

The Device Manager tells you what devices are attached to your computer. Any device. Keyboards, mice, monitors, networks - anything that can be attached to your computer will show up in the Device Manager

Now, all those mice, keyboards, networks, monitors, or whatever need drivers in order to work with your computer. The Device Manager program is where you can tell Windows what driver to use with each device.

Normally, Windows is able to figure out what driver to use all by itself, and you never need to know about any of this. But, for some devices, Windows cannot automatically figure out what driver to use, and that's when you have to launch Device Manager to tell Windows what to do.

The ATmega32U4 that came with your LED Belt Kit is one such device. Briefly, you connect the ATmega32U4 to your computer, and then you launch the Windows Device Manager. In the Device Manager program, you tell Windows to use the .inf file to install the driver for the ATmega32U4.

It's that simple.

Again, please look at this link, but forget about the Flora entirely. Wherever you see the word "Flora", think "ATMega32U4"
http://learn.adafruit.com/getting-start ... ndows-only

After you launch the Windows Device Manager, you will not see the Flora. But you will see the ATmega32U4. I'm not sure exactly what it will be called - it may be called "Arduino" or it may be called "ATmega32U4". In any case, you should be able to recognize it easily (if you're not sure, simply unplug the ATmega32U4, and it should disappear from the list. Plug it back in, and it should re-appear. That ought to be easy to spot).

Follow the tutorial instructions from there!

[bmco2n]

That is: I know how to launch the Windows device manager and when I do, there is no "Flora" listed, though the Flora is installed on my desktop. With the Atmega board connected to the computer, I only see "Atmega Leonardo Bootloader". Should I buy the Flora kit to find the atmega inf file for installation? Why can't it be done from the LPD8806 tutorial.
The onus isn't on me for "misunderstanding"; rather ------(fill in the blank).

[adafruit_support_rick]

I'm sorry. I seem to be confused. Looking back at the thread, I thought you already had the proper atmegau4cdc.inf file?
If so, that's all you need.

I have an older version of the ATmega32u4 board, and it shows up in my Device Manager under "Other Devices" as "Teensyduino". Do you see that? If not, plug and unplug the board as I suggested earlier, and see what appears and disappears.

If I right-click on my device, I get a pop-up with "Update Driver Software…"

Selecting that shows a dialog box where I can select "Browse my computer for driver software"

That brings up another dialog box where I can enter a location to browse for driver software.

And that's where you go and find the .inf file. Don't select "Let me pick from a list…". Just hit the 'Browse" button, and find the folder that contains the atmegau4cdc.inf, which I believe you already have (you posted the contents of it earlier).

Click 'Next'. If windows complains that it can't verify the publisher, click "Install this driver software anyway." That's it.

To clear up some earlier confusion, the .inf file is [url]not[/url] a device driver. The .inf is a text file that tells Windows which of the many drivers it already comes with to use with this particular device.

[bmco2n]

Dear Driverblock,

Thanks for being a mensch. Several weeks ago, I downloaded Atmegau4cdc.inf several times into the desktop according to the 8806 tutorial,

extracted it into my desktop, getting the atmega icon with the little gear,

then I plugged in the little atmega board, went into my device manager several times and right clicked on "Arduino Leonardo Bootloader" under "other devices",

and browsed for the Atmega. The browse dialog box already shows "C:\Users\Scarbo\desktop initially as the source to look for the atmega.

Clicking on "Next" invariably, I get "No file listed" or "Try another location". I've tried many locations with no success, although the atmega is in the desktop. I've added the atmega icon title to "C:\users\Scarbo\desltop without success.

I've repeated this process so many times that I came to believe the device manager sees it, but the right-click installation browser on the Arduino Leonardo Bootloader does not. I was fully aware of looking in the device manager to see if many other devices establish a COM port, etc for sensor/Xbee projects.

Somehow, a new Win 7 and an old XL don't see the desktop Atmega32u4cdc.inf icon in the browser. There are a number of options shown for saving the atmega file from the 8806 tutorial link, once you right click on it. I"ve tried them all. I've gone over all this before in the forum over the past several weeks and now, bringing you up to date, I hope we are finally communicating productively.

Perhaps my problem is to understand the difference between "url" and "/url". Can you advise? Meanwhile, I'm looking at the "Getting Started" link you gave me.

Regards,

[bmco2n]

Hi Driverblock,

I used the link on "getting started" that you gave me and I see it's about the Flora again, why, I don't know. The same question arises: How can I proceed to find atmega32u4cdc.inf if I can't plug in the Flora device? We've come full circle and I don't know what I'm missing.

[adafruit_support_rick]

<flash of insight>
I think I see where the problem is. Take a deep breath. Let it out. Goooood.....

Ready?

You will never see the actual .inf file when you go looking for it in Device Manager. What you do is locate the folder that contains the .inf file. The Device Manager then scans the folder, looking for .inf files.

I don't know why they do it that way. It's a "Windows thing".

Fingers crossed...

</flash of insight>

[bmco2n]

Hi Driverblock, or is it passengerblock,

Your condescending sarcasm notwithstanding, I can only restate for the umpteenth time that device manager>other devices> Arduino Leonardo Bootloader > browse for desktop files doesn't work. When will this unworthy person ever realize that you "doers" so stuck on your immature selves are messing with me? I guess it's now.

Adios

[adafruit_support_rick]

Sarcasm? I'm sorry - it wasn't meant that way at all.

I'm trying to figure out where the disconnect is here. I don't understand why you're having so much trouble, and I'm grabbing at straws to try to help you.

I really thought that I had it there. When I opened your reply, I was genuinely expecting to read that you had got it going.

I'm very sorry you think I was being condescending or sarcastic. I apologize.

[john444]

Hi DriverBlock,

This is just an observation from an occasional contributor and daily lurker.
It seems that there are a very small number of people that it is not possible to help.
Luckily, there is the other 99.9% that appreciate the assistance that you and the Adafruit team freely provide.

I have learned a great deal just following the questions and answers.
You have encouraged to me to try some projects that I would never have considered before.
Let me be someone that says ‘Thanks’ and ‘Good Job’.

We lurkers may not contribute much to the forum but, your insights into poorly worded questions and
Knowledgeable answers are helpful to those of us out here just the same.

Thanks again for the benefit you provide to the community.
John

[adafruit_support_rick]

John -
Thanks for the support - it's really appreciated. This thread left me kind of bummed.

I think I really did have the guy's problem figured out, too.

-Rick