How to upload with -F ?

[shiftleftplusone]

I get this error msg: avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega328P is 1E 95 0F Double check chip, or use -F to override this check.

But there are no entries to find to use this flag -F or whatever this F-thing is. Please enable it by a menu entry in the IDE!

[matthijskooijman]

This sounds like you have selected the wrong board in the IDE, or somehow the programmer or bootloader fails to read the processor signature correctly. If you would add -F (which you can do in platform.txt, if you insist), you would likely run into more errors.

What board are you using? What board have you selected in the IDE? Can you paste the full (verbose) upload output?

[shiftleftplusone]

Actually the boards are old Freeduinos (Diecimila ATmega328) , using a FTDI chip. 1 year ago, when I started with Arduinos from the scratch, I had to install the FTDI drivers, and then it worked (IDE 0.9 and/or 1.05, Diecimila Board, Win XP32.). But then I started to use Megas und Dues and the Freeduinos were sort of forgotten.

Now I reactivated them in order to make a UART-to-I2c converter, but it didn't work no more. IDE 1.6.3, still Win XP32. I even installed a new FTDI driver manually from http://www.arexx.com/downloads/CDMv2.10.00__PID_FIX.zip - but no changes.

When I target Diecimila, I get the error as shown above, when I target Unos, then it says the avrdude is out of sync.

So what should I do?

How can I try this -F thing ?

[mikaelpatel]

I think this line is the problem? https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/master/hardware/arduino/avr/boards.txt#L107 If the "...mcu=atmega328p" is given to avrdude it will return a signature error. Change to "atmega328" and test that. Cheers!

[shiftleftplusone]

thank you very much, this sounds very promising :)

But what text file is it actually which I have to patch? My Arduino program folder is C:\Programme\Arduino\

[shiftleftplusone]

ps, I think I found it. But now it still doesn't compile, although targeting the Mega or the Due it compiles fine - Compile error on Diecimila:

C:\Programme\Arduino\libraries\UTFTQD\UTFTQD.cpp:56:4: error: #error "Unsupported AVR MCU!"
   #error "Unsupported AVR MCU!"

(no idea why the compiler now moans about the UTFTQD lib, this lib always worked fine!)

In the file C:\Programme\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\boards.txt I had just patched the line diecimila.menu.cpu.atmega328.build.mcu=atmega328p by diecimila.menu.cpu.atmega328.build.mcu=atmega328

• was that correct?

(the following file is just my standard customized specimen which opens when the IDE is started, and which always worked)

#include <SPI.h>
#include <SD.h>
#include <UTFTQD.h>
#include <ardustdio.h>

//=====================================================================================
// misc.  
//=====================================================================================

#define  _DUEMISO_    74  // Arduino Due SPI Header
#define  _DUEMOSI_    75
#define  _DUESCK_     76

#define  clock()      millis()  
#define  LRAND_MAX    32767
#define  srand(seed)  randomSeed(seed)
#define  rand()       random(LRAND_MAX)
#define  rando()      ((float)rand()/(LRAND_MAX+1))

//=====================================================================================
// TFT LCD
//=====================================================================================
#define  UTFT_CSpin    52    // <<<<<<<< adjust!

// set LCD TFT type
int16_t  LCDTYPE   =   -1;

#define  __LCD1602__    1  // LCD1602  Hitachi HD44780 driver <LiquidCrystal.h> 
                           // http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/LiquidCrystal
#define  __SERLCD__     2  // Sparkfun serLCD 16x2  
                           // http://playground.arduino.cc/Code/SerLCD
#define  __UTFT__       4  // Henning Karlsen UTFT 2.2-2.4" 220x176 - 320x240 lib
                           // http://henningkarlsen.com/electronics/library.php?id=51

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//UTFT   myGLCD(Model, SDA=MOSI, SCL, CS,         RESET,  RS)    // Due: 3 exposed SS pins: 4,10,52
//UTFT   myGLCD(QD220A,   A2,    A1,  A5,         A4,     A3);   // adjust model parameter and pins!
  UTFT   myGLCD(QD220A,   50,    49,  UTFT_CSpin,  0,     51);   // A0->Vc (LED), A4->BoardReset
extern   uint8_t SmallFont[];
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#define  lcdWhiteBlack()  {                                                                 \
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(255,255,255); myGLCD.setBackColor(  0,  0,  0);} \
}

#define  lcdNormal()      {                                                                 \
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(255,255,255); myGLCD.setBackColor(  0,  0,  0);} \
}

#define  lcdInvers()      {                                                                 \
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(  0,  0,  0); myGLCD.setBackColor(255,255,255);} \
}

#define  lcdWhiteRed()    {                                                                 \
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(255,255,255); myGLCD.setBackColor(255,  0,  0);} \
}

#define  lcdRedBlack()    {                                                                 \   
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(255,  0,  0); myGLCD.setBackColor(  0,  0,  0);} \
}

#define  lcdYellowBlue()  {                                                                 \     
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.setColor(255,255,  0); myGLCD.setBackColor( 64, 64, 64);} \
}

int16_t  fontwi= 8;
int16_t  fonthi=10;

int16_t  LCDmaxX , LCDmaxY ;                // display size

int16_t  _curx_, _cury_,                    // last x,y cursor pos on TFT screen
         _maxx_, _maxy_;                    // max. x,y cursor pos on TFT screen

char     wspace[50];                        // line of white space

void lcdcls()  {                                                         
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.clrScr();  _curx_ =0;  _cury_ =0; }                            
}

void curlf()   {                                                        
   _curx_=0; if( _cury_ <=(LCDmaxY-10) ) _cury_+=fonthi; else _cury_=0;     
}

void lcdprintxy(int16_t x, int16_t y, char * str) {
   if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.print(str,x,y); _curx_=x+strlen(str)*fontwi; _cury_=y; }
}

void curxy(int16_t x, int16_t y) {
   _curx_ = x;_cury_ = y;
}

void lcdprint(char * str) {
    if(LCDTYPE==__UTFT__) { myGLCD.print(str, _curx_, _cury_); _curx_=_curx_+strlen(str)*fontwi; }
}

//=====================================================================================
// SD Card
//=====================================================================================
#define  SD_CSpin  38     // <<<<<<<< adjust!
File     myFile;
char     fname[64];

//=====================================================================================
// user interface:  button pad control pins
//=====================================================================================

#define  PIN_ESC    13
#define  PIN_UP     12
#define  PIN_OK     11
#define  PIN_DN      4 // instead opt.: 6
#define  PIN_LE      3 // instead opt.: 5
#define  PIN_RI      2

//=====================================================================================
// Digital Pins
//=====================================================================================

#define  SensorPTouch(pin) (!digitalRead(pin))    // btn press for _PULLUP Touch Pin (intern. pullup resistor)
#define  SensorTouch(pin)  ( digitalRead(pin))    // btn press for _PULLDOWN Touch Pin (ext. pulldown resistor)
#define  pbtn(pin)         (!digitalRead(pin))    // alias (_PULLUP Touch Pin)

//=====================================================================================

int16_t  btnpressed() {
   return ( pbtn(PIN_ESC)||pbtn(PIN_UP)||pbtn(PIN_OK)||pbtn(PIN_DN)||pbtn(PIN_LE)||pbtn(PIN_RI) );
}

//=====================================================================================

int16_t   getbtn() {
   int16_t  choice= -1;

   while (!  btnpressed() );  // wait until button pad pressed
   if( pbtn(PIN_ESC) ) choice = PIN_ESC;
   if( pbtn(PIN_UP) )  choice = PIN_UP;
   if( pbtn(PIN_OK) )  choice = PIN_OK;
   if( pbtn(PIN_DN) )  choice = PIN_DN;
   if( pbtn(PIN_LE) )  choice = PIN_LE;
   if( pbtn(PIN_RI) )  choice = PIN_RI;     
   while (  btnpressed() );   // wait until button pad released

   return choice;   
}

//=====================================================================================
//=====================================================================================
void setup() {
   char sbuf[128];
   Serial.begin(115200);  

   // TFT LCD
   Serial.println();
   LCDTYPE = __UTFT__ ;        // set LCD-Type

   Serial.println("init LCD...");   
   myGLCD.InitLCD();

   LCDmaxX=myGLCD.getDisplayXSize();
   LCDmaxY=myGLCD.getDisplayYSize();
   myGLCD.setFont(SmallFont);
   _maxx_ = LCDmaxX / fontwi;
   _maxy_ = LCDmaxY / fonthi;   
   memset(wspace, ' ', _maxx_);
   wspace[_maxx_]='\0';
   lcdcls();
   sprintf(sbuf, "LCDtype=%2d %4dx%4d",LCDTYPE,LCDmaxX,LCDmaxY);
   Serial.println(sbuf);
   lcdprintxy(0, 0, sbuf);

}
//=====================================================================================

//=====================================================================================

//=====================================================================================

//=====================================================================================
void loop(){
   char     sbuf[128];

}
//=====================================================================================
//=====================================================================================

[shiftleftplusone]

if I change the line back to 328p, then it says again:

avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega328P is 1E 95 0F

[Chris--A]

The library would have something like this:

#if defined(__AVR_ATmega328P__)
  //...
#else
  #error "Unsupported AVR MCU!"
#endif

You could change it to this:

#if defined(__AVR_ATmega328P__) || defined(__AVR_ATmega328__)
  //...
#else
  #error "Unsupported AVR MCU!"
#endif

[shiftleftplusone]

thanks, I'll try ASAP! But 3 questions about this issue:

1.) what about this -F parameter? isn't it possible to drop all this driver patching using just -F ? 2.) Why is this complicated driver lib patching by 328 vs. 328p necessary? 3.) Couldn't we have an IDE which supports both 328 and 328p chips ?

[shiftleftplusone]

now I also patched the UTFT driver's Diecimila _328p_\ entries by _328_, now I still get

avrdude: Expected signature for ATmega328 is 1E 95 14
         Double check chip, or use -F to override this check.
Falscher Mikrocontroller gefunden. Ist die richtige Platine im Menü Werkzeuge > Platine ausgewählt?

Why T\ F*\ isn't it working any longer by 1.6.3? With 1.05 everything was working fine!

[facchinm]

From the UTFT author's page (http://www.rinkydinkelectronics.com/library.php?id=51) the changelog reports

v2.81   21 May 2015 • fixed a bug which stopped the library from compiling with Arduino 1.6.x

I believe you are using outdated libraries (I can't find any reference of "UTFTQD.h" in Google so it must be very old).

Anyway, Diecimila has atmega328p mounted (https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/fe3fa56a1577df9be104df1c91754b9dd4d1a1c2/hardware/arduino/avr/boards.txt#L107) so there's no need to change anything in any file.

Then, I believe that this kind of issues are better tackled on the forum, because they are not related with the IDE in any way.

[shiftleftplusone]

UTFTQD.h is just Henning Karlsen UTFT.h patched by QD systems. It's not original Arduino, it's Freeduino.

The UTFT error appears only after first the boards.txt has been patches (sync speed->19200 and 328.p ->328 )

So please re-open it again, it's not a UTFT issue, it's an IDE issue because the board is not recognized correctly (please read from the start!)

[shiftleftplusone]

and what about this -F parameter? isn't it possible to drop all this driver patching using just -F ?

[facchinm]

Of course the board isn't recognised because it's not an Arduino board :wink:
Anyone can support other boards by providing an hardware board file, which will seamlessly integrate with the IDE (even better with the board manager).

The -F flag is DANGEROUS because it could brick your chip if you select the wrong board from the dropdown (and you don't have an ISP programmer)

[shiftleftplusone]

the board has been recognized correctly by IDE 0.9 and by 1.0.5, and the test code works fine using the Mega 2560 and the Due. So

• the code is fine,
• formerly the Freeduino board was fine for 1.0.5 and 0.9
• so why are there issues now about the 1.6.3 ??

[facchinm]

avrdude has been updated in the meanwhile, and that section of the board file has been updated for the last time with this commit (76645b957d8) on 8 Dec 2013 If you really wish the newer IDE to support your board, add a proper board.txt following this guide (https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/wiki/Arduino-IDE-1.5-3rd-party-Hardware-specification#referencing-another-core-variant-or-tool)

[shiftleftplusone]

I have no idea how to do that, I don't know anything about my board specifications at all - I'm just a Arduino newbie (< 1 year hobby programming) so I need support how to use my Freeduino boards just as several months ago by 1.0.5 ... :-/

[facchinm]

Sorry, did't know about that. I can only encourage you to post your issue on the forum, which is the best place for these kind of issues

[shiftleftplusone]

as the issue has not been resolved, please re-open it again so that other user may see this issue and participate in a solution.

[Fireflaker]

Has never been really solved. Currently, you can only find the signature in avrdude.conf and overwrite it.