7/24/22
Adafruit Support - [email protected]
Board: HalloWing M4 Express
Order Confirmation No: 2884426-9455061235
Order Date: July 15, 2022
Shipped Date: July 18, 2022
I received my new Hallowing M4 Express and need assistance to get blinking eye to work. This is what I have done so far:
1. Connected it to a good USB that is data capable.
2. The switch was factory set “ON” so if fired up and the blinking eye worked.
3. After about 15 seconds later the screen went blank.
4. I turned it off via the switch, waited about a minute and turned it back on.
5. The amber LED flashed and I forget what the other LEDs did – still had a blank screen.
6. I tried again several times, switching out the USB cable and connecting to another computer.
7. Blinking LEDs but just a blank screen.
8. LEDs flashed then went to a blank screen. I pressed the reset.
9. Got amber fast blinking, red slod fade, 4 greens stayed lit – HALLOM4BOOT(D:) showed on my Windows 11 File Explorer.
10. I downloaded and updated the UF2 Bootloader BOOTLOADER to v3.14.0 SFHWRO.
11. M4 rebooted – no blinking eyes.
12. I updated the firmware to adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4-express-en_US-7.3.2.uf2.
13. M4 rebooted – the screen was showing
Adafruit Circuit Python 7.3.2 on 2022-07-20;
Adafruit Hallowing M4 Express with samd51j19
Board ID:hallowing_m4-express
Code done running.
14. CIRCUITPY (D:) was on my Windows 11 File Explorer.
15. Contents of CIRCUITPY (D:) was:
Config.eye
.Metadata_never-index
,Trashes
Boot_out.txt
FOLDER – Hazel - with 4 bmp files
FOLDER – Lib - empty
FOLDER - .fseventsd – with no-log file – 0 kb
16. Double tapped reset.
17. Fast flash amber, slow fade red, 4 greens lit solid – blank screen.
18. HALLOM4BOOT (D:) was on File Explorer.
19. Contents of HALLO4MBOOT:
CURRENT.UF2
INDEX.HTM
INFO_UF2.TXT – file opened text editor
UF@ Bootloader v3.14.0 SFHWRO
Model: HalloWing M4
Board-ID: SAM51J19A-HalloM4-v0
20. Double tap reset – fast amber, no red, 1 green with short flash @ 5 sec, 3 solid green.
21. Screen same as 13 above.
22. File Explorer same as 14 & 15 above.
23. I loaded MU, saved a code.py with a blinking light example from the Adafruit Guile and it the LEDs flash accordingly. It will boot the code.py if I leave it on the board.
That’s it……. That’s where I’m stuck.
Notes:
• Nothing is connected to the board
• JST PH plugs with cables have not been connected.
• I have not installed the lens holder or lens yet.
• The board was turned on and remains in my air conditioned, humidity-controlled office.
• I plugged in the 3.7V – 400mAh lithium-ion polymer battery after a reboot - no impact on blinking eye issue. The LEDs indicated the battery is connected and the board is charging the battery.
I am just learning Circuit Python and this is my first board. I have no experience with Arduino or Python and really need help to get my Hallowing M4 to run the manufacturer installed blinking eye. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Greg Roberts
HalloWing M4 Express won't blink
Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- dastels
- Posts: 15828
- Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:22 pm
Re: HalloWing M4 Express won't blink
Hi Greg,
there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your HalloWing. Everything you describe is how it should be. To get the eye running you have to load the eye firmware UF2as described at https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... s-firmware. That should get the eye back. To change the eye graphics, you fiddle with the CIRCUITPY drive, specifically adding data directories similar to Hazel and copying it's config.eye from the desire directory to CIRCUITPY/
This is described in the HalloWingM4 tutorial at https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing-m4, specifically https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... e-graphics for the eye graphics.
What's going on is that you install CircuitPython to set up the CIRCUITPY drive letting you copy the eye data files//directories onto it. Then you install the EYE firmware, which replaces CircuitPython. The drive you set up and copied to is still there.
Be sure to read the HalloWingM4 guide I linked to. It will walk you through all this.
Dave
there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your HalloWing. Everything you describe is how it should be. To get the eye running you have to load the eye firmware UF2as described at https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... s-firmware. That should get the eye back. To change the eye graphics, you fiddle with the CIRCUITPY drive, specifically adding data directories similar to Hazel and copying it's config.eye from the desire directory to CIRCUITPY/
This is described in the HalloWingM4 tutorial at https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing-m4, specifically https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... e-graphics for the eye graphics.
What's going on is that you install CircuitPython to set up the CIRCUITPY drive letting you copy the eye data files//directories onto it. Then you install the EYE firmware, which replaces CircuitPython. The drive you set up and copied to is still there.
Be sure to read the HalloWingM4 guide I linked to. It will walk you through all this.
Dave
- Waytootall
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:52 pm
Re: HalloWing M4 Express won't blink
Dave,
Thanks for responding!!!
* The ready made graphics at https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip results in ERROR 500 .
* I will perform the steps you recommended tonight and let you know tomorrow if this did the trick.
Greg
Thanks for responding!!!
* The ready made graphics at https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip results in ERROR 500 .
* I will perform the steps you recommended tonight and let you know tomorrow if this did the trick.
Greg
- Waytootall
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2022 7:52 pm
Re: HalloWing M4 Express won't blink
Dave,
I studied the guides and loaded the new firmware but it still does not work. In hope that you can help me further, I have listed the steps I took.
Steps:
1. I did read all of https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing-m4 including https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... e-graphics. Note: I was unable to download EYE graphics - the Download Eye Graphics link (https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip) resulted in ERROR 500.
2. I downloaded firmware HALLOM4EYE.UF2 from https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... s-firmware to my computer.
3. Plug in USB, switched on power and dbl. tapped Reset.
4. Board LEDs - quick flashing amber, slow fade red, 4 solid on green.
5. The folder HALLOM4BOOT (D:) came up in my File Explorer.
6. Opened [email protected] and verified bootloader v3.14.0 SFHWRO is installed.
7. Copied new HALLOM4EYE.UF2 to HALLOM4BOOT (D:)
8. Red LED flashed and the board rebooted.
9. Screen bland – amber LED quick flash red LED flash on/off @ 5 sec.
10. Waited 3 minutes – screen still blank – File Explorer did not show anything for the board.
11. Could not use Win 11 to EJECT – board did not show.
12. Dbl tapped reset – fast flash amber, slow fade red 4 solid green
13. HALLOM4BOOT (d:) shows in File Explorer.
14. Repeated 6 through 13 above – same results
15. Shut off power, removed USB, repeated 3 through 13 on another computer – same results.
16. Press reset once – got blank screen, nothing in File Explorer, fast flash amber, red blink at about 5/sec., 4 solid green.
17. Dbl. tap reset – got blank screen, HALLOM4BOOT in File Explorer, fast amber, slow fade red, 4 solid green.
18. Did more reading - found and downloaded adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4_express-en_US-7.3.2.uf2 from CircuitPython.org.
19. I installed USB, switched on and dbl. tapped reset to get HALLOM4BOOT and blank screen.
20. Copied adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4_express-en_US-7.3.2.uf2 to HALLOM4BOOT.
21. Board rebooted – screen reads Adafruit CircuitPython 7.3.2, board ID, and “Code done running” in small white letters at bottom of the screen.
22. File Explorer shows CIRCUITPY (D:)
23. Amber lightfast flash – one green LED flashes on 0.5 sec – off 5.0 sec.
24. Screenshot of files in CIRCUITPY:
25. LIB is empty.
26. Screenshot of config.eye
27. Screenshot boot_out.txt
28. Screenshot of files in hazel folder
29. Folder .fseventsd has file named no_log – 0 KB
30. File .Trashes has 0 KB
31. File .metadata_never_index has 0 kb
32. I reset to HALLOM4BOOT, ejected from Win 11 and switched power off.
33. Switched on at board boots to CIRCUITPY – screen reads same as 21 above – no blinking eye.
After all this I played around a bit, loading M4_EYE_RAINBOW.UF2 and then Spooky_Eye_Newt.UF2. Each UF2 loaded, rebooted and then nothing. Each time I reset to HALLOM4BOOT and did #18 above – that at least gave me the CIRCUITPY screen and CODE.PY functionality using MU.
Sorry for the long-winded description of my steps!!
I have several questions:
1. Since I ran the board briefly with the factory installed bootloader, could the problem be that the intermittent bug in that older bootloader erased parts of internal flash needed to run the graphics? If so, can I fix that?
2. The blinking eyes worked for 10 to 15 seconds and then shut down. Could the abrupt shutdown somehow cause damage to the drive or corruption of the existing files? Can I fix those problems?
3. The Adafruit M4 Firmware Guide states that after loading the HALLOM4EYE.UF2 update “If you don't see any eyes, make sure you dragged the M4SKEYES.UF2 file to the M4SKBOOT bootloader drive not the CIRCUITPY drive” but the next page, Ready Made Graphics, states “Remember that config.eye goes in the root directory, along with the hazel (or other eye name) folder. There is a picture of those files in the CIRCUITPY drive. My rookie ignorance is showing but I’m confused. I can not load a UF2 file into CIRCUITPY – it just copies the file. If those files are not in the UF2, where do I find them?
4. Do you think reloading the original, factory installed files and/or the EYES files mentioned in the Ready-Made Graphics Guide will help? The Download Eye Graphics link to get those files (https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip) results in ERROR 500.
I’d buy another board, move on and stop wasting your time but this thing is a skull, a skull with one eye - a failure here, my first board, could haunt me forever. What can I do next?
Greg
I studied the guides and loaded the new firmware but it still does not work. In hope that you can help me further, I have listed the steps I took.
Steps:
1. I did read all of https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hallowing-m4 including https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... e-graphics. Note: I was unable to download EYE graphics - the Download Eye Graphics link (https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip) resulted in ERROR 500.
2. I downloaded firmware HALLOM4EYE.UF2 from https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... s-firmware to my computer.
3. Plug in USB, switched on power and dbl. tapped Reset.
4. Board LEDs - quick flashing amber, slow fade red, 4 solid on green.
5. The folder HALLOM4BOOT (D:) came up in my File Explorer.
6. Opened [email protected] and verified bootloader v3.14.0 SFHWRO is installed.
7. Copied new HALLOM4EYE.UF2 to HALLOM4BOOT (D:)
8. Red LED flashed and the board rebooted.
9. Screen bland – amber LED quick flash red LED flash on/off @ 5 sec.
10. Waited 3 minutes – screen still blank – File Explorer did not show anything for the board.
11. Could not use Win 11 to EJECT – board did not show.
12. Dbl tapped reset – fast flash amber, slow fade red 4 solid green
13. HALLOM4BOOT (d:) shows in File Explorer.
14. Repeated 6 through 13 above – same results
15. Shut off power, removed USB, repeated 3 through 13 on another computer – same results.
16. Press reset once – got blank screen, nothing in File Explorer, fast flash amber, red blink at about 5/sec., 4 solid green.
17. Dbl. tap reset – got blank screen, HALLOM4BOOT in File Explorer, fast amber, slow fade red, 4 solid green.
18. Did more reading - found and downloaded adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4_express-en_US-7.3.2.uf2 from CircuitPython.org.
19. I installed USB, switched on and dbl. tapped reset to get HALLOM4BOOT and blank screen.
20. Copied adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4_express-en_US-7.3.2.uf2 to HALLOM4BOOT.
21. Board rebooted – screen reads Adafruit CircuitPython 7.3.2, board ID, and “Code done running” in small white letters at bottom of the screen.
22. File Explorer shows CIRCUITPY (D:)
23. Amber lightfast flash – one green LED flashes on 0.5 sec – off 5.0 sec.
24. Screenshot of files in CIRCUITPY:
25. LIB is empty.
26. Screenshot of config.eye
27. Screenshot boot_out.txt
28. Screenshot of files in hazel folder
29. Folder .fseventsd has file named no_log – 0 KB
30. File .Trashes has 0 KB
31. File .metadata_never_index has 0 kb
32. I reset to HALLOM4BOOT, ejected from Win 11 and switched power off.
33. Switched on at board boots to CIRCUITPY – screen reads same as 21 above – no blinking eye.
After all this I played around a bit, loading M4_EYE_RAINBOW.UF2 and then Spooky_Eye_Newt.UF2. Each UF2 loaded, rebooted and then nothing. Each time I reset to HALLOM4BOOT and did #18 above – that at least gave me the CIRCUITPY screen and CODE.PY functionality using MU.
Sorry for the long-winded description of my steps!!
I have several questions:
1. Since I ran the board briefly with the factory installed bootloader, could the problem be that the intermittent bug in that older bootloader erased parts of internal flash needed to run the graphics? If so, can I fix that?
2. The blinking eyes worked for 10 to 15 seconds and then shut down. Could the abrupt shutdown somehow cause damage to the drive or corruption of the existing files? Can I fix those problems?
3. The Adafruit M4 Firmware Guide states that after loading the HALLOM4EYE.UF2 update “If you don't see any eyes, make sure you dragged the M4SKEYES.UF2 file to the M4SKBOOT bootloader drive not the CIRCUITPY drive” but the next page, Ready Made Graphics, states “Remember that config.eye goes in the root directory, along with the hazel (or other eye name) folder. There is a picture of those files in the CIRCUITPY drive. My rookie ignorance is showing but I’m confused. I can not load a UF2 file into CIRCUITPY – it just copies the file. If those files are not in the UF2, where do I find them?
4. Do you think reloading the original, factory installed files and/or the EYES files mentioned in the Ready-Made Graphics Guide will help? The Download Eye Graphics link to get those files (https://learn.adafruit.com/pages/17441/ ... d?type=zip) results in ERROR 500.
I’d buy another board, move on and stop wasting your time but this thing is a skull, a skull with one eye - a failure here, my first board, could haunt me forever. What can I do next?
Greg
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- dastels
- Posts: 15828
- Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:22 pm
Re: HalloWing M4 Express won't blink
1. No, that shouldn't be an issue.
2. Possibly, but unlikely I think.
3. First those instructions are for the MonsterMask. You need to get the HallowingM4 UF2, as you seem to have done. UF2 files get copied to the ***BOOT drive. The graphics and config are on the CIRCUITPY drive which the EYE firmware reads from.
4. You can find the graphics at https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Le ... _Eyes/eyes.
Also, You won't get the eye with CircuitPython installed: it replaces the EYE UF2. To get the eye you need to install the EYE firmware (i.e. the UF2).
As I said before, the board seems fine. Bootloader is working, as is the screen since you get CircuitPython output on it.
It seems to be a matter of getting the right files in the right space. That's all covered in the guide.
I don't actually have a HallowingM4 so I'm not sure of the details: you might have to reinstall CircuitPython to tweak the graphics/appearance. Then install the EYE firmware again.
Now that you've installed CircuitPython and have the CIRCUITPY drive, does it show up (i.e. mount) in File Explorerafter installing the EYE firmware?
Dave
2. Possibly, but unlikely I think.
3. First those instructions are for the MonsterMask. You need to get the HallowingM4 UF2, as you seem to have done. UF2 files get copied to the ***BOOT drive. The graphics and config are on the CIRCUITPY drive which the EYE firmware reads from.
4. You can find the graphics at https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Le ... _Eyes/eyes.
Also, You won't get the eye with CircuitPython installed: it replaces the EYE UF2. To get the eye you need to install the EYE firmware (i.e. the UF2).
As I said before, the board seems fine. Bootloader is working, as is the screen since you get CircuitPython output on it.
It seems to be a matter of getting the right files in the right space. That's all covered in the guide.
I don't actually have a HallowingM4 so I'm not sure of the details: you might have to reinstall CircuitPython to tweak the graphics/appearance. Then install the EYE firmware again.
Now that you've installed CircuitPython and have the CIRCUITPY drive, does it show up (i.e. mount) in File Explorerafter installing the EYE firmware?
Dave
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.