Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized.

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MaxZ
Posts: 330
Joined: 31 Jan 2019, 11:48
Location: Boskoop, Netherlands

Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized.

Post by MaxZ »

Hi all,

The Arduino IDE on my Mac OSX (High Sierra) has developed a problem in recognizing any usb to ttl adapters, the only one that will work is an UNO tricked into thinking it is an adapter by grounding the reset. The other one I have is a FTDI adapter that does not seem to register as a port (as it used to).

I have also tried to connect a NRF Nano via usb and again no port seems to be available for selection.
The RF Nano has a CH340 chip, and I found this https://github.com/adrianmihalko/ch340g ... s-x-driver , so I followed that and removed the driver first, then reinstalled it again. But it is still not recognized and available as a port for downloading.

I have deleted and reinstalled the Arduino IDE, rebooted the OSX, all to no avail. Strangely enough, when I check the hardware overview, the adapters do show up as a connected usb device.

bluejets replied this in another topic:
bluejets wrote: 05 Jul 2020, 03:06May not be related but a couple of years back, ftdi pulled a nasty and re-wrote the drivers at least for windows which made the use of clone usb/ttl units useless.
It was done on the sneaky side in an auto update and the screams from all over forced the mob to re-instate the originals that would support the clones.
I did install the latest FTDI driver for OSX High Sierra from SilLabs, again without succes.

I can get by with the UNO as adapter, or using usbasp for loading sketches, but I would like to be able to use the regular porting as well, so if there is anybody that can shed some light on this I would be grateful.

Cheers,
Max.
Martin
Posts: 744
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 14:11
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized.

Post by Martin »

Can you borrow a Windows or Linux computer to test the interfaces, or ask a friend to test them for you? I think you first need to know that the interfaces are still working, before probing deeper to find out why your Mac won't talk to them.

The FT_PROG utility, available for download from the FTDI site is useful, but it's Windows only, as far as I know. Incidentally, I used this recently to reconfigure a (genuine) FTDI board as a Spektrum programming interface. I checked out a bunch of my "FTDI" devices using it, and most of them turned out to be clones - but they weren't bricked during the testing process and continue to work fine as clones, though they can't be reconfigured like the genuine ones. However, there is this warning on the FTDI site:
PLEASE NOTE - The use of some of these utilities by an end user may result in a device being rendered useless
...so use at your own risk.

It's possible to install Linux on your Mac, to run alongside Mac OS - but it's a lot of hassle. Much easier to borrow another PC, or buy a second-hand one. If you only want it for testing and possible Arduino programming, I'd recommend the Windows route - it's not as good as Linux, but second hand machines with Windows are more readily available, and there's a bigger user base to help you with any issues.
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Mike_K
Posts: 669
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:35
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized.

Post by Mike_K »

Martin wrote: 05 Jul 2020, 09:32 It's possible to install Linux on your Mac, to run alongside Mac OS - but it's a lot of hassle.
Actually it's very easy to run a virtual Windows PC under either Parallels or VirtualBox. All my family besides me use Macs and I've installed Windows 10 on my sons PC with Parallels and on my daughter's Mac using VirtualBox and they both run flawlessly. And both pass the USB port through natively so you can run Arduino under Windows 10 though it was a Windows PC, with the Windows drivers, not the Mac USB drivers. VirtualBox is free, but you have to pay for Parallels, though it's better integrated into the Mac OS. You do need a valid Windows 10 licence, however.

I have VirtualBox on a Windows 10 PC and run Ubuntu, Win 7 and XP under it without any issues, so I assume you could just as easily run Linux on a Mac with VirtualBox and as both are free, there would be no cost except time.

Mike
MaxZ
Posts: 330
Joined: 31 Jan 2019, 11:48
Location: Boskoop, Netherlands

Re: Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized (solved).

Post by MaxZ »

Hi guys,

Thanks for your suggestions, but I did manage to resolve my problem. It is actually too silly for words.

Among the privacy settings of the OS there is an item in the General tab saying (translated from Dutch): Loading of the system software from developer '*********' is blocked, together with an 'approve' button.

I had clicked on that button multiple times, using my Wacom pen tablet or a Logitech mouse (important!). Searching the net for any clues, I found a note that you need an Apple Device to click that button and approve the use of the software. So I dug out my long disused Apple mouse, found some batteries to power it up and lo and behold, it worked!

Now I can see and use those serial adapters again, so problem solved!

Cheers,
Max.
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F2B
Posts: 200
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 11:23
Location: 20 m NE of Amsterdam

Re: Arduino on Mac; serial adapters not recognized.

Post by F2B »

Let's face it Max...
Problems too silly for words, generally aren't. :D

Glad you found it after all!
I'll be expecting some of those modules shortly and if anything, I know whom to ask.... ;)
F2B or not to be....
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