topic Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

shutter — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 08:40:21 GMT

Got the new version of Linux Mint 18.2 installed....

Got a program called CWCOM (download from here) http://downloads.informer.com/cw-communcator/1.5/

Which works fine in Windows. It also works in Linux ( I have had it running on my Linux Mint before ).. and MAC... however.. when I wrote up my guide for Linux, I must have made a couple of errors in the terminal instructions as I cannot get the "COMPORT" number to "register/lock" when I choose the comport in the CWCOM program

If you install CWCOM.. ( it doesn`t take long )... you will need WINE to get the install to work.. CWCOM does work using the "down arrow key" to send morse..( default setting)... but I need the USB to serial COMPORT for using an externally attached morse key... so need the "COMPORT" to lock on when chosen...

Can someone, with Linux Knowledge, please check through my write up and see where I have gone wrong, and give me the corrected instructions

https://morsepower.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/cwcom-cwcom-new-instructions-for-linux.html

When I do dmesg... the correct answer is given showing the PL2303 connected to USB0 (not USB1 as in instructions).. ( that may be the problem... but in other threads on other forums, USB0 seems to be the "norm" and maybe I copied it wrong originally ! ! ) .

I have tried various forms of $ ln -s and used several comport numbers 3 , 4 , and 6 , ( I even tried using 4 again, but it reported that COM4 was already registered.

the other part where the problem "may" be... is in the "dial out" part.. however that seems simple enough... and I am registered as gerry in the Users and Groups on the menu listing.

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

HairyMcbiker — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 09:06:30 GMT

Well your first problem is you MUST be a member of the dial group, we found that last time.

The 2nd is you need to link the correct ttyUSB to com.

IF you see ttyUSB0 when using dmesg, then you need to use ttyUSB0 NOT ttyUSB1, that is a completely different port.

ln -sf /dev/ttyUSB0 ~/.wine/dosdevices/com4

(that is lower case L not fig 1)

which should be returned by the terminal

REBOOT YOUR LINUX MACHINE TO GET THIS TO TAKE EFFECT...

You do NOT need to reboot at this point, only after joining the group and you do not even have to reboot then just log off and back in.

Make your instructions more flexable, e.g. use /dev/ttyUSBn where n is the port returned by dmesg

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

shutter — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 09:19:23 GMT

Hi HB.

Yes, I am using ttyUSB0 on the machine.. and will change that on the instructions...

I am on the Dial out..

ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0

crw-rw - - - - 1 root Dialout 188,0 aug12 09:01 /dev/ttyUSB0

which seems to me to be saying that PL2303 (usb serial converter) is attached to USB0 and has dial out permissions.

I think the problem is somewhere in the COM port number.. however... see the pic..

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

shutter — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 09:32:14 GMT

Going out now........ back in about 3 hours.. Thanks for looking !

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

HairyMcbiker — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 09:37:48 GMT

right remove ALL the comN links (cd wine folder then "rm com?") and recreate the correct one only.
Double check you are in the dial out group using the command "groups" from a terminal
"hairybiker@octo:~$ groups
hairybiker adm dialout cdrom sudo dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
"

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

shutter — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 13:20:39 GMT

OK... Back again....been re reading an old thread when I had similar problem on Mint 15 a few years? ago...

so I have now removed the comports..

((had to refer back to the previous for the syntax )) then I did this... (as you asked me to last time ! ! ) ..

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

HairyMcbiker — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 13:32:25 GMT

Quick Q. Why are you doing this again, did you do a CLEAN Install of 18.2? Instead of an upgrade.
If you have done an upgrade then it should have still been working.

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

shutter — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 14:03:09 GMT

Yes, I have done a "new" install from a USB stick... as I wanted to "prove" the usb stick... and also to "prove" the instructions that I had written..

Thanks for your help in the remove the comport numbers... I have actually found the problem in the syntax as you will see from the pics below.

dmesg

then I did

lsusb

dmesg again

then I did the ls line on my instructions..... and it returned an error....

the "help" is of no help whatsoever... so I scratched my head... got a can of beer, and some red leicester cheese mini cheddars... took a swig... ate a couple of mini cheddars.. and tried again, removing the f from -sf and inserting a space before /dev/ttyUSB0

Did a reboot,....opened up CWCOM... and put the comport number as 4 ... and

HEY PRESTO... we have communication over the internet, via Linux Mint 18.2 and morse code ..

So now I will do another "re-write" and include the pics from this, as proof ! ! ..

Thanks again HB ... much appreciate your patience and time...

Re: Linux Mint & PL2303 USB to Serial Converter problem

HairyMcbiker — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 14:33:02 GMT

Some quick info:
ln -s [with a space] what where
makes a symbolic link from what to where, think shortcut in M$ but much more useful ;-} usually in Linux any think following a - has a space after it, unless you are combining - commands, like ls -la instead of ls -l -a