Remora - Rpi Software Stepping Using External Microcontroller via SPI

I havent done this in a long time, but I dont think the pins will update if you are trying to do it like that. you probably need to connect to remora with loadrt or something, but it is easier to just use linuxcnc and halshow

looks like the remora comp is working correctly, but if you cannot get out of estop there is something else wrong.

remora-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/development/checklist.html

Go over the checklist, and make sure you have successfully completed all the tasks. there are detailed articles for every point on the list

hi cakeslob,

I checked the firmware version (stm32F446 octopus 1.1) At some point i was using minicom and cutecom to test the spi communication, I got [42] back at some point.

I just reinstalled the firmware using CubeProgrammer. What I dont get is why config.txt with the pin mappings should go in the sd reader of the octopus board. I did a secure format of my 8 and 16 Gb sd cards from realiable brands (Kingston and Sandisk) FAT32, but I never had the firmware being renamed to firmware.cur. For this reason I believe that having the sd card in there with the config file not being read is the issue.

So I'm assuming that CubeProgrammer did a good job and the MCU is flashed correctly. However when powering the board, it takes no motor current which I thought is weird. And the linuxcnc control still stuck in estop....

Gosh what else can I try?
Thanks

p.s. maye I didnt name all things I tried but I definitely went over the checklist you provided  

I think you are getting things confused and did steps not in the instructions. If you load firmware.bin onto the SD card the first time, it will change to firmware.cur if it loaded correctly. Your config.txt file is stored on the sdcard, it needs to remain inside the board.

if you loaded the firmware using other methods, it is possible you overwrote the bootloader in which case the firmware will not load. you might need to reinstall flash the board with bootloader, then reload the firmware.

with the stock bootloader on the octopus, all you need to do is
- put the firmware.bin on the sd card
- put config.txt on the sd card
- put sd card in octopus and leave it there
- thats it

yeah so before I tried also to get CubeProgrammer to reinstall the bootloader but it failed, and now wonderfully it succeeded.
also:
firmware.bin => firmware.cur
my further drilling the setup led to understanding that the estop is tied to:

net user-enable-out <= iocontrol.0.user-enable-out => remora.SPI-enable
net user-request-enable <= iocontrol.0.user-request-enable => remora.SPI-reset
net remora-status <= remora.SPI-status => iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in

I do not fully understand, but remora.spi-enable is TRUE, status is FALSE and reset = FALSE, they are connected to a signal which is probably a physical signal on the octopus, but I dont know where. I accidentally made a short by connecting 3.3v to GND on DIAG0....

Anyway getting closer

p.s. I believe nothing was damaged!

LinuxCNC will only come out of eStop when the SPI comms works, ie the remora-spi component receives a valid response from the board.

This is where using the serial output from the board is handy to ensure the board boots all the way to idle state where it will wait for SPI commands.

scotta thank you so much!

the challenges I face that are left are:

1) homing -> I tried wiring to GND and 3.3v but joint.0.home (maybe it's called different) is never TRUE, I tried using halcmd show pin for that while linuxcnc was running and also live testing the home axis.
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