Confused about bootloader ram flash and eeprom

Okies when I look at the parallel port section and you see it triggering the fuses and then it writes the boot loader

Quote

1 bytes of efuse verified
safe mode fuses OK
avrdude done OK. Thank you

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s
avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e960a
avrdude: NOTE: FLASH memory has been specified, an erase cycle will be performed
To disable this feature, specify the -D option.
avrdude: erasing chip
avrdude: reading input file "ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex"
avrdude: input file ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex auto detected as Intel Hex
avrdude: writing flash (65382 bytes):
Writing | ################################################## | 100% 19.31s
avrdude: 65382 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex:
avrdude: input file ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex auto detected as Intel Hex
avrdude: input file ATmegaBOOT_644P.hex contains 65382 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:
Reading | ################################################## | 100% 18.06s
avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 65382 bytes of flash verified
avrdude: safemode: Fuses OK
avrdude done. Thank you./quote]
when I see this it writes the entire memory where the heck is room for the firmware then or does it have to flash the whole block everytime, and what amount of space does the boot loader take vs the firmware actually because the wiki is not really clear about this.
terramir

Arduino will tell you how much space you have (just verify some firmware). For Teacup I get:

Binary sketch size: 18216 bytes (of a 63488 byte maximum)

which means < 2 kb are reserved.

just curious where do I download the bootloader for the gen7 (btw are there different bootloaders for different firmwares?
once we have the bootloader we load the firmware via the usb to ttl module right?
And also are there some instructions on how to generate the firmware customized to your reprap, i.e. how many steps per mm etc. also where x and y and z 0 is
(if I want to get away with 3 endstops instead of 6 ) just wondering
also how do I calibrate the whole thing is there a good tutorial on this
terramir

@schmelly: 18216 bytes is 17.789 kb which is certainly NOT < 2 kb.

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

rhmorrison Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @schmelly: 18216 bytes is 17.789 kb which is
> certainly NOT < 2 kb.

i was refering to the bootloader size:
65382 byte of total flash space - 63488 bytes of available firmware space = 1894 bytes of reserved space for the bootloader

sorry if this was unclear.



terramir Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> just curious where do I download the bootloader
> for the gen7 (btw are there different bootloaders
> for different firmwares?
> once we have the bootloader we load the firmware
> via the usb to ttl module right?

you can follow the sections in the Gen7 wiki:
[www.reprap.org]
[www.reprap.org]

> And also are there some instructions on how to
> generate the firmware customized to your reprap,
> i.e. how many steps per mm etc. also where x and y
> and z 0 is
> (if I want to get away with 3 endstops instead of
> 6 ) just wondering

I can only comment on Teacup here: Basically you have to adjust two files: config.h and ThermistorTable.h (see the Gen7 wiki referenced above too). The header files are documented.

> also how do I calibrate the whole thing is there a
> good tutorial on this
> terramir

For my Prusa I picked up the necessary information from various places (mechanical calibration, electrical calibration, skeinforge etc.). I don't know of a "one big guide to make all the people happy" style of guide. Google was my friend here.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2012 04:23AM by schmelly.

@schmelly: Thanks for the information, now it is clear.

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Quote

Binary sketch size: 18216 bytes (of a 63488 byte maximum)

Well, this 63488 isn't a number read from the chip, but from the IDE's configuration (boards.txt). It's total flash size - bootloader size = 64 kB - 2 kB = 65536 - 2048 = 63488.

---

Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

okies anyone do the bit banging from the parallel port , got supplies today will be building a parallel port widget today , Thinking because I have an old printer motherboard if I seek the corresponding pins I'll be able to make a widget that will work without cutting a cable apart we'll see getting to work on it now
terramir