I am getting the dreaded "-1.0" for the temperature readouts in Artisan on a new laptop, and I can't seem to get around the problem. I tried searching past threads, but found no solution.

Artisan on Old laptop (Asus T100TA) works fine with the 2 K-type thermocouples installed in my roaster talking through a Phidget 1048. If I unplug the Phidget's USB cable from Old laptop and plug the very same cable into New laptop (an HP Envy), I get the -1.0 temperature readouts for both thermocouples on New laptop. I think New laptop can see the Phidget because the Device tab in the Phidget control panel reads the thermocouples correctly (with Artisan software closed). Also, Artisan recognizes the Phidget and displays the message "Phidget temperature sensor 4-input attached" above the Roaster Scope title (with the Phidget control panel closed) even while showing -1.0 for the temperatures. Both laptops are running Artisan 0.9.2 and Windows 8.1; 32-bit on Old and 64-bit on New.

Things I've tried:
-Uninstalled and reinstalled Artisan and Phidget drivers and library (making sure to use 64-bit versions) on New laptop
-Tried the Phidget's USB cable in each of the 4 USB ports on New laptop
-Gone through all configuration tabs in Artisan with Old and New laptops side-by-side to make sure all are identical
-Tried New laptop running on battery and then running on adapter plugged into wall
-All other USB devices I've plugged into New laptop work fine
-Upon replugging Phidget's USB cable into Old laptop, Artisan continues to work fine on Old laptop

Any theories or suggestions for identifying/resolving the issue would be most appreciated.

Assuming Phidget has been installed...

Probably a serial port problem. If it is, you'll get some sort of error message just below the menu bar, above the plot, and on the left. I forget offhand what the message says. But the context between "screwed," and "kewl" is obvious. Assuming it's not kewl...

Go to the Config drop down menu, drop it and select "Serial."

On the Serial pop up page you can choose the values for the Com Port, Baud Rate and Byte Size, Parity, Stop Bits and Time Out.

Parity should be "E", Stop Bits and Time Out should both be "1". You may have to play with the values for the other three.

Start with Com Port. If you only have one choice, that's fine. If not, fool around.

The correct Baud Rate will either be "8600" or "19200". Crap shoot.

The correct Byte Size, will almost certainly be "8", but if you've tried every other possibility and sitll can't make Artisan work, try "7".

Rich

boar_d_laze wrote:Assuming Phidget has been installed...

Probably a serial port problem. If it is, you'll get some sort of error message just below the menu bar, above the plot, and on the left. I forget offhand what the message says. But the context between "screwed," and "kewl" is obvious. Assuming it's not kewl...

Rich

I think I got the "kewl" message. Here is a screen capture:



I tried "modulating" (I learned a new word today reading Hoos' Manifesto) the serial port settings, but couldn't find any combination that resolved the problem. In addition, the serial port settings are the same on Old and New laptops.

Thanks for taking a shot at this, BDL. This type of computer problem drives me nuts, so I really appreciate the help.

Dregs

Problem solved!!!

Many thanks to HB member SAS who walked me through diagnosing and solving the problem. After "rounding up the usual suspects", none of the typical setting or configuration problems were found. SAS suggested a factory reset of Artisan (Help > Factory Reset). The factory reset required re-entry of my settings and preferences (about 2 minutes of clicking) and fixed the problem.

It is interesting that whatever the problem was survived uninstalling and re-installing Artisan.

Thanks again, SAS!

Dregs

Parity should be "E", Stop Bits and Time Out should both be "1". You may have to play with the values for the other three.

Thanks, waleed, and welcome to the forum.

I think my problem was just a weird bug that hasn't occur for other users based on the lack of similar postings. There were no problems with the phidget/thermocouple arrangement; no program settings accessible to a user would fix the problem, and the bug survived program uninstall/re-install. The factory reset was the ticket for a fix.

Artisan has all the right settings built in for its supported devices, so most users never need to worry about the intricacies of connecting their device to the program. The Phidget 1048 that I use connects via USB, so drivers and a library have to be installed from the Phidget website. Once that is done, Artisan connects without any help from the user, other than picking the right device (Config>Device, "Meter" radio button, and select "Phidget 1048").

Dregs