NXC/NBC command line compiling

[mattallen37]

I would like to be able to compile and download programs to an NXT from a command line (so that I can download using a batch file). I seem to be able to compile .nxc programs, but I can't figure out how to download the output to the NXT.

I tried using -S=usb -d and it didn't work (the last line the compiler spit out was "Download failed", and the NXT didn't beep). I tried several combinations of things, but so far I always get the same result.

[tcwan]

I would like to be able to compile and download programs to an NXT from a command line (so that I can download using a batch file). I seem to be able to compile .nxc programs, but I can't figure out how to download the output to the NXT.

I tried using -S=usb -d and it didn't work (the last line the compiler spit out was "Download failed", and the NXT didn't beep). I tried several combinations of things, but so far I always get the same result.

Are you on Linux?

http://arbitrarycreations.co.uk/lego/nx ... tions/#nbc has the basic instructions which uses the command line switches you specify.

The gotcha is usually device permissions on Linux. By default, they're owned by root, so a normal user account can't access. You can try as root first to see it it works.
You'll need to define custom udev entries for it, and add your user account to the correct group; logout and login again, check your group entries using 'id'.

[mattallen37]

Sorry I forgot to specify, I am using Windows 7 64-bit.

Edit: and I am using the admin account.

[tcwan]

Sorry I forgot to specify, I am using Windows 7 64-bit.

Edit: and I am using the admin account.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to this for Windows 7.

[spillerrec]

You don't even need to specify -S=usb iirc. Just make sure the NXT is connected and recognized by your system. So make sure you have the NXT driver installed, either by installing NXT-G, or by just installing the driver update from the Lego Mindstorms support page.

I wrote a bit about how to use nbc.exe with Notepad++, but it is a year old and a few things changed since then:
http://spillerrec.dk/2011/03/05/writing ... n-notepad/

[mattallen37]

I tried it without the -S=usb but it didn't seem to make any difference.

I referred to your blog while researching, but it didn't get me any farther than any other information source I found.

The NXT is recognized by the computer, as BCC is able to connect to it (and works perfectly).

My goal is to be able to program in NXC using Programmer's Notepad (and download the program from there).

[spillerrec]

If you are running the commands in that editor, try using the command prompt first, it might behave slightly different.

One thing to note though, you can not access the NXT if BCC or any other programs are currently connected to the NXT. Other than that I have really no idea why you can't download, but I don't think the issue lies with the parameters you pass.
If you really have no success, if you can get another program to download files to the NXT, you could make nbc.exe output it as a file and then use that other program to transfer it. I don't if NeXTExplorer has a CLI, but perhaps.

This is the parameters I'm currently using for compiling and it has worked flawlessly:

Code: Select all

D:\Programmer\Lego\BricxCC\nbc.exe "filepath" -d -r -v=128 -EF -Z3 -L="D:\nxccodelist.txt" -Y="D:\nxcsymbollist.txt" -sm- -ER=5

[afanofosc]

Can you try other builds of nbc.exe to see if you get different results? Are you for sure using the latest test release of nbc.exe?

D:\NXT\nxt\BricxCC>nbc
Next Byte Codes Compiler version 1.2 (1.2.1.5, built Thu Oct 11 22:32:57 CDT 201
2)
Copyright (c) 2006-2012, John Hansen
Use "nbc -help" for more information.

I have no trouble on my Win 7 64-bit OS to compile and download to my NXT via USB.

D:\NXT\nxt\BricxCC>nbc -d test.nxc -sm-

It output nothing but the brick beeped and the program downloaded without problems.

John Hansen

[mattallen37]

Thanks for your help. It turns out I did have BCC connected to the brick at the same time, and that was causing the problem. I hadn't realized BCC was open at the time, because it was in a different desktop workspace (and multiple workspaces are new for me).

So I think it's all working great now