Install Formula Flowcode on Windows 10

[RienW]

In my time as an electronics teacher, I worked with the Formula Flowcode until my retirement in 2010. When I quit, it was also the end of the electronics course; too few students. Unfortunately. I took home the Formula Flowcode robot and software, otherwise it would probably end up in a corner and be thrown away later.

Because I now want to motivate my 9-year-old grandson to tinker with electronics, I took the robot out again. I have installed the registered professional version of Flowcode (v3.2.2.40) on my Windows 10 laptop. The driver installer on the CD-ROM is: Formula_Flowcode_Driver_Install.exe. When I install it, I get the following error: "You have to run the 64-bit version of DPInst.exe on this machine. Contact the vendor that provided you this package".

I have already searched extensively on the internet, but cannot find the solution.

Can anyone help me?

[Benj]

Hello,

You can maybe try right clicking the .inf file and selecting install. This just bypasses the installation executable.

This might also work.
https://www.matrixtsl.com/resources/get ... e.php?id=1

If all else fails then there is a signed driver here that might work for you.
https://www.matrixtsl.com/mmforums/view ... 52&p=81072

Let us know how you get on.

[RienW]

Thanks for the quick answer. Unfortunately no progress yet.

"Right clicking the .inf file" gives:
The operation is completed, but in "device management" in device manager i still see an unknown device

Downloading de file on "https://www.matrixtsl.com/resources/get ... e.php?id=1" gives:
Buggy_driver cannot be downloaded securely

Downloading "FormulaFlowcode.zip" gives:
! F: \Flowcode \ FormulaFlowcode.zip: The archive is unrecoverable

[Benj]

Ok thanks, I'll look into those issues.

Here is a file that should work for you.

FormulaFlowcode.zip

(1.36 MiB) Downloaded 642 times

[RienW]

Thanx.

Well, with this FormulaFlowcode.zip I am one step further.
The Formula Flowcode is now visible in device manager:
Custom USB Devices I see Formula Flowcode Buggy!

LED's D4 and D5 on the Formula Flowcode flash alternately

But when uploading now I get the following:
File name: F:\Flowcode\Curriculum\Example files\ex2.1.c
Generated by: Flowcode v3.2.2.40
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 14:35:45
Licence: Professional
Registered to: Rien Woerden

http://www.matrixmultimedia.com

Launching the compiler...

C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Multimedia\Flowcode V3\BoostC\boostc.pic18.flowcode.exe -v -tIC18F4455 "ex2.1.c"

....................................
Return code = 0

FINISHED

[Benj]

Hello,

Wow it's been a long time since I last debugged v3. The command line looks a little strange.

-tIC18F4455

should probably be

-tPIC18F4455

Though return code 0 should be that everything is ok. Are you compiling to hex or compiling to chip?

[RienW]

Strange, I see now also above -tIC18F4455, but if I do it again now, I see it right: C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Multimedia\Flowcode V3\BoostC\boostc.pic18.flowcode.exe -v -t PIC18F4455 "ex2.1.c"

I am compiling to chip.

[RienW]

Dear Ben, I now see that only 4 files were created after compiling.
Namely:
file.c
file.fcf
file.msg.txt
file.obj[/list]

So I miss the file.hex
The button compile to HEX does not give a hex file either

[Benj]

Hello,

It might be worth trying the latest version of the BoostC compiler. hopefully that will make a difference for you.

You will need to download and install it and then point Flowcode at the new compiler version.

http://www.sourceboost.com/CommonDownload.html

[RienW]

Thanx.

I did that.
Then I changed only one line of the compiler options. Because the Flowcode files are of course not included in the new download. See the attached image.



Unfortunately no HEX file yet.

[Steve]

Another option is to download and try Flowcode v8. You will get a full 30-day unlock at first, and after that has run out you will be able to generate files for Formula Flowcode in the free version.

[RienW]

Thanks for the suggestion
I will try
I am only concerned that the Formula Flowcode is no longer available

In any case, thanks in advance for the help

[RienW]

It functions!!!
Awesome!!

Contrary to what I thought, the Formula Flowcode buggy is available in Flowcode V8.
The first program on the robot works; it turns left and right.
I am now going to further discover what else is possible.
And now let's hope that my grandson will also become enthusiastic about it.
Who knows, he might also work in electronics in the future.

Thanks for the extensive support!

[RienW]

Formula Flowcode, Flowcode v8 is great to use, but .....

I have problems with the switches, IR sensors and the line followers.
How can I select which of the three IR sensors I want to use?
Or how which of the two switches?

I have looked at the examples from version 3, but I am unable to recreate them in version 8.

Are there examples for version 8 to download?
Thanx

[Benj]

Hello,

The ReadSwitch. ReadLIneSensor, and ReadIRSensor component macros all have a parameter which dictates if your reading the left or the right sensor.

For these parameters 0 reads the left and 1 reads the right.