Rambo firmware load with platformio

Can someone walk me through, step by step, how to load a firmware update into a Rambo board using PlatformIO thru visual studio? I have it all installed in my laptop, and I have the firmware files unzipped.
I’m not a coding guy, just an electronics engineer that designs hardware. Coding is not my specialty and I have no idea how to run this Visual Studio or PlatformIO to make it upload the firmware.
I got to the point where I point PlatformIO to the Marlin Rambo files. I have no clue as to what file I should select. Everything I’ve tried, I get a response that it wants to look for something on an extension for whatever file I select.
Thanks!

The way I get it to work is like this - Look at the leftmost vertical bar for the platformio icon (it looks like an alien head), click on that and select your board from the list that opens, this will give you access to the various functions that are available - select ‘Build’ and PlatformIO will compile your firmware using the options you have configured. If that compiles ok you can try ‘upload’. If that errors because Platfomio cannot find the correct upload port your file firmware.bin will be in your firmware folder under .pio/build//.

I hope that helps. I found it very confusing too because it is not as simple as Arduino

There may also be a ‘auto marlin build’ option as PlatformIO boots… I’m not sure what happens for that option to be available… Jeffb is the man to answer that.

Just to make sure you are not missing something, on this forum, each time someone types PlatformIO, it creates a link to the steps outlined by Ryan for compiling the firmware using PlatformIO. In the Load Firmware section of his instructions, it has you select the entire folder.

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Well, I needed a serious step by step. Ryan’s steps didn’t help much, I didn’t know where the various commands were, etc. I finally got it to build and upload, and now the Rambo board looks just like my 3D printer. I need it to run and control my laser, not a 3D printer. I’m done. I’m ordering a new board, specifically for the laser!

Did you try xloader?

IF you did and just want to learn platformio, why don’t we work through it together to try and fix the instructions I have written for everyone.

Let’s start at exact what step you are stuck on and work through them one at a time so I can update any missing info.

The problem is, I now have a Rambo board configured for 3D printing, not the CNC that was originally coded in. I had an issue where it appeared that the firmware got corrupted and it was acting funny when z homing my laser. I decided up upload a firmware update. Apparently I now have the wrong firmware uploaded.

It can not just change. What makes you think it is set for a 3D printer, where did you get it from?

Firmware from what, what exact link?
What machine are you trying to run?
Are you using endstops?

Did you see my message asking for what specific step you are getting stuck on?

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It shows temperature indicators for both the extruder and the platform, and menu item selections exactly like my Creality printer.
I got the rambo board from V1Engineering store, configured for mpcnc.
I just tried to use xloader and upload what I think is the correct hex file for the cnc version and it said uploading but it locked up.
I just want to stuff the cnc firmware update into the rambo board.

Yes, completely normal. When you boot what firmware is shown on the boot screen?

Okay, so exactly what step of the platformio did you get stuck at? Mac or PC?

The firmware is a modified printer firmware. In another thread someone modified the one for the other board further, but it still stays printer firmware. :smiley:

OK. Success, I think. Upon bootup it says, Marlin 515S 2.1.1.
On the home screen it shows V1CNC 515S Ready.

Ryan, for information I’m on a PC.

It now homes correctly. I think the power got glitched a while back when the laser power got turned on and it corrupted something. One of the axes wouldn’t home correctly. That’s been taken care of.

First, I completely missed the highlighted Broken Block icon. Can you put a big red arrow there instead, for us morons?

Mike, dart1280 told me to click on the little alien on the lefthand menu. Apparently that wasn’t clear either. Another red arrow there for us moron challenged. Once the files get compiled, I followed the rest of your instructions finally.

Thanks for all that helped.
Dan

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