Hallowing M4 not displaying eye

[Acefreecell]

Hi, I recently purchased a Hallowing M4 and was delighted when it arrived and powered it u to see it working. However that is where the joy has ended.

I updated the update-bootloader-hallowing_m4-v3.15.0.uf2 file as recommended.No more eyes, so carried on with the instructions and put the adafruit-circuitpython-hallowing_m4_express-en_GB-8.0.5.uf2 file on. Reloaded the eyes file to the board and the finally applied the HALLOM4EYE.UF2 file.

Nothing, I get the CIRCUITPY drive withe the hazel eyes directory, a boot_out.txt file which shows 8.0.5 is loaded, and the config file for the eyes. The screen is lit up, but no display of either text or graphics. Amber LED is flashing and no other LEDS are on.

I have also compiled the M4_EYES.ino file and uploaded via Arduino IDE.

boot_out.txt file contents:
Adafruit CircuitPython 8.0.5 on 2023-03-31; Adafruit Hallowing M4 Express with samd51j19
Board ID:hallowing_m4_express
UID:6093AA75485437532020204E412119FF

Currently everything I try has not worked, is there a specific sequence to follow and is there known working files?

[adafruit_support_carter]

The HALLOM4EYE.UF2 file should be dragged to the bootloader folder - HALLOM4BOOT. Not the CIRCUITPY folder.

There is also no need to install CircuitPython prior to doing this. It is a stand alone precompiled example. It is also not written in CircuitPython, so the CIRCUITPY folder will not show up with the eyes demo running.

More info here:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... /downloads

[Acefreecell]

Thank you very much for the prompt response. I think I have the issue sorted at the moment, will try changing the eye to another one and see if it fails.

I thought you needed the circuitpy drive to put the eyes folder in. Is there a specific order in which the files should be loaded?

For a followup, I did the following today:
1. Put the system into boot loader mode
2. Loaded the 3.15 boot loader UF2 file onto the drive
3. System rebooted
4. Back to boot loader mode
5. Put circuit python onto drive
6. System booted to CIRCUITPY drive
7. Copied hazel eye folder onto drive and moved config file to root
8. Put the system back to boot mode
9. Compiled and uploaded the eye ini and cpp files
10. Rebooted to boot loader mode
11. Copied HALLOWM4EYE to drive (initial copies of this file do not work)
12. Rebooted for last time and eyes appear to work.

[adafruit_support_carter]

Yep, that looks correct. That process is needed for adding the ready-made graphics:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... e-graphics
(and it is somewhat confusing/convoluted)

In general, CircuitPython is only used as a way to provide a folder for easy drag/drop loading of those graphics files onto the Hallowing.

Then the board is put back into bootloader mode and the HALLOWM4EYE.UF2 file is dragged over. That is actually Arduino code:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... ource-code
The CircuitPython firmware is replaced, but *not* those graphic files that were copied over. The precompiled Arduino HALLOWM4EYE.UF2 then accesses them and uses them.

So in the end, it's running an Arduino sketch, and not really CircuitPython.

[Acefreecell]

I have rerun the process and it gives me the eye each time and I can copy over another eye file and that works ok.

Interestingly though, the UF2 files provided in the guides do not work for the Orange Hallowing M4, neither will the NeoPixel scripts. Having read up on this forum and the web it seems to be not only me having this issue.

Any help would be appreciated as currently I only have the eye function and nothing else. A basic script would be good that I can load as required.

[adafruit_support_carter]

The non-working UF2 issue *may* be related to a hardware revision for the Hallowing M4:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/4300

As of Feb 22, 2022 - This board comes with an MSA311 instead of MSA301 sensor. They are both equivalent accelerometers. Adafruit_Arcada will support either sensor, the MSA301 is no longer made.

If the UF2s are expecting MSA311 vs MSA301, or vice versa, then the code can potentially hang when it tries to init the wrong sensor.

Are you referring to the UF2s from this page?
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-hal ... /downloads

[Acefreecell]

Thank you for the quick reply, yes those are the UF2 files, neither seems to work. Also the chip was the issue I was eluding to, just could not remember it directly.

Tried compiling and running the M4Eye script and that just results in the red LED flashing rapidly and have to reload circuit python.

[Acefreecell]

In the M4EYES script and associated files, is there a line of code that relates to the accelerometer hence stopping the code working? Currently all I can get to work is the eye graphic.

Thank you for your help and assistance

[adafruit_support_carter]

There is. The underlying issue lies in the Arcada library, which the Hallowing M4 Eyes code is based on. There's a PR here with a proposed fix:
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Arcada/pull/46

Unfortunately, it looks like the review and testing of the PR may have stalled or fallen through the cracks.

[Acefreecell]

Ahhhhh ha works now...

Modified the Adafruit_Arcada_HalloWingM4.h file to put the MSA311/MSA301 section of code in and now have neopixels from the sketch working.

Options are endless now - appreciate the support.

Files to copy are here: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Ar ... lesystem.h

[adafruit_support_carter]

Cool. Glad that worked. Eventually the UF2s in the Learn guide will be rebuilt with the updated code, and will then hopefully work for both revisions of the Hallowing.

Good luck with you project. Have fun!