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>> >> Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
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Message started by Kev on May 7th, 2018 at 7:00am

Title: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 7th, 2018 at 7:00am
Hi,

I've been using the free version for around 6 weeks and loved everything so it was time to pay, so I click "start free trail" so I could check out all the advanced features.

However, 7 hours later and I still have issues:

1) My serial monitor window no longer shows white space?

Consider:

Code (]
Serial.print("     parameter1: "); Serial.println(para1);
Serial.print("          para2: "); Serial.println(para2);
[/code):



Is now showing
[code]
Parameter1: 1
para2: 2


If I set "Pause Pro Features" to true, then this issue is resolved, is there a setting to allow pro features but have the Serial Monitor work the same?

2) Since starting the trial and uploaded my ESP32 I am getting lots of issues, mainly crashing and rebooting. Even rolling back with github to known working version do not run correctly anymore when compiled and flashed back. Even compiling in release mode does not solve the issue.
Setting "Pause Pro Features" to true does not resolve this and I'm not convinced this totally puts it back because certain feature still kick in that did not before.
UPDATE: Total coincidence, there was a low power issue in my circuit that was causing the GPRS unit to reset on sending data

3) I know my project is a very large project but it seems to take longer to compile, by some significant time!
UPDATE: On occasions it takes significantly longer to compile! i.e. if I uncomment a define statement in config.h that changes a couple of lines in the main.ino file then sit back for 5 minutes for a recompile. This was not the case before I activated!

HELP!!  I can't live with this, life is too short. How do I fully and cleanly uninstall. I don't care about loosing the right for a free trail. I just want to go back as if I had never hit the Trail button. PLEASE HELP !!!

For info:
Visual Studio Community 2017 v15.6.7
Visual Micro v1.1803.26   Minor 4210
Arduino v1.8.5

Code (]esptool.py v2.1
Program size: 255,833 bytes (used 20% of a 1,310,720 byte maximum) (361.50 secs)
Minimum Memory Usage: 14516 bytes (5% of a 294912 byte maximum)
[/code):



Other "Normally Slower Laptop"
Visual Studio Community 2017 v15.6.1
Visual Micro v1.1801.27   Minor 180306
Arduino v1.8.5
[code]esptool.py v2.1
Program size: 256,473 bytes (used 20% of a 1,310,720 byte maximum) (78.19 secs)
Minimum Memory Usage: 14524 bytes (5% of a 294912 byte maximum)


283 seconds faster with the non-activated version, could it be an update issue?

Kev

Title: Missing white space in serial monitor - Fixed!!
Post by Kev on May 7th, 2018 at 5:14pm
Well I already ready to give up and reinstall the entire laptop :(

I've tried everything I can think of...

Unistalled Visual Studio and replaced with an older version

Reinstalled Visual Micro, same again and still in trail mode.

I managed to kill the free trial by uninstalling and deleting the registry entry in Local User / Software but still it takes x3 longer to compile than it used to.

(Sync'd github so both Laptops have the exact same code).

Tests consisted of just either adding a line of code in the main .ino or removing it and compiling.

Before I started I did a "Rebuild" of the project to ensure there was nothing strange going off.

I tried copying the Arduino folder from the good laptop to the broken one, and put in the same place and pointed the IDE locations to it but again didn't help.

I set verbose output on compile, checked the differences between the two outputs, all paths now being the same so they should be very similar and are.

So I renamed the Arduino folder, downloaded it again and unzipped it.
Did all the ESP32 stuff that's required.

Bingo, compiles in 7.20 seconds again! or 58 seconds on a rebuild.
On the slower laptop 9.58 seconds and rebuild of 78 seconds.

One thing I did note during this process is how much a popular banking security app seriously slows down compiling.  The program is called "rapport" from Trusteer Endpoint Protection, I think this is what the root cause was!!
With it turned on and with the same example above a build takes 26.5 seconds and a rebuild 350 seconds!!  Be warned!!

Kev





Title: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Visual Micro on May 7th, 2018 at 7:33pm
Thanks for the update.

1)
The toolbar enabled you to switch between Debug and Release modes. After staring a trial the Debug mode becomes active.

The Serial monitor will trim() space when "Debug" is active but not when Release is active.

Yes Pause Pro will deactivate debug so same end result just a bit more painful.


2)

Build time.

Confirm: Simply switching between Debug and Release will allow you to discount Visual Micro Pro as the cause. Seeing you already Paused Pro then this is not the cause. In Release mode it's the same as normal build but with extra Pro features unrelated to build and Serial.

Slow build times can only be tool chain related and certainly the virus checkers can affect things.



Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 8th, 2018 at 4:50am
Thank you for your response.


Tim@Visual Micro wrote on May 7th, 2018 at 7:33pm:
The Serial monitor will trim() space when "Debug" is active but not when Release is active


Can I ask why that decision was made?

I find that quite annoying, formatted outputs make for easier data analysis when checking all is as you would expected it to be.

May be you should just trim the end of the line where it is followed by CR & LF?

Kev


Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Visual Micro on May 8th, 2018 at 10:52am
The debugger sends extra data in the serial that you don't see. It was done long time ago and since then arduino build system has seen major changes. Now that those changes have stabilized this can be revisited to see if it can be improved.

Remember that Release mode does not have the issue.

Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 9th, 2018 at 4:03pm
Thanks for the response, it make sense but it would be good for the output to be the same in debug and release modes.

Now my PC is working again and I am confident that the issue I was facing was nothing to do with this software I want to pay for the Pro version. Before I proceed can you confirm.

My system now thinks its got 7 days remaining in trial mode (its not decreasing!). Although I do not have any Pro functionality. I assume this is not correct?  I can not restart the trial either, it tries to do something but nothing actually changes.

Since this is software that I am using almost daily it is only right that I pay for it. However, I am concerned that if I make payment my system will still not activate the pro functions which would be a shame as I am sure they will help with productivity and bug chasing.

What is the best way forward?

Kev


Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Visual Micro on May 9th, 2018 at 4:09pm
Good question :)

Make sure you have not switch on Tools>Options>Visual Micro>Pause Pro Features

and make sure you have not checked them menu item "vMicro>Debugger>Use Visual Studio Debugging"

and finally confirm that when you say you do not have pro features what do you mean?

Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 10th, 2018 at 5:05am
Buy no Pro functions I mean debugging is not actually working, the system works in the exact same way as if I'd pressed cancel rather than start trail.

Also, it still says I have 7 days of trial left this morning.

I believe the settings are correct, although I cannot find the menu item "vMicro>Debugger>Use Visual Studio Debugging"

Kev
2.gif ( 8 KB | 2 Downloads )
3.gif ( 35 KB | 28 Downloads )

Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 10th, 2018 at 5:34am
UPDATE:  I think I have managed to get it working, I'll keep it under test for a couple of days!
Kev

Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Kev on May 16th, 2018 at 4:21am
Hi,

More than happy with this software, its very useful to create breakpoints and set watch variables.

License Purchased! 

I am looking forward to seeing the white space in the serial window though in debug mode. I do truly believe that what you see in debug mode should be the same as in release mode otherwise there maybe surprises ahead.

Thank you and keep up the good work
Kev


Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Visual Micro on May 16th, 2018 at 9:18am
Thanks very much

Title: Re: Missing white space in serial monitor - FIXED
Post by Visual Micro on Aug 21st, 2019 at 7:36pm
Off-Topic replies have been moved to this Topic.

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