ERROR_SEM_TIMEOUT when running sample code

[MuddledBox]

To reproduce my issues...

I run following the sample code, located here:

https://github.com/synthead/timex_datalink_client/blob/main/docs/timex_datalink_protocol_1.md

When using the following with the Pico with the below u2f:

https://github.com/synthead/timex-datalink-arduino/releases/tag/v1.0.0

I get:

78 55 C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/rubyserial-0.6.0/lib/rubyserial/windows.rb:73:in write': ERROR_SEM_TIMEOUT (RubySerial::Error) from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:35:in block (2 levels) in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:32:in each' from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:32:in block in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:31:in each' from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:31:in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client.rb:113:in write' from ./timexTest.rb:132:in

'

OR

when using the the following with the same Pico with the below u2f:

https://github.com/famiclone6502/DIY_Datalink_Adapter/tree/main/pico

I get:

78 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/rubyserial-0.6.0/lib/rubyserial/windows.rb:73:in write': ERROR_SEM_TIMEOUT (RubySerial::Error) from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:35:in block (2 levels) in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:32:in each' from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:32:in block in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:31:in each' from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client/notebook_adapter.rb:31:in write'
from C:/Ruby32-x64/lib/ruby/gems/3.2.0/gems/timex_datalink_client-0.12.1/lib/timex_datalink_client.rb:113:in write' from ./timexTest.rb:132:in

'

---

Running on Windows 11. There is no blinking on my Raspberry Pi Pico's inbuilt LED during either run. If I unplug the Pico and run, I just get "ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND". Both the above errors are consistent in length each time the application is run. Any ideas? Outdated gems?

[MuddledBox]

Note: I changed the following in the example code:
serial_device: "\\.\COM3",

Which is the location of my device.

[synthead]

Oh interesting! I haven't tried this in Windows myself, but I have helped others get it working with WSL! Let's see if we can narrow down the issue. I don't have a Windows 11 machine, but I could see if it's reproducible with Windows 10.

I see C:/Ruby32-x64 in your exceptions. How did you install Ruby?

It also looks like you're calling ./timexTest.rb! Could you share this script?

[synthead]

Here's where the error you're seeing is defined:

https://github.com/hybridgroup/rubyserial/blob/090df6685f383497e9080a354b22af07731ece40/lib/rubyserial/windows_constants.rb#L198

Here's where the error from rubyserial is being raised:

https://github.com/hybridgroup/rubyserial/blob/090df6685f383497e9080a354b22af07731ece40/lib/rubyserial/windows.rb#L73

I did a little research, and found that C:/Ruby32-x64 is a path that is used by RubyInstaller (GitHub repo here).

[synthead]

I was able to reproduce it!

I'll take a look and see what it'll take to get this fixed, thanks!

[synthead]

I'm seeing what I can find, and also filed a bug upstream:

• ERROR_SEM_TIMEOUT (semaphore timeout) when using with Windows 10 and Ruby from RubyInstaller hybridgroup/rubyserial#52

This appears to be a bug with rubyserial somehow. The timex_datalink_client lib uses serial in a super basic manner:

• It connects to the Notebook Adapter at 9600 baud with 8 data bits, no parity, and one stop bit (the rubyserial defaults)
• There are generous sleep calls between writes, which should make data transfer even less troublesome
• There are no serial read calls; timex_datalink_client simply writes data to a device (and slowly at that)

[synthead]

After some testing, I found that swapping the rubyserial gem with serialport works great in Windows (while also working great in Linux):

I'll get a PR up to change upstream gems and fix this issue 👍

[synthead]

I believe this problem has been fixed with this PR!

• Use SerialPort for serial interaction (fixes semaphore timeouts in Windows) #313

To make it publicly available, I also just shipped timex_datalink_client v0.12.2!

• https://github.com/synthead/timex_datalink_client/releases/tag/v0.12.2
• https://rubygems.org/gems/timex_datalink_client/versions/0.12.2

To update timex_datalink_client on your installation, do:

gem update timex_datalink_client

This should produce output similar to:

$ gem update timex_datalink_client
Updating installed gems
Updating timex_datalink_client
Successfully installed timex_datalink_client-0.12.2
Parsing documentation for timex_datalink_client-0.12.2
Installing ri documentation for timex_datalink_client-0.12.2
Done installing documentation for timex_datalink_client after 0 seconds
Parsing documentation for timex_datalink_client-0.12.2
Done installing documentation for timex_datalink_client after 0 seconds
Gems updated: timex_datalink_client

I'd also flash the Pico uf2 file for timex-datalink-arduino to your Pico one more time to ensure that you're using a known good Notebook Adapter emulator:

• https://github.com/synthead/timex-datalink-arduino/releases/tag/v1.0.0

Then, unplug and reinsert your Notebook Adapter to clear Windows of any lingering semaphore issues from rubyserial, and give it another shot! Since I could reproduce it verbatim and fix the issue, I felt confident enough to simply ship a new patch version of this gem. I think it'll work great 🙂

I'll leave this issue open for a few days just to make sure it works for you 👍

[MuddledBox]

@synthead My "notebook adapter" is known working in emulated systems like Windows 98 SE, and I can confirm with the you the fix you implemented works for me in Windows 11. No updates besides updating to the newest version! Syncs with watch and everything.

[synthead]

Excellent! I'm really glad it works for you now! Thank you for filing this bug! Enjoy!

[synthead]

Upgraded timex_datalink_client in timex_datalink_crt, too:

• Upgrade timex_datalink_client gem to 0.12.2 timex_datalink_crt#12