Linux Mint 19 comport problem

[#1]

@Anonymous  When I first started to mess about with Linux... one of the prime reasons was to see if I could get my favourite progs that I use on windows, working on Linux,... and if so.. then I would probably, have migrated to Linux.

I started off with MINT 8.... and progressed to getting about 80 percent of my fave progs working through using WINE.. ( it was version 1.4 and shipped with the download ).. so had no problems in using it, by right clicking the downoaded program file, and then "install with....."  WIne..

CWCOM, was a chief program, and, you may recall, way back, I had several "discussions" with "Hairy Biker"  to formulate a procedure to get cwcom to work WITH A MORSE KEY attached to the laptop with a USB to serial converter... (pl2303 by Prolific)...

Having managed to get CWCOM installed ..... easy peasy ...on the earlier versions of Mint.... . and getting the "comport" sorted with HB`s assistance... it was possible to key the program... with the morse key... however, it would not "connect" to the remote server, via the internet, to be able to communicate with distant stations... in other words... it only worked "in local"..

Having discussions with HB... it transpired, that "dial out" permission, via the "users and groups" was the way forward.... and, indeed, that is how it works...

The program, cwcom, does work.. and does connect to the server, so I can send morse with it, via the down arrow key...(which proves it is NOT a problem with the "Dial Out" ...as far as I can see )...

. the problem is related to the COMPORT number and the ttyUSB0 part of this procedure, to be able to connect the key, via the usb to serial converter, using a "virtual" comport  i.e. com4 ...

If com4  (or any other number from 1 to14 )...  is not "defined" by the OS.. then CWCOM will not "find" it when it is asked to connect by selecting "comport"  as opposed to the default selection of "keyboard"...

Just read your PM... so will action that, and then report back on here...

Thanks very much for your time, and patience...

[#2]

OK... sitrep !... Have installed a fresh (old) hdd, and formatted it.... downloaded a new 32 bit Mint 19.1... Burned that to a reformatted usb stick.  then Installed that onto the HDD.

Found a way of getting Windows Progs to open with a right click, using   "WINE"  ..

( See separate thread..... https://community.plus.net/t5/Tech-Help-Software-Hardware-etc/How-to-get-Windows-type-progs-to-insta... )

So that solves that problem ! ! ! ...

As for the COMPORT problem... it remains the same as original.( where I was using a USB Live User Session) ... i.e.  go through the process as outlined on the blog, and as discussed on the forum... and it still will not "stick" a black spot in the "comport" number when 4 is selected.

I thought this " may " be caused by a "mis-match" between the User Group name ( my name) and the "live user session".. but I think I have dismissed that now, after getting the same problem on a Hard Drive version...

so ,.... it cannot be something to do with the mismatch between dial out and the comport expectations!.

just to clear up ..... I tried to "transmit" using the down arrow, without doing the "dial out" instructions..

. and the program DOES NOT connect to the internet and remote server...

so the "Dial out" instructions ( and rebooting afterwards) are essential

and separate from the comport problem

so, I think it must be something that the Linux guys have messed up, when re-writing something for Mint19.1

(According to my german contact... the instructions I have written on my blogsite,  DO work on other Linux Variants.. ) ..

If anyone else has any ideas or suggestions, I am willing to try them.....

My sincere Thanks to @Anonymous  for his time and patience with this problem.  Much Appreciated.

[#3]

@shutter, I've sent you another PM.

I have to disagree here, as I said before the down arrow won’t use the serial ports it will do this over the internet and its implementation is virtual. You must be in the dialout group in order to get access to the serial ports, that’s what the group is for and as the group is controlled by root use sudo when adding yourself to it.

[#4]

@Anonymous   OK... have read the pm.... !..

I have now, as stated, previously,. installed MINT 19.2 (32 bit) on a HDD ( formatted - no other O.S. ) and installed CWCOM... and the problem is exactly as posted in the original post.

. regarding the down arrow key... agreed... this is part of the "keyboard" and therefore it WILL transmit morse... without being part of, or a member of "Users and Groups".

However... that is not the problem... the problem is... that to send morse via an external morse key, requires setting up a "COM port". (serial port) . which is done by using a USB to Serial Converter  PL2303.

This has a driver, and is recognised by Linux, when it is plugged into the laptop..

PICTURE.... Proof that Mint 19 has recognised the plugging in of the USB to Serial Converter PL2303

.  If this were a "desktop or tower" machine, it would, presumably, have a db9 pin socket ( serial port ) and that would be where the external morse key would be attached.

on all previous versions of LINUX MINT, from 8 to 18.3 by following the route described on my blog, which we have dealt with in detail on this thread. it has been simple to connect a morse key via the usb to serial converter, and transmit morse... across the internet via a remote server located in the USA .#

CWCOM WILL work, and WILL transmit morse, via the KEYBOARD selection, as you rightly say, and as I have previously stated. it is similar in operation to any "Live Chat" setup... so the down arrow key, being part of the keyboard works.

PICTURE.... Showing the selection panel... with "Keyboard" ( default selection) selected.

There is something "amiss" with the way that MINT 19.1  accepts the instruction to ttyUSB0 to use COM 4

PICTURE... - proof that COM4 exists !

..BUT... the "morse key" selection to use the COMPORT for keying, as opposed to the keyboard (aka down arrow)  fails to be notified by Mint 19.1 that COM4 is active.  ( as it would do if a non-existant, or wrong comport number were selected.)

Like you, I was suspicious that this MAY have been because of using a LIVE USB Version..

( incidentally, yes, I did add "persistence" of the max available, when I made the usb )..

              this is proved by CWCOM being able to be used the next time that it is plugged in 

I have , as already stated in the previous post, fitted a "spare" HDD to the laptop,formatted it,  and gone through all the set up procedure "as normal" on the HDD. including getting the "dial out" permission .

This problem was notified to me, by my friend in Germany, who uses Linux on occasions, and seems to know a bit about how it works. I am trying to sort out the problem, so that I can make amendments to the procedure, that has been in use for the past 5 or 6 years with no problems whatsoever.

As regards the Dial Out......

PICTURE..... Proof, that "gerry" has dial out permission

I have no idea how to file a bug report to the Mint developer team... and I am sure that this is some kind of bug in the rewrite for Mint 19...

EDIT EDIT EDIT...... Before anyone suggests that it is CWCOM problem... not so.. it works on other versions... in case someone suggests it may be a corrupted download... I have used two different download sites... and two different versions  1.47 and 1.49 .. ( there is only a marginal difference, that is non operational , between the two versions )

[#5]

@shutter, all I can suggest now is to try

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

[#6]

@Anonymous   I think I must have upset Mint19 ! ! !

reply to your "terminal" instruction ....

Sorry, user gerry is not allowed to execute `/bin/ln -sf /dev/ttyUSB0 /home/gerry/.wine/dpsdevoces/com4` as root on gerry-10inch.

[#7]

Oops! Wasn't expecting that, but it is what it is I guess.

[#8]

So... what does that actually mean? 

just tried it on        sudo lsusb     and got the same response...not allowed...  WHY am I not allowed.?

[#9]

@shutter , it just means that you do not have the permissions to do this particular action as root. Even though you are using sudo, sudo does not grant you full system wide permissions on everything.

P.S. Replied to email.

[#10]

OK Thanks...

[#11 · Accepted solution]

My Gratitude to @Anonymous  knows no bounds ! ! ...

He has persevered with me throughout this, and finally solved the COMPORT PROBLEM 

This is what he suggested....

you need to run the wine regedit program.

****************************************************************************************************************************************

Using a terminal enter

wine regedit

When the editor appears, open the nodes and go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Software
        Wine
            Ports

Right Click on "Ports" folder .....

                      context menu . >New >

mouse pointer on "new" pop out menu > String value

 where ‘New Value`     is. ( in the right hand pane ) .... replace that with COM4     and press enter,

then double click on it    and enter the value     /dev/ttyUSB0   in the pop out box where indicated.

                                                                                         then click OK 

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

Thank You  @Anonymous  

Have a nice day ! .

[#12]

You are welcome as always @shutter, but remember to add this to your instruction set:

Having added the new key to the registry, go back to the terminal where you started it (regedit) and enter

wineserver -k

This will kill the wine server and force a restart when you run a Windows application. This will allow the registry to be re-read and the new values to take effect.

[#13]

@Anonymous   ok... Thanks for the reminder ! .. I forgot to put that on the blog !... but will do it now... and on the laptop too! ! !>.

As a point of interest, .. would this way be a better/easier way to get the comport working, or does it need to have the other terminal instructions as well, as this way ?  I.e.  just want to simplify it if at all possible, rather than having two sets of instructions that may well be confusing .

cheers

[#14]

@shutter Having done the reading for v19 of Mint this is the correct procedure to access the COMM ports and is only required when the default mappings do not work. The other thing to remember here is the user stills needs to be in the dialout group as well.

So in your instructions have the user add themselves to the dialout group first, then run the CWCOM software, if no ports are available to them, have them list their devices in /dev to see what entry they need to make using regedit.

Also, remove any references to symlinks in this version of your docs as they're not needed here.

[#15]

More Thanks !  @Anonymous 

Yes, the dial out instructions are on the blog page.... perhaps you could have a read through. ( when you have time....... no panic....)

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

and you can email me an "edited" version, that would "probably" make more sense than what is there at the moment.

cheers