3.2. Setting up your programmer

This section does not apply to the Orangutan X2.

Now that you have installed the drivers, it is time to plug the Pololu USB AVR Programmer or Orangutan SVP into your computer’s USB port, make sure the drivers are working, and configure Atmel Studio 6.1 to use the programmer. For brevity, we will just say “programmer” in this section to refer to either the Pololu USB AVR Programmer or the Orangutan SVP’s auxiliary processor, which serves as a programmer.

If you use Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8, your computer should automatically install the necessary drivers when you connect a programmer.

If you use Windows XP, you will need to follow these steps whenever you plug in a new programmer:

1. Connect the programmer to your computer’s USB port. The programmer is actually three devices in one so your XP computer will detect all three of those new devices and display the “Found New Hardware Wizard” three times. Each time the “Found New Hardware Wizard” pops up, follow steps 2–5.
2. When the “Found New Hardware Wizard” is displayed, select “No, not this time” and click “Next”.

5. On the second screen of the “Found New Hardware Wizard”, select “Install the software automatically” and click “Next”.

6. Windows XP will warn you again that the driver has not been tested by Microsoft and recommend that you stop the installation. Click “Continue Anyway”.

7. When you have finished the “Found New Hardware Wizard”, click “Finish”. After that, another wizard will pop up. You will see a total of three wizards when plugging in the programmer. Follow steps 4-7 for each wizard.

If you use Windows XP and experience problems installing the serial port drivers, please make sure you have upgraded to Service Pack 3.

After installing the drivers, please go to your computer’s Device Manager and expand the “Ports (COM & LPT)” list. If you are using the Pololu USB AVR Programmer, you should see two COM ports: “Pololu USB AVR Programmer Programming Port” and “Pololu USB AVR Programmer TTL Serial Port”. If you are using the Orangutan SVP, you should see three COM ports: “Pololu Orangutan SVP Programmer”, “Pololu Orangutan SVP USB Communication Port”, and “Pololu Orangutan SVP TTL Serial Port”. In parentheses after these names, you will see the name of the port (e.g. “COM3” or “COM4”).

Additionally, if you are using the Pololu USB AVR Programmer, there should be a “Pololu USB Devices” list with an entry for the programmer.

Windows 8 device manager showing the Pololu USB AVR Programmer

Windows 8 device manager showing the Pololu Orangutan SVP.

Next, you will need to configure Atmel Studio to use the programmer. Open Atmel Studio, make sure your programmer is connected to your computer via USB, and then select Add target… from the Tools menu. For the tool, select “STK500”. For the serial port, select the COM port that has been assigned to the programmer’s programming port. Finally, click Apply.

The “Add target” dialog box in Atmel Studio 6.1.