Question Simtools doesn't work with arduino anymore

Hi !

I am rebuilding 2DOF my motion simulator. It uses an Arduino Uno, but it doesn't work. I am using the same code as last year, and the motor doesn't move. I use Simtools v2.41 (Simtools output : P<Axis1a><Axis2a>, Data bits : 10 bits, Parity : None, stop bits : 1)

I am using two stepper motors. The code is the following :
It works as follow :

SimtoolsReader(); //Get the pitch and roll target from Simtools
CommandWorker(); //Convert the position targets to pulse numbers (m1stepsToGo and m2stepsToGo
moveMotor(m1stepsToGo,m2stepsToGo); (move the motors, at each step, we change m1Position and m2Position to keep trace of the position.)

moveMotor works, the arduino board works (I have another code to manually control the motors), the motors works.

I think the problem is between Simtools and Arduino...

Code:

int numAccelSteps = 10; // 100 is a half turn of a 200 step mmotor
unsigned long slowMicrosBetweenSteps = 200; // microseconds
unsigned long fastMicrosBetweenSteps = 100;
#define directionDelay 10

#define StepPin1  2 //Step or pulse pin, check how DirectionManager is written.
#define DirPin1   3

#define StepPin2  5
#define DirPin2   6

int totalStep = 9060;   //number of pulse to go from 0 to max travel
#include <math.h>
int commandbuffer[4] = {0};    // To stock the serial datas in the good order.

unsigned int pitchTarget, rollTarget; // The pitch and roll positions we want to reach
unsigned int m1Position = 0, m2Position = 0;
int m1stepsToGo=0;
int m2stepsToGo=0;

unsigned long curMicros;
unsigned long prevStepMicros = 0;
unsigned long stepIntervalMicros;
unsigned long stepAdjustmentMicros;

int c = 0;
int  dir1 = 1, dir2 = 1;         //Will be used to set the motors direction
byte dirChange = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);    //To communicate with Simtools or Monitor
  delay(1000);    //safety delay to flash the code
  pinMode(StepPin1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(DirPin1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(StopPin1, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(StepPin2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(DirPin2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(StopPin2, INPUT_PULLUP);
  stepAdjustmentMicros = (slowMicrosBetweenSteps - fastMicrosBetweenSteps) / numAccelSteps;
  stepIntervalMicros = slowMicrosBetweenSteps;
//  moveMotor();

}

void loop() {
  SimtoolsReader();                     //Get the datas from Simtools
  CommandWorker();                      //Convert the position targets to pulse number
//  LimitManager();                       // Check if targets are out of reach or not
  moveMotor(m1stepsToGo,m2stepsToGo);
}

void CommandWorker() {
 m1stepsToGo = pitchTarget - ((m1Position + m2Position) / 2) - ((m1Position + m2Position) / 2) + rollTarget;
 m2stepsToGo = pitchTarget - ((m1Position + m2Position) / 2) + ((m1Position + m2Position) / 2) - rollTarget;
}

void SimtoolsReader() {       // This function is the work of Sirnoname
  // Simtools output : P<Axis1a><Axis2a>, Data bits : 10 bits, Parity : None, stop bits : 1
  int buffer           =  0 ;    // It takes the value of the serial data
  int buffercount      = -1 ;    // To count where we are in the serial datas

  while (Serial.available())
  {
    if (buffercount == -1)
    {
      buffer = Serial.read();
      if (buffer != 'P') {
        buffercount = -1; // "P" is the marquer. If we read P, the next data is pitch
      } else {
        buffercount = 0;
      }
    }
    else   //  if(buffercount>=0)
    {
      buffer = Serial.read();
      commandbuffer[buffercount] = buffer; // The first value next to "P" is saved in commandbuffer in the place "buffercount"
      buffercount++;
      if (buffercount > 3)
      {
        pitchTarget = map((commandbuffer[0]) * 256 + commandbuffer[1], 0, 1023, 0, totalStep);
        rollTarget = map((commandbuffer[2]) * 256 + commandbuffer[3], 0, 1023, 0, totalStep);
        buffercount = -1; // Re-initialize buffercount.  pow(2, precision)
        break;
      }
    }
  }
}

void directionManager(int step1, int step2) {
  if ((step1 < 0) && (dir1 = 1)) {
    digitalWrite(DirPin1, LOW);
    dir1 = -1;
    dirChange = 1;
    m1stepsToGo = abs(m1stepsToGo);
  }

  if ((step1 > 0) && (dir1 = -1)) {
    digitalWrite(DirPin1, HIGH);
    dir1 = 1;
    dirChange = 1;
  }

  if ((step2 < 0) && (dir2 = 1)) {
    digitalWrite(DirPin2, LOW);
    dir2 = -1;
    dirChange = 1;
    m2stepsToGo = abs(m2stepsToGo);
  }

  if ((step2 > 0) && (dir2 = -1)) {
    digitalWrite(DirPin2, HIGH);
    dir2 = 1;
    dirChange = 1;
  }

  if (dirChange = 1) {
    delayMicroseconds(directionDelay);
    dirChange = 0;
  }
}

void LimitManager() {
  if ( (m1stepsToGo + m1Position > totalStep)  ||  (m1stepsToGo + m1Position) < 50) {
    m1stepsToGo = 0;
  }
  if ( (m2stepsToGo + m2Position > totalStep)  ||  (m2stepsToGo + m2Position) < 50) {
    m2stepsToGo = 0;
  }
}

void moveMotor(int step1, int step2) {
  directionManager(step1, step2);
  prevStepMicros = micros();
  while (max(step1, step2) > 0) {
    if (micros() - prevStepMicros >= stepIntervalMicros) {
      prevStepMicros += stepIntervalMicros;
      singleStep(step1,step2);
     
      step1 --;
      step2 --;
     
      if (max(step1, step2) <= numAccelSteps) {
        if (stepIntervalMicros < slowMicrosBetweenSteps) {
          stepIntervalMicros += stepAdjustmentMicros;
        }
      }
      else {
        if (stepIntervalMicros > fastMicrosBetweenSteps) {
          stepIntervalMicros -= stepAdjustmentMicros;
        }
      }
    }
  }

}

void singleStep(int step1, int step2) {
  if ((step1 > 0) && (step2 > 0)) {
    digitalWrite(StepPin1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(StepPin2, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(StepPin1, LOW);
    digitalWrite(StepPin2, LOW);
    m1Position += dir1;
    m2Position += dir2;

  }
  else if (step1 > 0) {
    digitalWrite(StepPin1, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(StepPin1, LOW);
    m1Position += dir1;
  }
 
  else {
    digitalWrite(StepPin2, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(StepPin2, LOW);
    m2Position += dir2;
  }
 
}

> Data bits : 10 bits, Parity : None, stop bits : 1)
usually, it's 8 bits... are you sure of this setup?

data bits : 8
Output range : 10

I tried two different computers, and two arduino boards (Uno and Leonardo...)

I am trying to find where the problem is with an LED. It looks like the problem is in the SerialReader function...

It reads the "P", but doesn't get further...

Code:

void SimtoolsReader() {       // This function is the work of Sirnoname
  // Simtools output : P<Axis1a><Axis2a>, Data bits : 10 bits, Parity : None, stop bits : 1
  int buffer           =  0 ;    // It takes the value of the serial data
  int buffercount      = -1 ;    // To count where we are in the serial datas

  while (Serial.available())
  {
    if (buffercount == -1){
      buffer = Serial.read();
      if (buffer != 'P') {
        buffercount = -1;           // "P" is the marquer. If we read P, the next data is pitch
      }
      else {
        buffercount = 0; // WORKS UNTIL THIS LINE

      }
    }
    else{   //  if(buffercount>=0) // DON'T GET THERE... 
      buffer = Serial.read();
      commandbuffer[buffercount] = buffer; // The first value next to "P" is saved in commandbuffer in the place "buffercount"
      buffercount++;
      if (buffercount > 3)
      {
        
        pitchTarget = map((commandbuffer[0]) * 256 + commandbuffer[1], 0, 1023, 0, totalStep);
        rollTarget = map((commandbuffer[2]) * 256 + commandbuffer[3], 0, 1023, 0, totalStep);
        buffercount = -1; // Re-initialize buffercount.  pow(2, precision)
        
        break;
      }
    }
  }
}

Well I tested mutliple cables, it didn't change the problem :/

I use the following code to show what simtools send, it gives me 451 and 195. Sometimes, the values change to 20481 and 1 :/ (This is the third computer on which I try...)

pitchTarget = (commandbuffer[0]) * 256 + commandbuffer[1];
rollTarget = (commandbuffer[2]) * 256 + commandbuffer[3];
lcd.print(pitchTarget);
lcd.setCursor(1,1);
lcd.print(commandbuffer[1]);

Ok, some things are working better know.
The arduino displays the value received on a LCD screen, it helps...

Otherwise, values go from 0 to 963 instead of 0 to 1023...someone knows why ?

Update : the problem was coming from the arduino uno... I changed to an leonardo and it works...