Connection Problem

[Flynn]

Hi forum. I am putting together a new printer. I have a BigTreeTech SKR v1.3 controller running Marlin 2.0_bugfix that I cannot get to connect with Simplify3D. It connects fine to Pronterface using the same settings. It will connect to Simplify3d but it does not action any data arriving on the serial port. It fills the buffer with outgoing commands (which the printer responds to) and then stops working when the buffer is full. If I increase the size of the buffer I get to send more commands before it stops working I can connect to the printer with Atom and see with the serial monitor that the skr board is sending the 'ok's and the temperature data in response to a M105 command but Simplify3d does not display the temperatures - so basically Simplify3d does not receive any data on the USB serial. I have tried both the Maplin_USB driver and the Smoothieboard_USB driver. I have also had to uncheck the 'wait for startup command' in tools\firmware config or else it just wont connect at all. Simp[lify3d works fine with my older printers running Marlin 1.9 .

anybody suggest anything before I go back to a mega2560 and marlin 1.9.....

[Flynn]

Never mind, I have found the solution. I selected Xon Xoff flow control from the Tools\firmware configuration\communication\flow control option and it now works. This is a change from Marlin 1.9 which works using the default 'no flow control' option.

[Flynn]

Errrrr...forget my last post.... it DID work with Xon/Xoff.....once! and now it doesn't work again. this sounds like dodgy USB cables but I am using the short USB supplied with the board, and a different one that is physically the same, both plugged directly into a USB on the computer front panel, which is USB2.

i can't decide if this is something in Simplify3d or the SKR board but the comms work fine into pronterface and both Atom and Arduino serial monitors

[Flynn]

Well....that speaks volumes.

As this board, and others, from the same stable have had numerous reports of bad comms in the past I have decided that I don't need 32 bit and will revert to the tried and tested MEGA2560 and a RAMPS v1.4 board. $14 wasted. At least everyone is aware of the shortcomings of that combo and work-around solutions have been widely promoted. I am not interested in the latest incarnations of quieter stepper drivers so the main reason for the change to a better board are somewhat muted in my case.

As a purely theoretical capacity, it would have been nice to know what in Simplify3d code makes it susceptible to dodgy comms.....