ir - can not open file xyz.txt

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 8:48 pm

Why does ir refuse to open a file i just saved... cause i don't have a backup? Was working fine.

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:04 pm

Define "refuse". If you think there might be a problem with the file, post it in the Diagnosis Area and one of us will look at it.

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:22 pm

How do i get there??

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 9:35 pm

OK - found the site, the files name is JP's8811 Remote.txt. When I try to open it ir complains "Can't open file..."

usblipitor · Post by **usblipitor** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:12 pm

I just opened your file in IR.exe so it is not the file that is the problem.

Maybe you should reboot your computer and try to open the file again?

How are you attempting to open the file?

The correct way is to use the File/Open from the drop down menu in IR.

-Steve

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 10:39 pm

Thanks Steve, that's how I've been loading it. This jp1 thing is the worst experience I have ever had with technology. First the interface wouldn't work. Just before I was ready to kick the system unit across the room I took the batteries out of the 8811... guess what? Then ir started complaining that it couldn't find a system file decon.sys. So then I threw everything out and started all over and now this. Are ir gods trying to tell me something??? If my post seem a little "short" you know why.

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 11:16 pm

Well after a 3x's longer then normal boot the file load, but ir is not happy... Warning - Bad checkskum at $0000. Expected $20 $DF, but found $DC $23. Now how the hell does it know what to expect? I don't... it sounds like its getting smarter than i am!

I'm going to bed or blow my brains out... I'm not sure which would be more relaxing.

usblipitor · Post by **usblipitor** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:22 am

do a 981 reset on the remote to completely wipe the eeprom so you can start with a clean slate. (hold set button till 2 blinks, then 9-8-1)

Start IR.exe and do File/New/Select and pick:
URC-881x_801x_601x(6_806_80)
from the list of rdf files.

now connect your newly wiped remote to the jp1 cable and click "download from remote"

now click "file/save as" and call it "IR_Virgin_8811.txt"

now disconnect the remote and exit IR.exe.

now restart IR.exe and click file/open and open that file and let us know if it works or if you still get the checksum error.

Good Luck,
-Steve

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:13 am

usblipitor wrote:Start IR.exe and do File/New/Select and pick:
URC-881x_801x_601x(6_806_80)
from the list of rdf files.

now connect your newly wiped remote to the jp1 cable and click "download from remote"

Selecting an RDF like that serves no purpose when you're about to download from a remote.

IR will automatically pick the right RDF when it downloads.

JohnParks wrote:This jp1 thing is the worst experience I have ever had with technology.

John, I understand that you are frustrated, but try to keep your act together, ok. There are alot of dedicated people here that have put in ALOT of time to make JP1 possible, so if you come in here mouthing off like that, you are very unlikely to get any help from any of us.

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:27 am

J-O-H-N-N-Yeeee's back. After a nights sleep I'm starting to feel like the world is round again. I would like to thank Rob, Steve, and everyone else for putting up with my newbie incompetence... hope to be able to pay back.

Some questions please:
1. What is the structure of a remote program-wise? From posts, I assume that there is rom, ram, and eprom, but it's not running like a computer is it... in a loop waiting for a key press? I ask this because removing the batteries from my urc-8811 cured all my ir interface problems. It's dormant until a key press, right?

2. What's in rom. I know generally know what's in a computer's flash rom. Is it run every time a key is pressed and then jumps to ram/eprom or just data for factory resets, product_id, etc.

Answers or an info pointer would greatly appreciated.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 11:32 am

It has ROM, RAM, registers (more than you'd expect), and eeprom.

Data can be accessed easily in registers, with more difficulty in RAM or ROM, and with much more difficulty in EEPROM. Code can be executed easily in ROM or RAM and not at all in registers or eeprom. Those constraints lead to a fair amount of copying things around prior to use:

Several models have two different memory use patterns depending on whether the eeprom is present:

No eeprom:
1) Basic setup data kept in registers.
2) KeyMoves and Macros kept in RAM and copied into registers for use.
3) Built-in setup codes used directly from ROM
4) Learned signals and upgrades not supported.

With eeprom:
1) Basic setup data kept in registers, but backed up in eeprom.
2) KeyMoves and Macros kept in eeprom and copied into registers for use.
3) Built-in setup codes used directly from ROM
4) Learned signals and upgrades kept in eeprom and copied to RAM for use.

The MPU is in a loop waiting for (and processing) keystrokes, but there is an interrupt system so that the loop is really waiting for the flag set by the keyboard interrupt service routine rather than for the keyboard itself. There is also an instruction to pause the MPU in a lower power mode waiting for the next keyboard, timer, or other interrupt, and there is a way to pause it in an even lower power hibernate mode waiting for only keyboard interrupts. That mode is so low power that it maintains its CPU state, registers, and RAM sometimes for several hours without batteries.

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 12:30 pm

Thanks John. What happens data-wise when the batteries go south? Is it able to recover without data loss?[/b]

Post by **The Robman** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:05 pm

JohnParks wrote:What happens data-wise when the batteries go south? Is it able to recover without data loss?

For EEPROM remotes, yes, for non-EEPROM remotes, no.

JohnParks · Post by **JohnParks** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:33 pm

I loaded Remote Master and must admit, the interface is much more intuitive, but I will always be amazed at what Rob Crowe and others were able to do with a spreadsheet... incredible.

With the explanations rendered here things are beginning to make a lot more sense. Now all I have to do is decide if I want to do an extender on my URC-6131. Thanks all.

johnsfine · Post by **johnsfine** » Thu Jan 08, 2004 2:34 pm

JohnParks wrote:What happens data-wise when the batteries go south? Is it able to recover without data loss?[/b]

If the batteries go south long enough to lose some specific piece of MPU state (I'm not sure which), the remote recognises that fact when it gets new batteries and reads the basic settings from the backup copy in eeprom and has no trouble continuing to understand all the other info in eeprom.

If the batteries go south just long enough to lose a few bits in a few registers, the basic settings are corrupted in the registers. When the user then tries to fix any one of those corrupted settings, the remote backs up all the other corrupted settings to eeprom destroying the good settings. I'm not sure whether KeyMoves, Macros, Learned Signals and Upgrades can be lost in that glitch. It's pretty rare. If the batteries are out a short time or a very long time you can't get that glitch.