Can’t upload Blink to Maple Mini on a Mac

I’m trying to get started with a Maple Mini clone (Baite) using Arduino IDE 1.8.5 on a Mac (High Sierra) and seem to be failing at the first hurdle.

Blink compiles OK but Upload gives the error:

Error probing interface "serial_posix"
stm32flash Arduino_STM32_0.9
Cannot handle device "/dev/cu.usbmodem1411"

Failed to open port: /dev/cu.usbmodem1411
http://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/arduino_stm32

Using Parser : Raw BINARY

the selected serial port
does not exist or your board is not connected

For Serial upload you have to set Boot0 to 1.
And of course the serial PA10/PA9 is used.
See chapter Upload via Serial https://wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php?t … g_a_sketch

Thanks, but the Wiki implies that you can upload via USB using the bootloader, without needing a Serial-to-USB board connected to PA10/PA9:

https://wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php?title=Maple_Mini

David

That wiki page describes the original “libmaple core” AKA “leaflabs core” AKA “Roger’s core” .

So to clarify: before I can upload programs via the USB port on a Maple Mini Baite clone, I need to connect a USB-to-serial board and use that to upload a bootloader?

Which bootloader do you recommend? Can I just select Upload Bootloader from the Aduino IDE?

Please read this first: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3111
After that you will know what a “core” is, and how many are here supported.

Also helpful: http://wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php?title=Bootloader

Clarify:
There are two (better three) different cores available:

• The libmaple core (also named “Roger’s Core”): https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/Arduino_STM32
• The official STM core: https://github.com/stm32duino/Arduino_Core_STM32 Which you installed with the Arduino Bootmanager
• (Generic Core – no real support anymore)

The official STM core doesn’t support uploading code via the Bootloader (but certainly in future releases)

OK, got it; thanks!

@johnsondavies I guess no one pointed you at this post to read when you posted on the new users section.

This tries to answer a lot of your initial questions:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3111

Thanks – I should have read that. Perhaps someone could update the Wiki too – that would help people in my position in future.

[johnsondavies – Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:48 pm] –
Thanks – I should have read that. Perhaps someone could update the Wiki too – that would help people in my position in future.

What would you put on the wiki instead?

Change step 2 in the Wiki to:

2. Install the STM32duino core. Note that this is not the official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics” installed by the Boards Manager, which does not support uploading via a bootloader.

I assumed that “official” meant “best and latest”.

[Rick Kimball – Tue Sep 25, 2018 8:49 pm] –

What would you put on the wiki instead?

I think it’s really not clear (for beginners), that the “official core” doesn’t supports uploading via bootloader – but this belong to the official core wiki.
Maybe a “core comparison” (only Roger’s and official) would help new users to get sensible about the ” core is not core dilemma” (and why there are two/three cores for the same board )

I think it’s really not clear (for beginners), that the “official core” doesn’t supports uploading via bootloader

Absolutely; I didn’t realise that, and it should be mentioned in the Wiki.

The other problem is that the official core does support the ROM based bootloader using TTL level USART serial on PA9/PA10 without having to load any code. However, newbies have no clue there is a difference between ROM based USART upload vs user installed custom bootloader that provides native USB Serial via DFU utiliies. No amount of writing explanations on the wiki are going to have any effect until the newbie has failed and comes here for further explanation. BOOTLOADER / STM32duino are overloaded words that have lost their meaning to newbies.

[johnsondavies – Tue Sep 25, 2018 9:01 pm] –
Change step 2 to:

2. Install the STM32duino core. Note that this is not the official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics” installed by the Boards Manager, which does not support uploading via a bootloader.

I assumed that “official” meant “best and latest”.

You didn’t get everything
The Wiki ONLY belongs to Roger’s Core, NOT the official core.
and: No, “official” only mean to be “offical” (not best and latest).
There is a big history behind that:
Roger’s core is the “heritage” of leafmaple – they developed a STM32 core for Arduino ages ago. They didn’t use any ST related code (because of formally copyright issues). Leaflabs (the company) dropped the project and left a very good documentation behind (everything as open source). So “Roger’s Core” is a community project since them. For F1xx it’s highly developed, tested and optimized.
ST joined the party later: They decided to change the copyright of HAL and a real official core was born (spring 2017?). So it’s relative “young” (compared to the leaflabs core) and not all features are implemented.
For the “Arduino user” they seem to be the same. You can use the same Arduino code (some works better, some not), but under the hood there are fundamental differences!

[johnsondavies – Tue Sep 25, 2018 5:52 pm] –
Thanks, but the Wiki implies that you can upload via USB using the bootloader, without needing a Serial-to-USB board connected to PA10/PA9:

https://wiki.stm32duino.com/index.php?title=Maple_Mini

David

Yes, but in this case you talk about serial upload which is the same method across the core.

Thanks for all this information.

The key phrase that should be included somewhere in the documentation is:

The official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics”, installed by the Arduino IDE Boards Manager, does not support uploading via USB using the default bootloader.

One last question: is there a bootloader that I can install (eg using a USB to Serial card) that will support uploading via USB under the official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics” core?

[johnsondavies – Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:30 am] –
Thanks for all this information.

The key phrase that should be included somewhere in the documentation is:

The official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics”, installed by the Arduino IDE Boards Manager, does not support uploading via USB using the default bootloader.

One last question: is there a bootloader that I can install (eg using a USB to Serial card) that will support uploading via USB under the official “STM32 Cores by ST-Microelectronics” core?

Currently not.

Thanks, David