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Notice: This page contains information for the legacy Phidget21 Library.

Phidget21 is out of support. Bugfixes may be considered on a case by case basis.

Phidget21 does not support VINT Phidgets, or new USB Phidgets released after 2020. We maintain a selection of legacy devices for sale that are supported in Phidget21.

We recommend that new projects be developed against the Phidget22 Library.


Click on the 2phidget22.jpg button in the menu bar to go to the Phidget22 version of this page.

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OS - OS X: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:OS]]
[[Category:OS]]
[[File:Icon-Mac-OS.png‎|64x64px|link=]] On Mac OS, Phidgets can be either plugged directly into a USB Port or run over a network using the [[#Webservice|Webservice]].
{{OSLang|[[File:Icon-Mac-OS.png‎|64x64px|link=]]|On OS X, Phidgets can be either plugged directly into a USB Port or run over a network using the [[#WebService|WebService]].}}
 
__TOC__
__TOC__
Phidgets are designed to run on '''OS X 10.5 Leopard or newer''', and can run on PPC, 32-bit, and 64-bit systems.


Phidgets are designed to run on '''Mac OS 10.4 or newer''', and can run on PPC, 32-bit, and 64-bit systems.
==Quick Downloads==


==Getting Started (Libraries and Drivers)==
If this is your first Phidget, we highly recommend working through the Getting Started guide for your specific Phidget device, which may be found in its [[:Category:UserGuide|user guide]].  If you already have the Preference Pane Installed and know how to use it, then you've already followed the guide and are ready to learn more about the workings behind the Preference Pane, the Phidget WebService, and more - all specific to OS X.


If this is your first Phidget, we highly recommend working through the Getting Started guide [[Device List|for your specific Phidget device]]. If you already have the Preference Pane Installed and know how to use it, then you've already followed the guide and are ready to learn more about the workings behind the Preference Pane, the Phidget Webservice, and more - all specific to Mac OS.
If you are already a pro, and just want the drivers:
*OS X 10.7+: [{{SERVER}}/downloads/phidget21/libraries/macos/Phidget.dmg Installer Download]
*Mac OS X 10.5 - OS X 10.6: [{{SERVER}}/downloads/phidget21/libraries/macos/Phidget_OS_X_10_5.dmg Installer Download]
*[[Software License]]


If you are already a pro, and just want the drivers:
If you need old versions of the libraries, [{{SERVER}}/downloads/phidget21/libraries/macos/Phidget/ click here].


*[http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/Phidget_2.1.8.20120216.dmg Mac OS Installer]
==Getting Started with OS X==


For special cases where you want to install the Phidget libraries without the installer, please see the [[#Advanced Uses | Advanced Uses]] section.
{{#ev:youtube|o2P580PvjCg}}
*[http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/Phidget21-windevel_2.1.8.20110615.zip Phidget21 Libraries]
*[http://www.phidgets.com/Drivers_Info.html#windows Software License]


===Installing===
===Installing===


The Phidget installer requires that your system has .NET framework 2.0 or higher. The .NET framework can be downloaded from [http://www.microsoft.com/net Microsoft]. If you do not have the .NET framework 2.0 or later installed, you can still use Phidgets. However, you won't be able to use the installer, and will have to manually install the Phidget libraries. Please see the [[#Advanced Uses | Advanced Uses]] section.
The Phidget installer will install the core Phidget files onto your system.


To install the libraries, follow these steps:
To install the libraries, follow these steps:


1. Download one of the Phidget installer for your system, depending on whether your system is 32 or 64-bit.
1. Download the Phidget installer for your system:
*[http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/Phidget_2.1.8.20120216.dmg OS X Installer]
*[{{SERVER}}/downloads/phidget21/libraries/macos/Phidget.dmg OS X Installer]


2. Open up the installer, and open up {{Code|Phidgets.mpkg}}.
2. Open up the installer, and double click on {{Code|Phidgets.mpkg}} to install the libraries.


[[File:OSX Install 1.png|link=|alt=OS X Install]]
[[File:OSX Install 1.png|link=|alt=OS X Install]]


2. Proceed through the wizard.  
3. Proceed through the wizard.  


[[File:OSX Install 2.png|link=|alt=OS X Install]]
[[File:OSX Install 2.png|link=|alt=OS X Install]]


Please note that by default, the installer places the [[#Description of Library files | Phidget libraries]] in {{Code|/Library/Frameworks/Phidget21.framework}}.
4. Once the installation is complete, you are ready to program with Phidgets. To find out what files got installed, please see [[#Description of Installer files | Description of Installer files]] in the Appendix section.
 
3. Once the installation is complete, you are ready to program with Phidgets.


Proceed onto to the [[#Phidget Preference Pane | next]] section where the Phidget Preference Pane will be discussed.
Proceed onto to the [[#Phidget Preference Pane | next]] section where the Phidget Preference Pane will be discussed.
Line 43: Line 42:
====Phidget Preference Pane====
====Phidget Preference Pane====


The Phidget Preference Pane is a tool to quickly determine whether your system is able to control Phidgets, and also act as a debugging tool.  
The Phidget Preference Pane is a tool to quickly determine whether your system is able to communicate with Phidgets, and also act as a debugging tool.  


Once the Phidget libraries are installed using the installer, open up the {{Code|System Preferences}} window.
Once the Phidget libraries are installed using the installer, open up the {{Code|System Preferences}} window.
Line 53: Line 52:
[[File:OSX PreferencePane General.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane General]]
[[File:OSX PreferencePane General.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane General]]


The general tab shows the list of Phidgets currently physically attached to the computer. You can also view the currently installed Phidget library version. You can double click on a Phidget device to open up an example program for the device.
The Phidget Preference Pane can:
* Access and test Phidgets connected to your computer
* Update device firmware
* Access other Phidgets over the webservice, and make your local Phidgets accessible over the webservice
* Make use of the [[Phidget Dictionary]]
* Manage the labels of connected Phidgets
* View all [[OS_-_Phidget_SBC|SBCs]] on the network and view their webpages


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Example.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Example]]


In the above screenshot, the RFID example was opened. These examples are intended for demonstration and debugging purposes. If you have not yet already, please see the '''Getting Started''' guide [[Device List|for your device]]. It is important to keep in mind that when an example Phidget application is opened from the Phidget Preference Pane, it holds a lock on the Phidget. This prevents any other program from accessing the Phidget. Please ensure that this example application is closed(the Phidget Preference Pane can still be running) when you are running your own applications. 
'''For more information, visit the [[Phidget Control Panel#OS X|Phidget Preference Pane]] page.'''


The next tab is the {{Code|Web Service}} tab, which allows you to control Phidgets over a network.
===Checking===


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Stopped.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Webservice Stopped]]
To confirm the libraries were installed and work correctly, you can check both the hardware and software components of the interface. It is worth checking the software side first, because if it works then you know the hardware side is also okay.


Here, you can start and stop the Webservice. Details are provided in the [[#Webservice | Webservice]] section. You can also determine whether the Phidget Webservice is currently running. There is also a check box that you can select to turn on verbose output, which will display useful troubleshooting information for the Webservice.
====Software====


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Labels Local.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Webservice Labels Local]]
If you have the Phidgets library installed on your system, you can verify that the software component is working by seeing if the Phidget device is listed in the General tab of the Phidget Preference Pane.


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Labels Remote.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Webservice Labels Remote]]
[[File:OSX PreferencePane General.png |link=|alt=OS X Preference Pane General]]


The above screenshot shows that a PhidgetRFID and a PhidgetInterfaceKit are attached to the computer. If you see your Phidget in the list, you can continue to the [[#Programming Languages | programming languages]] section to learn more. If you are not able to see that the Phidget is in the list, there may be a hardware issue. Please see the [[#Hardware| hardware]] section for more details.


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Stopped.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Webservice]]
====Hardware====


The {{Code|Bonjour}} sub-tab gives a list of all currently attached Phidgets that are connected to the Webservice. This tab will only appear if you have [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bonjourforwindows.html Bonjour] installed onto your system. You can also double click on the Phidget to connect to it over the network using one or more computers, and still use the Phidget on the computer it is directly connected to.
You can verify that your computer detects that the Phidget is plugged in through a USB connection by going to the OS X System Profiler. You can access the System Profiler by selecting {{Code|About This Mac}} under the Apple icon.  


[[File:OSX PreferencePane Bonjour.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Bonjour]]
[[File:OSX About This Mac.png‎|link=|alt=OS X About This Mac]]


The last tab is the {{Code|PhidgetSBC}} tab, which displays the complete list of PhidgetSBCs connected to the network. You can double click on the PhidgetSBC to bring up the PhidgetSBC Adminstration Console. This tab will be enabled if you have [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bonjourforwindows.html Bonjour] installed onto your system.
The new window will open up.


[[File:OSX PreferencePane PhidgetSBC.PNG|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane PhidgetSBC]]
[[File:OSX More Info.png|link=|alt=OS X More Info]]


===Checking===
Select {{Code|More Info}}. The System Profiler will show up. In the USB section, you will be able to find all connected USB devices.


Summarize that we will be using code and the device manager to confirm and troubleshoot the installation, if needed.
[[File:OSX USB Devices.png ‎|link=|alt=OS X Attached USB Devices]]


====Software====
In the above screenshot, The PhidgetInterfaceKit and PhidgetRFID are connected to the USB ports.


This should walk you through compiling and running basic code against the libraries as simply as possible.  Find an instance that requires no additional programs to run, and that will work with any Phidget, if possible.  Recommended HelloWorld and gcc.
If you don't see the Phidget in the list, then take a look at the [[#Troubleshooting|troubleshooting]] section below, as well as the '''Communications''' section of our [[General Troubleshooting#Communications Troubleshooting|general troubleshooting page]].


The point of this is to give the user tools to identify problems with the library setup that are not due to low level driver conflicts.  The process should be described here (with the conclusion being the success of the check), followed by a referral to the Troubleshooting section (and content there) if failure results.  See the [[OS - Linux#Software]] section for an example.
====Troubleshooting====


====Hardware====
If the example programs '''do not''' work but USB '''does''' work (i.e. your computer can consistently see the device in the [[#Hardware|hardware]]), take a moment to check the basics:
* You are using OS X 10.5 or newer.
* No other programs, drivers, or processes are using that USB port in software
* The Phidget libraries are the latest version (visit the [[#Quick Downloads| quick downloads section]] to download them)


This should show you how to use the "About This Mac" program to make sure the Phidget is attached in hardware, and what to do if not.
* Check the [[#Common Problems and Solutions|common problems]] section below, some specific combinations can cause problems


====Troubleshooting====
If your problem doesn't seem to be fixed by these steps, make sure that the Phidget is seen '''consistently''' by USB (if it is erratic, try our [[General Troubleshooting|general troubleshooting guide]]).  If you are still having problems after using the troubleshooting guide, please [[Contact Us|ask us]]!


Make an in-depth point by point section with some of this content plus more:
==Programming Languages==
Phidgets’ philosophy is that you do not have to be an electrical engineer in order to do projects that use devices like sensors, motors, motor controllers, and interface boards. All you need to know is how to program.


*Confirm prerequisites
After you have installed the drivers above, you should pick a programming language, install libraries, and run the examples for that specific language. You can learn more about what is needed to program in a particular language by choosing the language of your preference below. If you need help choosing a language, please look at the [[Software Overview#Language Support |language comparison table]].
*Walk through ALL known conflicting drivers
*Suggest attributes of unknown conflicting drivers
*Get people to the troubleshooting page if a non-OS problem is suspected


See the [[OS - Linux#Troubleshooting|Linux Troubleshooting]] page for a briefer example.  It is expected that with driver conflicts, this section will be much larger, with screenshots, etc.  If you need to cover troubleshooting a problem with the webservice, you should put the content in the Webservice section below, and link to it.
==Programming Languages==
We recommend the following languages for OS X:
We recommend the following languages for OS X:
* [[Language - Applescript|AppleScript]]
* [[Language - Applescript|AppleScript]]
* [[Language - C/C++|C/C++]]
* [[Language - C/C++|C/C++]]
* [[Language - C#|C#(Using Mono)]]
* [[Language - C Sharp|C# (Using Mono)]]
* [[Language - Cocoa | Cocoa]]
* [[Language - Cocoa | Cocoa]]
* [[Language - Flash AS3 | Flash AS3]]
* [[Language - Flash AS3 | Flash AS3]]
Line 124: Line 127:
*[[Language - Simulink|Simulink]]
*[[Language - Simulink|Simulink]]


==Webservice==
==WebService==
 
The Phidget WebService allows you to remotely control a Phidget over a network.
 
Drivers for the Phidget WebService on OS X are already included in the [[#Quick Downloads | Drivers]] above. If you see the Phidget Preference Pane in System Preferences, then you already have the WebService drivers installed.
 
There are two ways that you can connect to a Phidget hosted on another computer. The first method is by using the IP address/host name and port of the host computer. The second method makes the use of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS mDNS], which allows Phidgets to be found and opened on the network by a server id instead of an IP address/host name. When using a server id, both the client and server will need to be running an implementation of zero configuration networking. The Phidget WebService takes advantage of [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/bonjourforwindows.html Bonjour] software, which is built-in to OS X. It is a tool developed by Apple to locate devices, such as Phidgets,  on a network.
 
This section helps you install, check, and use the WebService on Windows, but we also have an overview of the [[Phidget WebService]] in general.
 
===Turning the WebService On and Off===
 
There are two methods that can be used to turn the WebService on and off. The first method is through the Phidget Preference Pane. In the {{Code|WebService}} tab, you can start or stop the WebService. You can also choose to have the WebService start up automatically upon system boot up by selecting the {{Code|Start Automatically}} checkbox.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Stopped.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane WebService]]
 
The second method of turning the WebService on and off is through command line. After using our installer, the WebService utility is automatically installed in {{Code|/usr/bin/phidget21webservice}}.
 
You can get command line help with {{Code|phidgetwebservice21}} using the -h option:
 
<div class="source">
<syntaxhighlight lang=bash>
phidgetwebservice21 -h
</syntaxhighlight>


Short description of the webservice on Mac OS (i.e. which files are the drivers, note that it is automatically on, etc)
<syntaxhighlight lang=text>
'phidgetwebservice21' is a Phidget and Dictionary server from Phidgets Inc. See www.phidgets.com for more information.
Usage: phidgetwebservice21 [OPTION]
All parameters are optional. The default parameters are: port=5001, ServerName=(Computer Name) and no password


Drivers for the Phidget Webservice on Mac are already included in the [[#Getting Started (Libraries and Drivers) | Drivers]] above. 
Options:
  -p      Port
  -n      Server Name
  -P      Password
  -v      Debug mode
  -h      Display this help
</syntaxhighlight>
</div>


If you have the Preference Pane installed, you already have the Webservice drivers installed.
Mapping out which command line options to which Phidget Preference Pane option is as follows:


===Turning the Webservice On and Off===
-p: {{Code|Port}} field


Detailed instructions, both at runtime, and disabling from boot entirely.
-n: {{Code|ServerID}} field


===Setting Up the Webservice===
-P: {{Code|Password}} field


How to find the port, computer IP, computer bonjour name, etc
-v: Not supported under the Phidget Preference Pane


====Using the Webservice Without Bonjour====
To find the defaults used by {{Code|phidget21webservice}}, the command line is the fastest way to learn the default server name and IP address of your computer:
*For the default server name, use {{Code|hostname}} on the command line.
*For your IP address, use {{Code|ifconfig -a}} on the command line.
**A line in the return text, under your main internet connection (usually {{Code|eth0}}) will say something like {{Code|inet addr:192.168.3.178}}, which is your IP.


Detailed instructions on how to change your code to work with IP addresses
Here are some usage examples:


===Using the Webservice===
To start the WebService with default parameters:
<div class="source">
<syntaxhighlight lang=bash>
phidgetwebservice21
</syntaxhighlight>
</div>


A walkthrough in C (using gcc) of how to write (i.e. modify) a remote program and screenshots of it running on localhost (127.0.0.1)
To start the WebService with a server name of {{Code|myServer}}:
<div class="source">
<syntaxhighlight lang=bash>
phidgetwebservice21-n myServer
</syntaxhighlight>
</div>


===Debugging the Webservice===
To stop the WebService, simply close the command line window or press {{Code|Control}} and {{Code|c}} at the same time in the command line window.


Examples of common errors in webservice-using code
===Using the WebService===


Is there a way to enable debugging like there is on Linux?
To use a Phidget over the WebService, you'll want to:
* Have two different computers connected to the same network. We will call the computer that has the Phidget directly connected to the USB port the host. The client will be the computer that runs a Phidget application to connect to the Phidget attached to the host. Please note that if you only have a single computer, you can also connect to the Phidget over the WebService. The computer will simply act as both a host and client. This will allow you to bypass the [[General Phidget Programming # Details for Open() | one application per Phidget limitation]].


==Advanced Uses==
* Start the WebService on the computer that directly connects to the Phidget
* Run your program on the remote computer that will control the Phidget over the network
 
The easiest way to test these steps on OS X is to set up the WebService and run the Phidget program on the client. Please follow these steps:
 
1. On the host, open up the Phidget Preference Pane and traverse to the {{Code|Web Service}} tab.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Stopped.png |link=|alt=OS X Preference Pane WebService]]
 
2. Leave all fields the way they are, and click on {{Code|Start WebService}} to run the WebService.
 
3. You can determine that the WebService is running by looking at the status on the right side.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Running.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane WebService Running]]
 
4. Ensure that the Phidget is plugged in to the host.
 
5. On the client's Phidget Preference Pane, open up the {{Code|Bonjour}} tab. You will see the Phidget that is plugged into the host as one of the entries listed. Double click it to open the example application.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Bonjour.png ‎‎ |link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Bonjour.png ‎]]
 
6. The example application will open up, and you will be able to communicate with the Phidget over the WebService.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Example.png ‎ |link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Example]]
 
7. You can confirm that the WebService was indeed behind this exchange by terminating the WebService process while still allowing the remote program to run. On the host's Phidget Preference Pane, traverse to the {{Code|WebService}} tab. Hit {{Code|Stop WebService}} to terminate the WebService.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Webservice Running.png|link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane WebService Running]]
 
8. Take a look at the example application on the client. Since the application can no longer connect to the WebService, there is nothing attached.
 
[[File:OSX PreferencePane Example Stopped.png |link=|alt=OS X PreferencePane Example Stopped]]


===Manual File Installation===
===Debugging the WebService===


A reminder of the installer and what it does, and how to do it manually when wanting to distribute our libraries with your code.
You can get debugging information from the WebService itself.  This debugging can only be enabled from the command line approach to start the WebService. Debug information is enabled by specifying the {{Code|-v}} option:


====Description of Files====
<div class="source">
<syntaxhighlight lang=bash>
phidgetwebservice21 -v -n "myServer"
</syntaxhighlight>
</div>


All files with the Preference Pane and their default installation locations.
The debugging information will be shown as output in the command line console.


====Special Cases of Library Install====
==Advanced Uses==


Cover how customers can distribute Phidget libraries with their code, refer them mostly to their appropriate language page.


Content copied from the old page:
==Appendix==


If you wish to only install the things you need, please refer to your language page for instructions on how to manually install the libraries for your language.
===Description of Installer files===
<br/> also explain even more special cases on 64bit systems, if applicable(ie, c.


===Other Advanced Uses===
Here is the list of files and their description for each file the installer puts onto your system.
===Description of Library files===


Additions to this list should be things we find people request over tech supportAsk Brian for more!
This section will explain the files that were placed onto your system as part of the installation process.
* <b>{{Code|Phidget21.framework}}</b> contains the actual Phidget library, which is used at run-time.  It is placed into {{Code|/Library/Frameworks}}.
* <b>{{Code|Phidget.kext}}</b> is the kernel extensionIt is placed into {{Code|/System/Library/Extensions}}.
* <b>{{Code|libphidget21.jnilib}}</b> is the JNI library for Java.  It is placed into {{Code|/Library/Java/Extensions}}.
* <b>{{Code|Phidgets.prefpane}}</b> is the Phidgets Preference Pane.  It is placed into {{Code|/Library/PreferencePanes}}.
* <b>{{Code|phidgetwebservice21}}</b> is the Phidget WebService.  It is placed into {{Code|/usr/bin}}.
* <b>{{Code|PhidgetsOSA.app}}</b> is the the Phidgets agent for AppleScript.  It is placed into {{Code|/Library/ScriptingAdditions}}.


==Common Problems and Solutions==
==Common Problems and Solutions==


None, yet.
None, yet.

Revision as of 17:22, 11 February 2019

Icon-Mac-OS.png On OS X, Phidgets can be either plugged directly into a USB Port or run over a network using the WebService.

Phidgets are designed to run on OS X 10.5 Leopard or newer, and can run on PPC, 32-bit, and 64-bit systems.

Quick Downloads

If this is your first Phidget, we highly recommend working through the Getting Started guide for your specific Phidget device, which may be found in its user guide. If you already have the Preference Pane Installed and know how to use it, then you've already followed the guide and are ready to learn more about the workings behind the Preference Pane, the Phidget WebService, and more - all specific to OS X.

If you are already a pro, and just want the drivers:

If you need old versions of the libraries, click here.

Getting Started with OS X

Installing

The Phidget installer will install the core Phidget files onto your system.

To install the libraries, follow these steps:

1. Download the Phidget installer for your system:

2. Open up the installer, and double click on Phidgets.mpkg to install the libraries.

OS X Install

3. Proceed through the wizard.

OS X Install

4. Once the installation is complete, you are ready to program with Phidgets. To find out what files got installed, please see Description of Installer files in the Appendix section.

Proceed onto to the next section where the Phidget Preference Pane will be discussed.

Phidget Preference Pane

The Phidget Preference Pane is a tool to quickly determine whether your system is able to communicate with Phidgets, and also act as a debugging tool.

Once the Phidget libraries are installed using the installer, open up the System Preferences window.

OS X System Preferences

Click on the Phidgets icon in the Other section to bring up the Phidgets Preference Pane.

OS X PreferencePane General

The Phidget Preference Pane can:

  • Access and test Phidgets connected to your computer
  • Update device firmware
  • Access other Phidgets over the webservice, and make your local Phidgets accessible over the webservice
  • Make use of the Phidget Dictionary
  • Manage the labels of connected Phidgets
  • View all SBCs on the network and view their webpages


For more information, visit the Phidget Preference Pane page.

Checking

To confirm the libraries were installed and work correctly, you can check both the hardware and software components of the interface. It is worth checking the software side first, because if it works then you know the hardware side is also okay.

Software

If you have the Phidgets library installed on your system, you can verify that the software component is working by seeing if the Phidget device is listed in the General tab of the Phidget Preference Pane.

OS X Preference Pane General

The above screenshot shows that a PhidgetRFID and a PhidgetInterfaceKit are attached to the computer. If you see your Phidget in the list, you can continue to the programming languages section to learn more. If you are not able to see that the Phidget is in the list, there may be a hardware issue. Please see the hardware section for more details.

Hardware

You can verify that your computer detects that the Phidget is plugged in through a USB connection by going to the OS X System Profiler. You can access the System Profiler by selecting About This Mac under the Apple icon.

OS X About This Mac

The new window will open up.

OS X More Info

Select More Info. The System Profiler will show up. In the USB section, you will be able to find all connected USB devices.

OS X Attached USB Devices

In the above screenshot, The PhidgetInterfaceKit and PhidgetRFID are connected to the USB ports.

If you don't see the Phidget in the list, then take a look at the troubleshooting section below, as well as the Communications section of our general troubleshooting page.

Troubleshooting

If the example programs do not work but USB does work (i.e. your computer can consistently see the device in the hardware), take a moment to check the basics:

  • You are using OS X 10.5 or newer.
  • No other programs, drivers, or processes are using that USB port in software
  • The Phidget libraries are the latest version (visit the quick downloads section to download them)
  • Check the common problems section below, some specific combinations can cause problems

If your problem doesn't seem to be fixed by these steps, make sure that the Phidget is seen consistently by USB (if it is erratic, try our general troubleshooting guide). If you are still having problems after using the troubleshooting guide, please ask us!

Programming Languages

Phidgets’ philosophy is that you do not have to be an electrical engineer in order to do projects that use devices like sensors, motors, motor controllers, and interface boards. All you need to know is how to program.

After you have installed the drivers above, you should pick a programming language, install libraries, and run the examples for that specific language. You can learn more about what is needed to program in a particular language by choosing the language of your preference below. If you need help choosing a language, please look at the language comparison table.

We recommend the following languages for OS X:

You can also use these languages, but they do not support event driven code, and must use logic code only:

WebService

The Phidget WebService allows you to remotely control a Phidget over a network.

Drivers for the Phidget WebService on OS X are already included in the Drivers above. If you see the Phidget Preference Pane in System Preferences, then you already have the WebService drivers installed.

There are two ways that you can connect to a Phidget hosted on another computer. The first method is by using the IP address/host name and port of the host computer. The second method makes the use of mDNS, which allows Phidgets to be found and opened on the network by a server id instead of an IP address/host name. When using a server id, both the client and server will need to be running an implementation of zero configuration networking. The Phidget WebService takes advantage of Bonjour software, which is built-in to OS X. It is a tool developed by Apple to locate devices, such as Phidgets, on a network.

This section helps you install, check, and use the WebService on Windows, but we also have an overview of the Phidget WebService in general.

Turning the WebService On and Off

There are two methods that can be used to turn the WebService on and off. The first method is through the Phidget Preference Pane. In the WebService tab, you can start or stop the WebService. You can also choose to have the WebService start up automatically upon system boot up by selecting the Start Automatically checkbox.

OS X PreferencePane WebService

The second method of turning the WebService on and off is through command line. After using our installer, the WebService utility is automatically installed in /usr/bin/phidget21webservice.

You can get command line help with phidgetwebservice21 using the -h option:

 phidgetwebservice21 -h
'phidgetwebservice21' is a Phidget and Dictionary server from Phidgets Inc. See www.phidgets.com for more information.
Usage: phidgetwebservice21 [OPTION]
All parameters are optional. The default parameters are: port=5001, ServerName=(Computer Name) and no password

Options:
  -p      Port
  -n      Server Name
  -P      Password
  -v      Debug mode
  -h      Display this help

Mapping out which command line options to which Phidget Preference Pane option is as follows:

-p: Port field

-n: ServerID field

-P: Password field

-v: Not supported under the Phidget Preference Pane

To find the defaults used by phidget21webservice, the command line is the fastest way to learn the default server name and IP address of your computer:

  • For the default server name, use hostname on the command line.
  • For your IP address, use ifconfig -a on the command line.
    • A line in the return text, under your main internet connection (usually eth0) will say something like inet addr:192.168.3.178, which is your IP.

Here are some usage examples:

To start the WebService with default parameters:

 phidgetwebservice21

To start the WebService with a server name of myServer:

 phidgetwebservice21-n myServer

To stop the WebService, simply close the command line window or press Control and c at the same time in the command line window.

Using the WebService

To use a Phidget over the WebService, you'll want to:

  • Have two different computers connected to the same network. We will call the computer that has the Phidget directly connected to the USB port the host. The client will be the computer that runs a Phidget application to connect to the Phidget attached to the host. Please note that if you only have a single computer, you can also connect to the Phidget over the WebService. The computer will simply act as both a host and client. This will allow you to bypass the one application per Phidget limitation.
  • Start the WebService on the computer that directly connects to the Phidget
  • Run your program on the remote computer that will control the Phidget over the network

The easiest way to test these steps on OS X is to set up the WebService and run the Phidget program on the client. Please follow these steps:

1. On the host, open up the Phidget Preference Pane and traverse to the Web Service tab.

OS X Preference Pane WebService

2. Leave all fields the way they are, and click on Start WebService to run the WebService.

3. You can determine that the WebService is running by looking at the status on the right side.

OS X PreferencePane WebService Running

4. Ensure that the Phidget is plugged in to the host.

5. On the client's Phidget Preference Pane, open up the Bonjour tab. You will see the Phidget that is plugged into the host as one of the entries listed. Double click it to open the example application.

OS X PreferencePane Bonjour.png ‎

6. The example application will open up, and you will be able to communicate with the Phidget over the WebService.

OS X PreferencePane Example

7. You can confirm that the WebService was indeed behind this exchange by terminating the WebService process while still allowing the remote program to run. On the host's Phidget Preference Pane, traverse to the WebService tab. Hit Stop WebService to terminate the WebService.

OS X PreferencePane WebService Running

8. Take a look at the example application on the client. Since the application can no longer connect to the WebService, there is nothing attached.

OS X PreferencePane Example Stopped

Debugging the WebService

You can get debugging information from the WebService itself. This debugging can only be enabled from the command line approach to start the WebService. Debug information is enabled by specifying the -v option:

 phidgetwebservice21 -v -n "myServer"

The debugging information will be shown as output in the command line console.

Advanced Uses

Appendix

Description of Installer files

Here is the list of files and their description for each file the installer puts onto your system.

Description of Library files

This section will explain the files that were placed onto your system as part of the installation process.

  • Phidget21.framework contains the actual Phidget library, which is used at run-time. It is placed into /Library/Frameworks.
  • Phidget.kext is the kernel extension. It is placed into /System/Library/Extensions.
  • libphidget21.jnilib is the JNI library for Java. It is placed into /Library/Java/Extensions.
  • Phidgets.prefpane is the Phidgets Preference Pane. It is placed into /Library/PreferencePanes.
  • phidgetwebservice21 is the Phidget WebService. It is placed into /usr/bin.
  • PhidgetsOSA.app is the the Phidgets agent for AppleScript. It is placed into /Library/ScriptingAdditions.

Common Problems and Solutions

None, yet.