From a MG400 script, I’d like to send a msg, at certain points in the script to signal a laptop connected running TCP/IP Python code to then signal external data acq equipment to take measurements. I know that I could use a DO, but would like to do this through messaging. Is there a way to do this, and please give an example msg script? Thanks.
Synchronize Script to DAQ Measurements
Niclas
#2
I would also like to do something like this.
I need to trigger a reflash procedure, so a function call in windows to a .bat file or similar would be appreciated.
I’m thinking about manipulating a keyboard at the moment to trigger the application. Any other ideas?
Niclas
#3
I was scrolling through the LUA syntax guide the other day and came up with an idea about using TCP-client from the robot to an TCP-server application on the computer side to trigger my reflash application, could that be something for you as well @apinkos32?
I actually generated a simple C# application with ChatGPT (fun to test it out) that handles the “server” side of the solution, it executes my application when requested from the TCP-client.
I haven’t tested the TCP side in DobotStudio yet, but the server-side (computer) is working as it should.
Niclas
#5
Here is the C# code I’m using with good results.
Please feel free to tweak it to your liking. 
I’m executing 6 parallel flash applications, analyzing the output from each thread and then returning the result back to the robot to sort out the failed units.
I’ll see if I can post the robot-side of the application later.
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Net;
namespace NinaFlashTCPserver
{
class Program
{
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
int port = 23; // the port to listen on
TcpListener listener = new TcpListener(IPAddress.Any, port);
listener.Start();
while (true)
{
Console.WriteLine("Waiting for TCP connection from Dobot...");
TcpClient client = listener.AcceptTcpClient();
NetworkStream stream = client.GetStream();
Console.WriteLine("TCP connection established!");
string indata = "";
Console.WriteLine(@"Waiting for flash command from Dobot...");
while (true)
{
byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
int bytesRead = stream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
indata += System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(buffer, 0, bytesRead).TrimEnd('\0');
if (indata.EndsWith("\n"))
{
break;
}
}
string resultForDobot = "";
if (indata.Contains("Flash!"))
{
//Todo Add ack back to Dobot
byte[] ackData = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes("Ack!\n");
stream.Write(ackData, 0, ackData.Length);
Console.WriteLine(@"Executing reflash...");
// Set up the path to application and the arguments
string appPath = @"c:\NINAflasher\FlashTool.exe";
string[] appArgs = new string[]
{
@"--port=COM3 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json",
@"--port=COM4 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json",
@"--port=COM5 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json",
@"--port=COM6 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json",
@"--port=COM7 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json",
@"--port=COM8 --baud=921600 --deviceName=NINA-W152 --secureBootEnabled=TRUE c:\NINAflasher\NINA-W15X-CF-1.0.json"
};
// Start each application in parallel and capture its output
var outputs = await RunApplicationsInParallel(appPath, appArgs);
// Analyze the output from each application
for (int i = 0; i < outputs.Length; i++)
{
string result = "";
if (outputs[i].Contains("1170KB/1170KBDevice firmware successfully updated."))
{
result = $"Application {i + 1} succeeded";
int slot = i + 1;
resultForDobot += slot;
}
else
{
result = $"Application {i + 1} failed";
resultForDobot += 0;
}
// Write the result to the console
Console.WriteLine(result);
// Write the result to a file
string logFilePath = $"FlashResult.txt";
using (StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(logFilePath, true))
{
writer.WriteLine(result);
}
}
}
// Send result to Dobot
Console.WriteLine(@"Sending result to Dobot");
Console.WriteLine(resultForDobot);
byte[] data = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(resultForDobot);
stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length);
Console.WriteLine(@"Reflash finished.");
stream.Flush();
}
}
static async Task<string[]> RunApplicationsInParallel(string appPath, string[] appArgs)
{
// Set up a list to hold the output from each application
var outputs = new string[appArgs.Length];
// Start each application in parallel and capture its output
var tasks = new Task[appArgs.Length];
for (int i = 0; i < appArgs.Length; i++)
{
int index = i; // Need to copy i into a new variable to use inside the lambda
tasks[index] = Task.Run(() =>
{
// Create a process to run the application
ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(appPath);
startInfo.Arguments = appArgs[index];
startInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
startInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
// Start the process and capture its output
Console.WriteLine("Executing {0} {1}", startInfo.FileName, startInfo.Arguments);
using (Process process = Process.Start(startInfo))
{
using (StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
{
outputs[index] = reader.ReadToEnd();
}
}
});
}
// Wait for all the applications to finish running
await Task.WhenAll(tasks);
return outputs;
}
}
}