Walk Through to get you started with RAGen

[rimai]

Deprecated. Please use the Wizard to generate your codes.

What is RAGen?

RAGen is a software application that will let you generate code with just simple click of your mouse. No programming experience required. RAGen is a contribution by Curt Binder.

The first thing we need to do is get all the necessary software installed in your computer.

Let's start with the Reef Angel Installer. Please download the latest Installer at:

http://www.reefangel.com/Download.ashx

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNgxpT34JDM[/youtube]

This installer will install the Arduino IDE, drivers, latest development libraries, wifi utility and RAGen

After the installation of the Reef Angel Installer in your computer, you are ready to start generating codes.

Let's do it once for you to see how it is easy.

Your very first generated code will be the initial memory settings. This is only necessary to do it once and never again. So, let's just generate and upload it now and you won't need to worry about this step again.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ieRAKS9bw[/youtube]

We are all set to start generating customized codes.
Let's do a quick one:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cA4JESBWH4[/youtube]

As you can see, it is very simple and easy to generate your own customized code for your Reef Angel Controller.

[YuppiWanna]

Perfect! This will fill in some of the gray areas of the written tutorial

[binder]

A comment is that if Arduino is found by RAGen, there is a "Launch" button that appears next to the "Generate" button. Also, if Arduino is found, you are prompted to Launch Arduino with the newly generated PDE file. So that can save you a step so you don't have to open Arduino manually.

curt

[marc49127]

I downloaded RAGen-v104-static.zip . The program comes up fine and I can generate and load the program into the controller. But once it is in the controller it will not do anything. The screen displays the settings of the program and there are no push button functions and it will not control the relay box. If you have any suggestions they would be much appreciated. Thanks Marc

[rimai]

Looks like you generated the internal memory code.
Make sure to use the generate button under the pde tab

[marc49127]

Thank you so very much for the fast response! That is exactly what I was doing. I created the code under the pde tab and everything works flawlessly! I couldn't be happier with a controller right now!

Thanks Marc

[binder]

Thank you so very much for the fast response! That is exactly what I was doing. I created the code under the pde tab and everything works flawlessly! I couldn't be happier with a controller right now!

Thanks Marc

Glad you got it working. The next release of RAGen will have the Internal Memory tab moved off of the main screen so to not confuse people.

curt

[marc49127]

I just bought the dosing pumps and am setting them up with th ragen. I chose the option of having them repeat every hour but when I load the program it seems to default at 10 seconds. The first time I set it up I tried for 6 seconds and the second I set it up for 4 seconds. But it still runs for 10 seconds. Is 10 seconds the lowest you can go for the repeating every hour option? Thanks Marc

[binder]

I just bought the dosing pumps and am setting them up with th ragen. I chose the option of having them repeat every hour but when I load the program it seems to default at 10 seconds. The first time I set it up I tried for 6 seconds and the second I set it up for 4 seconds. But it still runs for 10 seconds. Is 10 seconds the lowest you can go for the repeating every hour option? Thanks Marc

10 seconds is the default value for the dosing pumps that is set in the internal memory. If you want to change the values, you have options:
1. Update the value in the Internal Memory screen and generate that PDE file and upload to controller.
2. If wifi is enabled, use one of the apps (or web browser) to update the values.
3. If you have the setup screen enabled, you should be able to update the dosing pump run times through there.

If that does not solve your problem, if you could post your PDE file along with if you have wifi or not, then we can look into it further.

curt

[woods4542000]

Trying to set mine up downloaded ragen, and arduino, then tried to do the initial memory code and its saying can't find port please help.

[rimai]

What is it saying that can't find port?
Can you copy and paste or screenshot of the error?

[woods4542000]

ragen says problem communicating with board,then I went to generator find controller it then tests com ports, then lists available com portsit says com13-none com3-none. Thanks for the quick reply.

[rimai]

Don't worry about that.
Just open Arduino and upload your code.

[woods4542000]

arduino says problem uploading to board.

[woods4542000]

theres white and red code underneath won't let me copy

[rimai]

Make sure you have "Reef Angel Controller w/ optiboot" selected under menu Tools->Board

[TanksNStuff]

First timer here, just starting to get my RA setup.

I installed RA Installer, then installed RA Gen. Was following the instructions in this thread and was able to get up to the part where I uploaded the internal memory to my controller (no error messages in Arduino). I saw the setting data on the controllers LCD so I know that worked fine.

After that was complete, I closed Arduino, then tried to open RA Gen again for the next step (generating my first code). However, a Windows error popped up saying:

ReefAngel Generator Application has stopped working.
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

I've closed and tried to open RAGen several times and keep getting same error. What should I do now?

I'm using Vista Ultimate 64bit if that matters any. Also, I uninstalled Arduino and reinstalled it several times and it kept increasing my com port # each time. It's now set at COM 9. (COM 3 - 8 are shown as "in use" in Device Manager, but they aren't assigned to anything that I can tell.)

Any help would be appreciated. This prog looked like it was going to make life easy for me.

***EDIT***
I rebooted my PC, then tried RA Gen again - Same message. I then stumbled onto This thread and updated my libraries... then RAGen worked for me again. I think it's fixed for now... will report back if I have issues again.

[rimai]

I think you still may have problems. Please follow the instructions in this post:
http://forum.reefangel.com/viewtopic.php?p=5291#p5291

[TanksNStuff]

Yea, when I thought I had those two progs working right, I installed the RA Client Suite. After installing the RA Client Suite I had issues with that getting my internal memory from the controller. The Client also showed "Dev Lib Version xx.xx.xx.xx" (or some combination of x's). I figured at that point that there is an issue with the Dev. Libraries still... or maybe something else going on.

I haven't been able to upload any pde files to my controller through these GUI programs. I was only able to do it directly from the Arduino program.

Another issue I seem to be having is that my COM port keeps increasing with every reinstall of the RA installer. I'm up to COM9 and Device Manager shows COMs 3-8 as "in use" even though nothing is using them as far as I can tell. I found some info online showing how to release those, so I'll try that before I proceed again tonight.

After that, I'll try the instructions in that link tonight and let you know if I'm all good.

[Seedlessone]

Why are you re installing ra installer? Is it because you are getting errors while opening ragen? And are you using the library updater program?

[TanksNStuff]

Yes, I was getting errors when trying to open RAGen. I kept uninstalling / reinstalling thinking that there was an install problem. I always ran the install "as administrator" too (Vista Ultimate 64bit).

I kept trying to wipe my comp clean from all Arduino / RA software... then start fresh with installing the Arduino installer, which as I said kept increasing the COM port #.

I was able to open RAGen after running the library updater. But then I had issues with the Client Suite not working right.

Could part of the issue also be that I still reverted back to the Demo code after doing the tutorials? Not sure if that mixed with installing Dev Libs is throwing a wrench into everything.

[rimai]

Yeah, the Client will only work with code that was generated by RAGen and also you have to make sure to checkmark wifi on the features tab.
The Demo code is not going to work with anything It's just too outdated.
The reason RAGen crashes is the wrong paths and fixing is is explained in the post I previously posted.

[TanksNStuff]

I figured that might be part of it. I'm slowly picking all this up through trial and error. Unfortunately, there seems to be more error than trial.

Seriously though, I'm seeing what this controller is capable of and I'm getting more confidence with it as I go.

[binder]

The path error will be fixed with the next release. Just have lots of other "cool" things to add to it to make it function better than ever.

[TanksNStuff]

Sounds good Curt. Will that be out in the next day or two or slightly longer? If so, I may just wait for the new release, if not, I'll do the fix that Seedlessone posted.

[binder]

Longer than a day or two. The release should coincide with the next major library release which isn't quite ready to go yet. Lots of big stuff that Roberto has been working on plus a few additions by myself.
I'd suggest using the fix. It will get you going without any delay.

[TanksNStuff]

Roger that. Is there a post somewhere showing what new goodies are planned for this next big release?

[binder]

Roger that. Is there a post somewhere showing what new goodies are planned for this next big release?

No. But, I can give you a little preview....

• Inclusion of ALL (yes, I said ALL) currently available features, in a check-able list
• Ability to Save only the features file to update it if necessary
• Compatibility with Arduino 1.0 (handled with a new library release, 0.9.0)
• Change of PDE tab to be Main Relay
• Folder locations are preset and fixed (for arduino, sketch and library folders)
• Moved Wavemakers to default on Ports 5 & 6 respectively, as the relay box is designed for this
• Development libraries mode is the default. Standard libraries still exist but are discouraged.
• A "Show Installed Libraries" box to display what the library version is that RAGen finds and is using.

New features tab

features.png (23.64 KiB) Viewed 15137 times

Ignore the PDE / INO tab, that now says Main Relay

That's what I've got so far. There might be the ability to set the number of expansion relays for the controller but no customizing the relay boxes yet. There might also be the ability to edit and create a custom menu inside the application. I've also got some other ideas too, but I don't know if they will be included or not....just depends on how much time I have available.

[TanksNStuff]

Wow! That is a big update/improvement list.

Did the Arduino 1.0 release delay the RAGen release? Or was some of the new features added as a result of Arduino 1.0?

If you could add the customization of the expansion relay boxes to this, there wouldn't be much more I would ask for! Big thumbs up Curt.

[binder]

Wow! That is a big update/improvement list.

Did the Arduino 1.0 release delay the RAGen release? Or was some of the new features added as a result of Arduino 1.0?

If you could add the customization of the expansion relay boxes to this, there wouldn't be much more I would ask for! Big thumbs up Curt.

The Arduino release made for some significant changes to the libraries. With that being said, we made other big changes at the same time since it just maid sense. With the big change to the libraries, RAGen needed updating.
Also, I had been working on some concepts of an improvement to RAGen for over 6 months. This just forced me to make the changes.

Customization to the expansion relay boxes are definitely desirable and planned but more testing is needed to make sure that my ideas will work properly. Baby steps.