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[Bowlieweekender]

My 12 year old wanted to try programming, so I got her an Arduino Uno and your Povard kit for starters.

We built it last night, nice and easy. It displays the default message nicely.

The instructions seem to show the utmost simplicity with changing the default message to the given example of HELLO. Change it in one location on the provided code, compile, send to the Arduino board which has the Povard inserted. But the default message never changes.

Is there a step missing from the instructions?

Cheers Nigel

[Spike]

Try these steps;

1. Removing the Povard from the Arduino (if connected)
2. Uploading your sketch (with your new message).
3. Unplugging the Arduino.
4. Attache the Povard onto the Arduino
5. Power the Arduino (without pressing the button on the Povard)
6. wait ~ 25 seconds
7. Remove the Povard and test

[Bowlieweekender]

We have now built two projects that refused to work on our Mac's. So I installed Arduino on the one PC in the house and one of the projects LOL Shield then worked perfectly. But we're still having a problem getting Povard to accept the new text so I'll try your suggestions tonight.

Meantime, it is apparent Arduino on the Mac is proving problematic for me, I think it is the directory structure and file dependencies that's causing the issue. under Windows it is easy and obvious, with the Mac, not so much. Have you seen an OS X page that shows the correct way to install and keep the dependencies where they can be accessed?

Cheers Nigel

[Spike]

I use the Mac almost exclusively and haven't noticed any particular bugs with Arduino and the Mac OS.

There is a info on the Arduino web page about using Mac OS here: http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/MacOSX

The older Arduinos use a virtual com port over USB using an FTDI chip were the new UNO uses a Atmega8U2 programmed as a USB-to-serial converter. Which version of Mac OS are you using? I'll try doing some testing on a similar set-up.

[Bowlieweekender]

We're using 10.6.5 which I think is the latest.

On my PC at least the file structure for Arduino and its dependencies is clean and clear with them all as sub-directories of the main Arduino directory. That's not how it looks on my Mac.

Cheers Nigel

[Spike]

On my Mac 10.5.8 there are just two places Arduino parts get installed;

1. Arduino application in the applications folder

2. In my user folder (the one that looks like a little house) in the documents folder there is a folder called Arduino that contains the sketches and the libraries folder.

The only other "parts" that would be installed are the FTDI drivers, which you don't need with the UNO.

P.S. I'm still looking for a few minutes of free time to find a mac with your version of the OS to do the test with an UNO and the Povard.

[Spike]

We have a solution to this issue, please see this posting:

http://spikenzielabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=52