Newbie tools install testing xbbe zigbee mesh kit, PyCharm build ok, run no good!

XBee & XBee Gateway XBee - DigiMesh
1

Hi,
Installed PyCharm v2023.2.3, the plugin(latest), python 3.12 64 bit.
In pyCharm, created a digi project, Loaded the example blinker code into, used to show use of I/O it builds fine.
But when I go to run it on the xbee zigbee mesh board, it should blink the user LED, but doesnt, and I see a message in py charm: “The XBee device does not support file system” “Deploy failed”

I know the computer, and usb connection is all good, since if I go into XCTU, and use the python terminal there, and manually place code in, and do the ^E paste ^D routine, things work…

So what is the problem with PyCharm?
I was hoping to be able to use a sort of integrated enviorment for software?
and now can’t even get a simple thing to run through it…

I am guessing there is a path or config issue somewhere in it, but not sure where…spinning for 2 hours already…

Please help…

Thanks,
Bert

2

This sounds like you have not formatted the file system on the XBee. I would suggest entering command mode and issuing the ATFS format command.

3

Hi,

Thx for the reply…

Is this valid for the non cellular device? (which is what I have)

Bert

From “Eric via Digi Technical Support Forums” <notifications@digi.discoursemail.com>
To decervens@gmail.com
Date 11/3/2023 7:48:17 AM
Subject [Digi Technical Support Forums] [XBee & XBee Gateway/XBee - DigiMesh] Newbie tools install testing xbbe zigbee mesh kit, PyCharm build ok, run no good!

4

Yes, both the XBee 3 and XBee Cellular modules need to have their file system formatted before you can use it.

5

Well, even though i am not sure if this is good for non cellular versioin, i tried anyway.

got into command mode…dir atfs format confirm, came back saying formatting, then ok…

tried going back into py charm, build and that was ok, and the run…and same issue!

comes back as before showing this.

Deploying application in selected device (COM3 - 9600/8/N/1/N)…

Cleaning stored code… [OK]
The XBee device does not support file system

DEPLOY FAILED

I reinstalled pycharm professional v 2023.2.3, and installed the digi plug in (show v 2.1.7)

so is there more to do for directories or formatting?
If i can get this sorted, seems like a perfect environment to develop with…

Please help
Bert

6

fyi…this is the simple LED blink program…so nothing that special…listed as follows

Copyright (c) 2019, Digi International, Inc.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy

of this software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal

in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights

to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell

copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is

furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in

all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR

IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,

FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE

AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER

LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,

OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE

SOFTWARE.

from machine import Pin
import time

Pin D9 (ON/SLEEP/DIO9)

LED_PIN_ID = “D9”

print(" ±-------------------------------------+“)
print(” | XBee MicroPython Blinking LED Sample |“)
print(” ±-------------------------------------+\n")

Set up the LED pin object to manage the LED status. Configure the pin

as output and set its initial value to off (0).

led_pin = Pin(LED_PIN_ID, Pin.OUT, value=0)

Start blinking the LED by toggling its value every second.

while True:
print(“- LED OFF”)
led_pin.value(0)
time.sleep(1)

7

What is the firmware version and XBee part number you are working with?

8

I updated it to version v 3012…which is supposed to be the latest?

this code works if I paste into the micropython terminal and run…so what is pycharm doing that it needs a file system?

do i need to do any other formatting command besides format?

I don’t see any setting in pycharm to seem to address this?

Thanks,
Bert

From “Eric via Digi Technical Support Forums” <notifications@digi.discoursemail.com>
To decervens@gmail.com
Date 11/3/2023 11:27:22 AM
Subject [Digi Technical Support Forums] [XBee & XBee Gateway/XBee - DigiMesh] Newbie tools install testing xbbe zigbee mesh kit, PyCharm build ok, run no good!

9

at micro python terminal…after doing the +++ i entered “atfs format confirm” and then it shows “formatting … OK”

I assumed it did a format, and not sure if something more is needed.

Bert

From “Eric via Digi Technical Support Forums” <notifications@digi.discoursemail.com>
To decervens@gmail.com
Date 11/3/2023 10:29:17 AM
Subject [Digi Technical Support Forums] [XBee & XBee Gateway/XBee - DigiMesh] Newbie tools install testing xbbe zigbee mesh kit, PyCharm build ok, run no good!

10

I would suggest downgrading the firmware to version 0x0D. It may be part of an issue that has already been addressed in the 0x12 firmware.

11

well downgraded to firmware ver 300D, did a format again on the device, went into pycharm, build ok, run…same issue!!! is there a known configuration where this works…im about to give up.
Bert

12

Are any people using pycharm and the digi plugin, and xbee zigbee module successfully???

I am using a win 10 pro machine, latest updates, tried with latest pycharm professional, and having issues with the simplest test…I/O LED blink test…builds but can’t load via pycharm.

Almost sounds more like a pycharm issue, since there is a route through XCTU that works.

If someone is having success, maybe you can share your configuration, and any particular things you needed to do to make things work properly.

The alternative for development is to use the XCTU software, running the python terminal, and pasting code into that to load to xbee module and test. Is this what most people are doing with the XBEE Zigbee product?

Very interested to hear from others and their experieces…
Bert

13

XBEE3, included with the DIGI meshkit, last firmware update was down to 300D and still an issue…

However…all works via the XCTU oython terminal path.
Bert

14

Yes, I use PyCharm all of the time.

What interface board are you working with? That is, who’s board is the XBee mounted on in order to connect it to the PC with?

15

You might want to submit a Support case by sending an email to technical.support@digi.com. Make sure you provide exact steps to what you are doing so they can try to reproduce the issue and see what is going on.

16

I am using the XBEE Grove Development boad. Included in the DIGI XBEE Meshkit…

connected via usb, and has no issue with comms with XCTU, and just used the XBEE
repel consol within pyCharm, actually succesfully…

so via the pycharm app, comms are good.

It the “run” command, thats start to try to download whatever it built from the sample code, and then develops the error " the part does sssupport file" deployment failed.

I take the same exact code and paste it into the Xbee console within pycharm, it loads and runs fine!

17

Hi,

I have another piece to the puzzle here…

So I went through XCTU initially to load the sample code to try it and it worked…not flashing it…

Then tried to flash it to stat up with the code to flash the LED…that worked…

I went back to pycharm playing around with things again…

Then rebuilt the file, same code…then did a RUN, and it downloaded, with no errors!!!

Did writing something into flash fix something that then allowed pyCharm to work?

so now I can download, using the xbee repel console within pycharm…at least at the moment with this test code…

What happened here? What needs to be done if anything to prep the module to use with pycharm…odd…
I am also going to send this all the tech support.

Not sure its fully resolved…something not understood here…

18

hi maybe you can forward this to tech support, for some reason its getting blocked and returned?
thx

Hello,

I was referred here by: mvut at digi support

I have used digi xbee previously, but got sidetracked due to covid!

getting back to things, starting over to refresh memories, I wanted to get things setup, tools, hardware etc…

I purchased a new DIGI Xbee Zigbee Meshkit via mouser. non cellular

I am using the smt style module on th xbee smt grove board.

I have used XCTU to verify I can connect via usb, update firmware, and was at firmware v 3012, but downgraded to v 300D

That was an attempt at fixing the issue to be described.

I am on a win 10 pro machine, latest updates are stalled.

I installed pyCharm prof 2023.2.3, and added the XBEE pycharm plugin. Python v 3.12.0 is also installed on the machine.

To verify my setup was all correct, picked the simplest thing to do…used the LED Blink example code as a first build and load.
The code is below from DIGI…nothing was modified. code:

from machine import Pin
import time

# Pin D9 (ON/SLEEP/DIO9)
LED_PIN_ID = "D9"

print(" +--------------------------------------+")
print(" | XBee MicroPython Blinking LED Sample |")
print(" +--------------------------------------+\n")

# Set up the LED pin object to manage the LED status. Configure the pin
# as output and set its initial value to off (0).
led_pin = Pin(LED_PIN_ID, Pin.OUT, value=0)

# Start blinking the LED by toggling its value every second.
while True:
    print("- LED OFF")
    led_pin.value(0)
    time.sleep(1)

    print("- LED ON")
    led_pin.value(1)
    time.sleep(1)





Ran the build within pycharm with no errors.
Tried to "Run" which starts the download....and this is where the problem occured:

as it starts to get things loaded this pops up (all in pycharm)

*Deploying application in selected device (COM3 - 9600/8/N/1/N)…*

*Cleaning stored code… [OK]*
*The XBee device does not support file system*

DEPLOY FAILED

FYI...did a format on the part...that didnt help!

I took the same code, cut an pasted into python term in XCTU, loaded and runs fine...

now another development....spent hours playing with this now...

I used the python term in xctu, and flashed the code to the device...and that worked...
powered on off on...and it ran...

went back to pycharm...playing some more..

same code, built again...did a RUN, started the download....HOWEVER...this time it downloaded...no errors!!!

What is going on here? something is not right somewhere, but gets corrected after a flash via python term?

Not sure this is the real solution, all I know is that I spent two days to load a tiny program to blink an LED with PYcharm and the plugin.
that should have taken 10 min.

Do you have some insight, advice, solution?

FYI, the xbee parts came from a brand new mesh kit I got a few days ago...

Please let me know what you find, suggest, etc...
Thanks,
Bert

From “Eric via Digi Technical Support Forums” <notifications@digi.discoursemail.com>
To decervens@gmail.com
Date 11/3/2023 11:58:51 AM
Subject [Digi Technical Support Forums] [XBee & XBee Gateway/XBee - DigiMesh] Newbie tools install testing xbbe zigbee mesh kit, PyCharm build ok, run no good!