Instructions: Getting the serial console to work on a MAC

[tmk]

Someone helped me with this, thought i'd pass it along:

First, install the mac OS X driver from here: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm

I have only tested on the intel version. Should work on others though, one would think.

It makes you reboot. Lame.

Ok, after the reboot, patch your Info.plist file as follows (make a backup first, just in case):

Code:

--- Info.plist.orig 2009-04-07 22:34:29.000000000 -0700
+++ /System/Library/Extensions/FTDIUSBSerialDriver.kext/Contents/Info.plist 2009-04-07 23:03:28.000000000 -0700
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
+<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
 <plist version="1.0">
 <dict>
  <key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
@@ -4341,6 +4341,40 @@
  <key>idVendor</key>
  <integer>1027</integer>
  </dict>
+ <key>SheevaPlug JTAGKey FT2232D A</key>
+ <dict>
+ <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
+ <string>com.FTDI.driver.FTDIUSBSerialDriver</string>
+ <key>IOClass</key>
+ <string>FTDIUSBSerialDriver</string>
+ <key>IOProviderClass</key>
+ <string>IOUSBInterface</string>
+ <key>bConfigurationValue</key>
+ <integer>1</integer>
+ <key>bInterfaceNumber</key>
+ <integer>0</integer>
+ <key>idProduct</key>
+ <integer>40591</integer>
+ <key>idVendor</key>
+ <integer>40584</integer>
+ </dict>
+ <key>SheevaPlug JTAGKey FT2232D B</key>
+ <dict>
+ <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
+ <string>com.FTDI.driver.FTDIUSBSerialDriver</string>
+ <key>IOClass</key>
+ <string>FTDIUSBSerialDriver</string>
+ <key>IOProviderClass</key>
+ <string>IOUSBInterface</string>
+ <key>bConfigurationValue</key>
+ <integer>1</integer>
+ <key>bInterfaceNumber</key>
+ <integer>1</integer>
+ <key>idProduct</key>
+ <integer>40591</integer>
+ <key>idVendor</key>
+ <integer>40584</integer>
+ </dict>
  <key>SI Lambda 10-3</key>
  <dict>
  <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>

once this is done, you should do a :

Code:

sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

This rebuilds the dependencies i believe, or somesuch.

Then plug in the USB and you should be golden.

If it doesn't work, make sure your Info.plist is the new one (compare it to the backup you made, it shouldn't match)

You can also try unloading and re-loading the driver

Code:

sudo kextunload /System/Library/Extensions/FTDIUSBSerialDriver.kext
sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions/FTDIUSBSerialDriver.kext

[karurosu]

thanks a lot, this should help me when my sheeva plug arrives

[tmk]

one other thing to mention.. the way i access it is:

Code:

screen /dev/cu.usbserial-FTS06TZ5B 115200

note that it's the B channel, not the A

-tmk

[rcm89]

note that it's the B channel, not the A

Yes, I tried this and it does work for me.  The 2303 driver stuff mentioned in the wiki does not work on my Mac Mini intel box, though...it loads the drivers but does not recognize the ports.

I'm still looking for a FreeBSD solution though, as listed here http://openplug.org/plugforum/index.php?topic=39.0

[cneth]

Watch out - that FTDI driver seems to have a fairly common USB ACM bug that causes a panic if the client device shuts down.   Best to unplug the serial cable if you need to power off the SheevaPlug...

[pauldy]

The last few leters are different on mine (/dev/cu.usbserial-FTS0BINGB), and I was able to do it without a reboot.

When it wanted to reboot I force quit the app patched your changes into the info.plist file in /System/Library/Extensions/FTDIUSBSerialDriver.kext/Contents

Then I ran kextload /System/Library/Extensions/FTDIUSBSerialDriver.kext

[tmk]

Watch out - that FTDI driver seems to have a fairly common USB ACM bug that causes a panic if the client device shuts down.   Best to unplug the serial cable if you need to power off the SheevaPlug...

:<

I hit this today. I unplugged the USB cable with the plug still running (screen still attached to it) and the machine died. It was kind enough to tell me i needed to reboot in 3 or 4 languages though :)

I think the bug may be related to having an open process reading the serial port at the time it disconnects.

-tmk

[burn]

Sorry for the noobness, but how do I patch that Info.plist file? do I create a patch with diff, or what?
Thanks for the directions either way

[tmk]

Sorry for the noobness, but how do I patch that Info.plist file? do I create a patch with diff, or what?
Thanks for the directions either way

usually you just run

Code:

patch -p0 < patchfile

-tmk

[burn]

Mind giving me a little more through steps?  I cant get it to patch.  I have tried so many things that I bet my whole kext is screwed, and I am not sure that the installer reinstalls it.  You wouldn't want to post the patched kext would you?

EDIT:  Wow that was frustrating...  the whole problem was nano and not vi it seems

[lamestllama]

note that it's the B channel, not the A

Yes, I tried this and it does work for me.  The 2303 driver stuff mentioned in the wiki does not work on my Mac Mini intel box, though...it loads the drivers but does not recognize the ports.

I'm still looking for a FreeBSD solution though, as listed here http://openplug.org/plugforum/index.php?topic=39.0

The 2303 driver stuff from the wiki work if you do exactly the same thing to its Info.plist 

I tried it first and got it to work then came across this later.

[karurosu]

I found this useful software to set the tftp server

http://ww2.unime.it/flr/tftpserver/

[Stuarty]

Any chance of someone writing this up for the wiki and adding more detail, especially about patching the info.plist? I've never used patch and don't know how add whatever is necessary make the serial connection work.

[Stuarty]

Any chance of some more help with this? I cannot connect to the serial port from my mac and I don't know why. I have installed the drivers mentioned above and think Ive patched the info.plist file. When I run ls -al /dev/ I never se the plug.

It seems like other people are managing to access the plug so I'm sure it something I'm not doing quite right. Help……

EDIT:

Seems like I have it now. it was a problem patching the info.plist and now I have access on

Code:

screen /dev/tty.usbserial-FTS8WJ4CA 115200

[jefff]

i couldn't get this to work under Mac OS X Leopard, the plist editing gave me the most trouble.  I ended up setting up a boot camp partition with vista and following the Windows directions.  Once vista was installed i had serial console access in less than two minutes.


- for once Vista came in handy  = )