Unico GUI Crashes

[Jared Hagel]

Posted on February 20, 2018 at 16:22

Hello all. I've tried to run the latest version of Unico GUI (5.0) by downloading it using the 'Get Software' button at the bottom of this webpage -

https://community.st.com/external-link.jspa?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.st.com%2Fcontent%2Fst_com%2Fen%2Fproducts%2Fembedded-software%2Fevaluation-tool-software%2Fstsw-mki109w.html

. I've installed the GUI by running Setup_Unico_5.0.0.0.exe and installed the driver by running VCP_V1.4.0_Setup.exe. Unfortunately, whenever I run Unico to evaluate LIS3DH (STEVAL-MKI105V1) on my 64 bit Windows 7 machine the program crashes on me. Any idea why this might be happening? This occurs right after I do the following:

- Run C:\Program Files (x86)\STMicroelectronics\Unico\bin\unico.exe- Select STEVAL-MKI105V1 (LIS3DH)- Ensure 'Automatic Port Detection [Enabled]' is checked- Click the 'Select Device' buttonWhen I do this I get a generic 'Cross-platform UI for MEMS demo kits has stopped working' Windows dialog.

A couple notes:

- After I run VCP_V1.4.0_Setup.exe and plug our STEVAL-MKI105V1 evaluation board into my computer's USB port Windows Device Manager shows the virtual COM port 'STMicroelectronics Virtual COM Port (COM26)'- Unico GUI version 1.0.0.0 works fine on a Windows XP machine we have with this same evaluation board. This XP machine is using the latest version of the driver (Virtual COM port driver v1.4.0)

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 20, 2018 at 16:31

Can you please disable '

Automatic Port Detection' and select the COM port manually?

[Jared Hagel]

Posted on February 20, 2018 at 16:36

Wow thanks for the quick response! I should have mentioned that I did try that previously and this is what happens:

- I uncheck 'Automatic Port Detection' check box

- Select STEVAL-MKI105V1 (LIS3DH)

- Click the 'Select Device' button

- Select port 'COM26' in the drop down selection

- Click the 'Connect' button

After I click Connect I get the same generic 'Cross-platform UI for MEMS demo kits has stopped working' Windows dialog.

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 09:11

It seems the issue is in Virtual COM Port driver.

You can try to reinstall the driver by following the instructions contained in the readme.txt file of V1.4.0 virtual COM port driver:

1. Uninstall previous versions (Start-> Settings-> Control Panel-> Add or remove programs)
2. Run your ''VCP_V1.4.0_Setup.exe''
3. Go to Your installation directory - Example, C:\Program Files (x86)\STMicroelectronics\Software\Virtual comport driver
4. Go to Your OS version directory ([Win7] or [Win8])- Double click on dpinst_x86.exe if you are running a 32-bits OS version - Double click on dpinst_amd64.exe if you are running a 64-bits OS version- Follow the instructions

You can also try using Hyperterminal (or some other terminal), instead of Unico, to check the functionality of the virtual COM port driver.

Please find below the settings I am using in Hyperterminal:

Once you connect the COM port, you can send the command *ver and see if the board respond. 

[Jared Hagel]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 15:56

Thank you for the quick reply again. Here are my results from following your steps.

- I reinstalled the

Virtual COM Port driver as you instructed but unfortunately get the same uninteresting results.

- Using a terminal program (putty.exe) to open the virtual COM port resulted in something more interesting when I did the following:

1. After getting the

   generic 'Cross-platform UI for MEMS demo kits has stopped working' Windows dialog, I used my terminal program to open the virtual COM port (COM27). Note that I did NOT power off the evaluation board by unplugging the board from the USB port before performing this step.

2. I get spammed with a continuous stream of V1.7.1 as shown in the following screen shot. My guess is this is why Unico is crashing. Perhaps our evaluation board has old firmware?

Note that if I do power cycle the evaluation board before step 1 (ie. using putty.exe to open the virtual COM port) then everything works as expected - the command *ver gets a single response of V1.7.1.

Do you think our evaluation board is running older, buggy firmware? If yes, can we upgrade the firmware using a terminal program? Thanks!

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 16:18

Do you have STEVAL-MKI109V2 (eMotion) or STEVAL-MKI109V3 (ProfiMEMSTool)?

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 16:24

Anyway in the STSW-MKI109W package which you have downloaded is DFU directory, where you can find firmware compatible with the Unico 5.0.0.

There are also instruction how to update the FW in the board.

[Jared Hagel]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 18:54

Hi Miroslav. We have the 

STEVAL-MKI109V1 evaluation board. I've followed the instructions on updating the FW in the board, but I don't see our device in the 'Available DFU Devices' drop down menu shown below. From reading the DFU documentation it's not clear to me how to get our 

STEVAL-MKI109V1 evaluation board into DFU mode. Do you know how this is done? We might just buy the latest evaluation board for LIS3DH since our evaluation board is obviously quite old. 

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 21, 2018 at 21:12

The STEVAL-MKI109V1 in no more supported, you will have to buy 

STEVAL-MKI109V2 or STEVAL-MKI109V3.

I will double check if there is way how to make STEVAL-MKI109V1 functional, but chance is small.

[Miroslav BATEK]

Posted on February 23, 2018 at 11:24

Unfortunately there is no easy way how to make STEVAL-MKI109V1 functional with Unico.