[etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Fri Nov 9 14:23:05 CET 2012

Hi Josh,

I talked with some application engineers from Elmo yesterday and as I understand, the EEPROM memory isn't big enough to fit all the dictionary so we have to load the XML file. Did you do that with EtherLab's EtherCAT master?

Thank you,

Philippe

________________________________

De : Josh Rosenbaum [mailto:jrosenbaum at space.nrl.navy.mil] 
Envoyé : 7 novembre 2012 15:58
À : etherlab-users at etherlab.org; Hamelin, Philippe
Objet : RE: [etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Hi Philippe,

The code that Elmo provided for me is based on EtherLab’s EtherCAT

Master, which is the only EtherLab software component that I have been

using.  Once the EtherCAT Master has been installed (section 9 of the

documentation pdf), I include the ecrt.h file in my application and then

compile my program dynamically (section 7.2.1). 

Josh

From: hamelin.philippe at ireq.ca [mailto:hamelin.philippe at ireq.ca] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 3:29 PM
To: Josh Rosenbaum; etherlab-users at etherlab.org
Subject: RE: [etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Hi Josh,

I didn't know that the cyclic synchronous torque mode wasn't working with previous firmware versions. That's exactly the mode that I need too. Concerning the code that Elmo provided to you, is it based on EtherLab's master? If not, how does it work?

Thank you,

Philippe

________________________________

De : Josh Rosenbaum [mailto:jrosenbaum at space.nrl.navy.mil] 
Envoyé : 7 novembre 2012 15:23
À : Hamelin, Philippe
Objet : RE: [etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Hi Philippe,

Without the firmware update, EtherLab seems to be working perfectly.  I

can talk to my motors using the command-line tool, and I have tested both of

my motors in cyclic synchronous position mode (the downgraded firmware does

not support any of the other cyclic modes.  Since my application requires

cyclic synchronous torque mode, I will eventually need to use the updated

firmware.)

I would suggest contacting Elmo and requesting a previous version of the

Firmware since downgrading has been the only solution that has worked so far.

I would also suggest requesting a test application from Elmo.  They supplied

me with the base code that I am currently using to communicate with my motors.

Josh

From: hamelin.philippe at ireq.ca [mailto:hamelin.philippe at ireq.ca] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 1:07 PM
To: Josh Rosenbaum; etherlab-users at etherlab.org
Subject: RE: [etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Hello Josh,

I find it funny but sad at the same time as I was about to write an email similar to yours and I was hoping that I was the only one with this problem. Unfortunately, I see that we are more than one in the same situation. I also made a firmware update recently, but I have not had the chance to test the EtherCAT interface before the update. In your case, does the EtherCAT interface worked well with Etherlab's master before the update?

------------------------------------
Philippe Hamelin, ing., M. Ing
Chercheur / Researcher

T: 450-652-8499 x2198
F: 450-652-1316

Expertise robotique et civil
Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ)
1740, boul. Lionel-Boulet
Varennes (QC) J3X 1S1, Canada

________________________________

De : etherlab-users-bounces at etherlab.org [mailto:etherlab-users-bounces at etherlab.org] De la part de Josh Rosenbaum
Envoyé : 7 novembre 2012 11:07
À : etherlab-users at etherlab.org
Objet : [etherlab-users] Pinpointing a CoE error

Hello,

I’m new to using EtherLab’s EtherCAT Master, and I’m currently using

Version 1.5.1 on Ubuntu 10.4 (Kernel 2.6.32).  I have several identical

EtherCAT enabled Elmo Motion Control Whistle drives that use CANopen to

communicate with the master.  I recently updated the Whistle drives’

firmware, and an error has popped up that I’m unsure how to handle.

Elmo claims this is not a problem on their side but is a problem with

EtherLab. I’m struggling to pin down the problem’s root and I am looking 

to the EtherLab user base for guidance. 

When the EtherLab Master attempts to load the object dictionary, I get a

timeout error while the master tries loading a non-existent SDO.   I have

confirmed with Elmo that SDO entry 0x2206:1 does not exist.  This is the

log’s output when I have two slave’s attached; slave zero has the firmware

update and slave 1 does not.

[30791.825201] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: Finished configuration.

[30791.825204] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-0: Ready for requests.

[30791.825207] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: Ready for requests.

[30794.817007] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-0: Fetching SDO dictionary.

[30794.819587] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-0: SDO list fragments left: 2

[30794.820576] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-0: SDO list fragments left: 1

[30796.204805] EtherCAT ERROR 0-0: Timeout while waiting for SDO entry 0x2206:1 description response.

[30796.220971] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: Fetching SDO dictionary.

[30796.223436] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: SDO list fragments left: 2

[30796.224438] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: SDO list fragments left: 1

[30796.988003] EtherCAT DEBUG 0-1: Fetched 171 SDOs and 460 entries.

I get this error every time I give power to my servo drives.   Additionally,

if I try and upload an SDO using the command line tool, I get no response 

from the slave.  EtherLab returns the error “Failed to determine SDO entry

data type.  Please specify –type” or “Data type mismatch.  Expected XXX with

YY bytes, but got 0 bytes” .  I have never gotten an error with the older

version of the firmware.  

If this is an EtherLab bug, does anyone have suggestions to help me isolate

the bug or to circumvent the problem?  If this is a bug in the firmware and

beyond my scope, any suggestions to prove that EtherLab is working correctly

and that the bug is with Elmo?

Also, I am entertaining the idea of upgrading to the EtherLab development

version, but I am awaiting the procurement of a new NIC with the necessary

supported chipset. 

Thanks in advance,

Josh

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