K3 Utility program issue

[n7ws]

I've been meaning to query the group about this for some time but the latest episode has finally prodded me into asking.

I have noted before that when I ran the utility program after closing it and then trying to use my logging program, the log couldn't connect using the serial port.  Apparently the utility wasn't releasing the serial port after having used it.

Windows Task Manager would not show that the utility was still running, but it would take a reboot to fix the issue.  Not only that, but Windows wouldn't shut down normally because it thought the utility was still running and wasn't responding.  I would have to tell it to go ahead and close the utility.

Last night afte reading one of the threads on this reflector I decided to read the release notes using the utility.  The K3 wasn't even turned on and I obviously didn't try to address it with the program. After reading the notes, I closed the program, decided to go to bed, started the Windows shut down and left the room.

This morning I came in and discovered that the computer was still up, didn't think much of it until I tried to open the logging program and got the "I can't connect to the radio" error.  So even though I never used it, the utility apparently captured the serial port and I had to go through the whole process of manually shutting down Windows to get back to normal.

For the record, I'm running a Lenovo T400 with WinXP Pro SP3 and a Quatech USB->Serial interface.

Anyone else have this problem?

Wes  N7WS



     
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[ab2tc]

Hi,

Yes, I have the same problem and Elecraft has been made aware of it. I almost never use the utility for anything else than downloading new firmware, but I can believe that the program opens the com port whether it needs it or not.

Knut - AB2TC

Wes Stewart wrote

I've been meaning to query the group about this for some time but the latest episode has finally prodded me into asking.

I have noted before that when I ran the utility program after closing it and then trying to use my logging program, the log couldn't connect using the serial port.  Apparently the utility wasn't releasing the serial port after having used it.
<snip>

[Dunc Carter - W5DC]

It's not a problem here.

Dunc, W5DC


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[Ken Chandler]

I have an issue whereby i cannot run cw from my k3 serial port and  
logging software WT.
Bob N6TV has been looking into it for me but. Still cannot tx.
Was their a solution to get it released from the utility!

73's

Ken..G0ORH

Sent from my iPhone




On 6 Feb 2010, at 17:38, ab2tc <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> Hi,
>
> Yes, I have the same problem and Elecraft has been made aware of it. I
> almost never use the utility for anything else than downloading new
> firmware, but I can believe that the program opens the com port  
> whether it
> needs it or not.
>
> Knut - AB2TC
>
>
> Wes Stewart wrote:
>>
>> I've been meaning to query the group about this for some time but the
>> latest episode has finally prodded me into asking.
>>
>> I have noted before that when I ran the utility program after  
>> closing it
>> and then trying to use my logging program, the log couldn't connect  
>> using
>> the serial port.  Apparently the utility wasn't releasing the  
>> serial port
>> after having used it.
>> <snip>
>>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-Utility-program-issue-tp4526033p4526154.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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[Julian, G4ILO]

I can recall seeing this a couple of times, but not recently. The utility does open the com port and try to interrogate the radio to find out what firmware is installed, regardless of whether you use it for anything. The problem may be related to using the VSPE virtual serial port software, since that's what I was using when I noticed the problem.

[Dick Dievendorff]

The K3 Utility closes the serial port at exit. Windows process  
termination also closes open file handles. However the close process  
invokes device drivers to actually release the hardware, and sometimes  
that doesn't work as you might hope.

Dick, K6KR


Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 6, 2010, at 9:08 AM, Wes Stewart <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I've been meaning to query the group about this for some time but  
> the latest episode has finally prodded me into asking.
>
> I have noted before that when I ran the utility program after  
> closing it and then trying to use my logging program, the log  
> couldn't connect using the serial port.  Apparently the utility  
> wasn't releasing the serial port after having used it.
>
> Windows Task Manager would not show that the utility was still  
> running, but it would take a reboot to fix the issue.  Not only  
> that, but Windows wouldn't shut down normally because it thought the  
> utility was still running and wasn't responding.  I would have to  
> tell it to go ahead and close the utility.
>
> Last night afte reading one of the threads on this reflector I  
> decided to read the release notes using the utility.  The K3 wasn't  
> even turned on and I obviously didn't try to address it with the  
> program. After reading the notes, I closed the program, decided to  
> go to bed, started the Windows shut down and left the room.
>
> This morning I came in and discovered that the computer was still  
> up, didn't think much of it until I tried to open the logging  
> program and got the "I can't connect to the radio" error.  So even  
> though I never used it, the utility apparently captured the serial  
> port and I had to go through the whole process of manually shutting  
> down Windows to get back to normal.
>
> For the record, I'm running a Lenovo T400 with WinXP Pro SP3 and a  
> Quatech USB->Serial interface.
>
> Anyone else have this problem?
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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[AD4C2009]

Neither here,I can open any program using same port and it will work fine,my utilities program will never lock the port.
I am using the version 3.76 which also downloaded smooth and easy with no problem,my K3 # 2192 has no problem at all so far.
 
AD4C
 


"For a refined ham it is compulsory to own a k3"

--- On Sat, 2/6/10, Duncan Carter <[hidden email]> wrote:


From: Duncan Carter <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Utility program issue
To: "ab2tc" <[hidden email]>
Cc: [hidden email]
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010, 5:43 PM


It's not a problem here.

Dunc, W5DC


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[MontyS]

I always shut down LP-BRIDGE, a virtual port program used for sharing the K3
serial port, before starting up the K3 utility.  If memory serves, this was
addressed early on and recommended.

Monty  K2DLJ

>
> I can recall seeing this a couple of times, but not recently. The utility
> does open the com port and try to interrogate the radio to find out what
> firmware is installed, regardless of whether you use it for anything. The
> problem may be related to using the VSPE virtual serial port software,
> since
> that's what I was using when I noticed the problem.
>
> -----
> Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222.
> * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com
> * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html
> * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://n2.nabble.com/K3-Utility-program-issue-tp4526033p4526519.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html 

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[Dick Dievendorff]

The K3 Utility closes the serial port handle (using the Win32 CloseHandle
API call) when the program exits.  I just verified this (again) with a
debugger breakpoint.

Windows Process termination also closes all file handles that the program
opens.

However the actual release of the hardware for subsequent program access
involves the USB to Serial adapter's device driver, which is specific to
your hardware.  This is why some users have no difficulty with this and
others may.

I'm not sure what else I could beyond making sure that the program closes
the serial port.  Which it does.  Honest...

Dick, K6KR


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 9:09 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Utility program issue

I've been meaning to query the group about this for some time but the latest
episode has finally prodded me into asking.

I have noted before that when I ran the utility program after closing it and
then trying to use my logging program, the log couldn't connect using the
serial port.  Apparently the utility wasn't releasing the serial port after
having used it.

Windows Task Manager would not show that the utility was still running, but
it would take a reboot to fix the issue.  Not only that, but Windows
wouldn't shut down normally because it thought the utility was still running
and wasn't responding.  I would have to tell it to go ahead and close the
utility.

Last night afte reading one of the threads on this reflector I decided to
read the release notes using the utility.  The K3 wasn't even turned on and
I obviously didn't try to address it with the program. After reading the
notes, I closed the program, decided to go to bed, started the Windows shut
down and left the room.

This morning I came in and discovered that the computer was still up, didn't
think much of it until I tried to open the logging program and got the "I
can't connect to the radio" error.  So even though I never used it, the
utility apparently captured the serial port and I had to go through the
whole process of manually shutting down Windows to get back to normal.

For the record, I'm running a Lenovo T400 with WinXP Pro SP3 and a Quatech
USB->Serial interface.

Anyone else have this problem?

Wes  N7WS



     
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