Can't connect using CLI or WebIDE on Windows 10

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by Thomas

I just got my Puck.js and tried to connect to my laptop running Windows 10, but it doesn't show up in CLI using

espruino --list

or WebIDE (neither Chrome App nor native). It does however show up in Bluetooth Settings. I can even successfully pair it, but that has no effect.

Am I missing something?

Here some data about my system (just tell me if you need more):

• Windows 10.0.14393 Home 64-bit
• Chrome 54.0.2840.99 m (64-bit)
• Python 2.7.12
• NodeJS v6.9.1
• NPM 3.10.8

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by Thomas

I just discovered the "Console" tab in the Web IDE settings. Here's the log:

We have chrome.serial - not using 'serialport' module
serial_audio: Audio Sample rate : 44100
serial_audio: Audio Serial Baud 9600 Bit time 4.59375
No navigator.bluetooth - Web Bluetooth not enabled
GET chrome.storage.sync = undefined
Initialising SettingsConsole
Initialising Utils
Initialising Config
Initialising Notifications
Initialising Status
Initialising App
Initialising File
Initialising Code
Initialising Serial
  - Initialising Serial Chrome Serial
  - Initialising Serial Chrome Socket
  - Initialising Serial Audio
Initialising Terminal
Initialising CodeWriter
Initialising Modules
Initialising Env
Initialising Flasher
Initialising EditorBlockly
Initialising EditorJavaScript
Initialising Send
Initialising MenuPortSelector
Initialising MenuSettings
Initialising MenuFlasher
Initialising SettingsAbout
Initialising SettingsFlasher
Initialising BoardJSON
Initialising VersionChecker
Initialising Compiler
Initialising Assembler
Initialising GetGitHub
Initialising NPMModules
Initialising ExamplePlugin
Initialising Unicode
Initialising SaveOnSend
Initialising Minify
Initialising Tutorial
Initialising Webcam
Initialising FontSize
Initialising UiMode
Initialising URLHandler
Initialising FileReload
Initialising CodeLink
Initialising Project
Initialising Testing
Initialising Notification_Sound
Initialising Tern
Initialising Debugger
Initialising Tour
Initialising SettingsProfile
Initialising HelpLinks
No code in storage.

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by @gfwilliams

Did you follow the instructions here? http://www.espruino.com/Puck.js+Quick+Start

Looks like you may not be using the Native version of the Web IDE. Until Google adds Web Bluetooth support for Chrome you have to use that - but it should 'just work' for you (once you pair Puck.js using the Windows Bluetooth menu).

For the command-line app, you also have a problem that at the moment 'noble' - the BLE library for Node.js - doesn't support using BLE via the Windows 10 APIs. That means you have to use a tool called Zadig to change the drivers over so that 'noble' can use them, but that means that Windows then can't use the BLE!

Personally, I wouldn't do that. If you really want to use the command-line app at the moment, I'd buy a cheap USB BLE dongle (it's about $5 delivered from eBay). Once that's plugged in (you might have to use Zadig on it), the command-line app and any other Node.js BLE stuff you might want to try will start working.

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by Thomas

Now I see the problem: I followed the links and landed on espruino.com/Web+IDE from espruino.com/Puck.js+Quick+Start#windows. For some reason the embedded YouTube video doesn't show up for me, so because of the big white space I thought the page was over. Should have checked the scroll bar...
I assumed "native" referred to a specific Chrome app since I have some Chrome apps that can access native features, like USB devices.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to change the link on the /Puck.js+Quick+Start#windows to /Web+IDE#as-a-native-application

Now I've installed the correct native app and paired the device (Button is called "Pair" in Windows 10, no longer "Connect" as in the instructions) it works.

Thanks for the help.
I've created 2 Pull Requests on GitHub to address the two points in the docs that confused me.

One last confusing point is that the native app is still referred to as "Web IDE". I understand it's probably the exact same thing in an app shell (like Electron). But seeing as there are 3 versions of the Web IDE right now (online, Chrome app and native) you might consider more using specific names where appropriate.

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by @gfwilliams

Thanks - I've just pulled those changes in and I'll update the website in the next day or so.

About the naming - I know - I was wondering about that, it's confusing. The problem is 'Web IDE' is used all over the tutorials to mean 'the IDE' - any of them could be used. Hopefully this problem will be relatively short-lived - when Google add Web Bluetooth support for Windows there won't be much need for the native app.

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by Thomas

My thought was to keep the name "Web IDE" but extending it when referring to a specific version. e.g. "Web IDE - Chrome", "Web IDE - Online" and "Web IDE - Native"

But I'm curious: Why couldn't you use Bluetooth in the Chrome App? According to these docs it's supported on Windows. It even mentions LE (exactly once) at inquiryTxPower.

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2016-12-12 by @gfwilliams

I'm pretty sure that's standard Bluetooth - Bluetooth Low Energy is this one: https://developer.chrome.com/apps/bluetoothLowEnergy

Which is only supported in Chrome OS - and Web Bluetooth is here: https://github.com/WebBluetoothCG/web-bluetooth/blob/gh-pages/implementation-status.md

Sadly Google is killing Chrome apps, so even if I were to get something working with the chrome.* APIs, they'll be disappearing next year :(