Troubleshooting

Setting your COM port (Window's only)

Be sure the Beamer is connected to your COM port.

• Type %test the lower section of the Text Area
• Before pressing Enter/Return be sure that you are looking at the Beamer.
• The red/green light indicator on the Beamer should briefly turn red.

If the Beamer red/green light indicator didn't turn briefly to red, it is an indication that PicoBlocks is not dectecting the Beamer. Unplug and plug again the Beamer and perform the above test once again.

Setting your Serial port (Mac's only)

Be sure the Beamer is connected and PicoBlocks is running.

• Type %test the lower section of the Text Area
• Before pressing Enter/Return be sure that you are looking at the Beamer.
• The red/green light indicator on the Beamer should briefly turn red.

If the Beamer red/green light indicator didn't turn briefly to red (or it never turned on at all), it is an indication that there may be a problem with the setting of your serial port. Two possible causes are:

• The Java Serial Extension isn't installed (download and run the hqx file)
• There isn't a properly installed driver for the USB to serial adapter. md_pl2303_v106.zip is a working driver for may inexpensive adapters. Please note that the KeySpan adapters don't work properly (we have had success with http://shopnow123.safeshopper.com/2/279.htm?752)

PICOBlocks doesn't boot correctly

PicoBlocks requires Java 1.4.x or higher. To check the java version on your computer, try the following:

• Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Apple).
• Type java -version

If you need to install or upgrade Java, download it from Sun Microsystems website or the Apple Computer website.

Version checking and downloading firmware

How to check the version:

• Type the following in the lower section of the Text Area: %version   
• A number should be shown in the print box. The current number for this preliminarily release is: 17.

How to download the firmware:

To download the new firmware you need to do the following:

• Turn off your Cricket
• While pressing the button, turn on your Cricket. The Cricket won't beep and its red/green light indicator should be off (showing no sign of life)
• Point the Cricket to the Beamer
• Type the following in the lower section of the Text Area: %download-firmware

You should see the transmission light on the Cricket flashing for about 30 seconds meanwhile the transmission is happening. When it finishes, the Cricket beeps and the red/green light indicator turns on.

Is your Cricket turned on?

Check that the red/green light indicator is on. If it is not, move the switch to the On position (towards the button). When turned on your Cricket beeps and its red/green light indicator turns red.

Are the Cricket and  the Beamer lined  up?

Are the batteries low?

If your Cricket is acting strangely (or not working at all), it could be your batteries are running low.

When you are running out of battery power, the "run" light on your Cricket flashes. It can either flash red or green. If a stack is currently running, it will flash green. Otherwise, it will flash red.

A simple way to test if your batteries are low is to plug into the Cricket light bricks and set them to white (setlightcolor 100). If the batteries are low, the “red/green” light indicator in your Cricket will flash.

---