Updating Coin specs for a SR5i acceptor

Support for the Milan Intelligent interface, sold by Money Controls as the Paylink USB unit and for the earlier PCI card version.

Moderators: aardvark, davebush, Admin

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jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Updating Coin specs for a SR5i acceptor

Post by jq »

Hi all,
First off i'm new to this, so please accept my apologies if i'm asking some dumb/obvious questions here.

I have a MCL SR5i connected to the Paylink usb Hub and currently it's coin values are being reported by MilanDiag as:

Code: Select all

    Acceptor 1: MCL SR5, Default Path 1,
       Event count 0, Currency <>, 16 coins:
          Coin  0, Value     0, Count    0, Path 1, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  1, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  2, Value     0, Count    0, Path 0, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  3, Value     0, Count    0, Path 3, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  4, Value     0, Count    0, Path 0, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  5, Value     0, Count    0, Path 2, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  6, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  7, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  8, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin  9, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 10, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 11, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 12, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 13, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 14, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
          Coin 15, Value     0, Count    0, Path 4, Coins    0, Default Path 1
I have tried to update the coin specifications by creating a spec file using the SR5i FileSet.exe utility and then downloading it onto the Acceptor (via paylink) using SR5i Download.exe and using the command line PayLinkDownload.exe. Both report success (SR5i Download.exe seemed to report success only some of the time, and sometimes reported success without trying to connect), but when the paylink resets it comes back up with the same values (and no currency set). The windows USB driver window also reports the same (all coins have a value 0).

Whilst the spec is downloading the driver window gives output like this:
11:42:31.597 PC: Update Interlock Set. (711 != 710 / 710)
11:42:31.597 PC: Interlock Now Clear. (After 1 tries.)

Originally the acceptor was setup for GBP coins but whilst tinkering with it i've somehow wiped that off, all i'm after is getting GBP coin specs back onto the acceptor.

If you want anymore logs or output to analyse just let me know, failing that if i'm missing something obvious or there is some more documentation for me to read please point me in the right direction.

Thanks!
davebush
Posts: 490
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:20 pm

Post by davebush »

It looks at first glance as though you've not downloaded any coins.

To create a coin set you need to get a collection of individual coin specifications to feed into the SR5i FileSet.exe utility - which coin specifications did you use?

(The message you quote doesn't matter at all - it's if the interlock doesn't clear that there's a problem.)
Aardvark software developer. Please put all communication on the problem through the board for the benefit of others.
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

I have tried making a coin file from a variety of different coin specs. I have tried using coin specs from Spectacle (this then updated itself and now requires and activation key again), the ones which came with the "PayLinkCoinNoteDownloadRelease" package and also the ones i was e-mailed when i requested them a few days ago from tech support.

Both times i have loaded up the SR5i FileSet.exe utility, added the coin spec files for GB001A-0.bin, GB002A-0.bin, GB005A-0.bin, GB010A-0.bin and so on to include all valid GBP coins. This has then created the coin definition file for me.

I have tried not including all coin spec files when making the coin definition file (or even just one coin spec file), but without any change in result. I have also tried using the pre-made coin definition files that came with the SR5i Download.exe utility.

Sometimes when using the SR5i Download.exe GUI utility it doesn't seem to download the file at all and just reports success, sometimes it claims the definition file was inconsisant and sometimes it appeared to work fine (but didn't).

I have also used the command line utility PayLinkDownload.exe as well:
PayLinkDownload.exe /fC:\UKCoinSet.sr5 /ds /a02


Aardvark Embedded Solutions Ltd
Currency Download via PayLink - Apr 4 2008

Download started

Progress 13 of 13. Download status 16

Download completed successfully
Tainshy
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: Stockport

Post by Tainshy »

I will check how my PayLinkDownload.exe works tomorrow and post again. Could you please attach the UKCoinSet.sr5 file that you are using. Thanks.
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

Sorry i'm having a bit of trouble uploading the file, is there a restriction on file extensions etc you can upload? I keep getting the message
"Bad name for file to upload"

I've uploaded the file to http://www.savefile.com/files/1669896 as i couldn't upload it to these boards.

Anything else you need or want to know please ask :-)
Tainshy
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: Stockport

Post by Tainshy »

Ok. I've got that file. My first surprise is that the file is only 1.7k. The UK currency file I am using is 21k. I will set up the kit here and check both files before posting to you.
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

Yeah, I was aware of that (savefile reports it as 0MB big), i've been playing about with the various cobinations of GB coins i've been using in the FileSet.exe utility (to try and get something/anything to register on the acceptor), so the small size might be down to the coin definition file only having 1 coin spec in it.

So I can confirm I have tried using coin def files that are about 21Kb as well (the ones that came pre made with the download software), with no luck.

Either way though, if this file works for you, then it suggests something may be wrong with my hardware, do you think?
Tainshy
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: Stockport

Post by Tainshy »

It could be a hardware fault. I have had problems in the past with data not being stored through a power down (after connecting the SR5i to a power supply the wrong way round). Do you have another SR5i you can try with?

I am slowly getting my equipment together. I still want to prove that I can download you sr5 file to my system.
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

Unfortunatley i don't have another SR5i to test it on, so i'll have to rely on you for that one. Thanks for the help and let me know what your result is with my file..
Tainshy
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: Stockport

Post by Tainshy »

I have managed to update the coin definitions on an SR5i using your UKCoinSet file and I have managed to update with an old copy of the "UK Currency Set.sr5" file that I have (dated 18/01/2006).

But the example "UK Currency Set.sr5" file (dated 03/04/2008) that I have in my PayLinkDownload directory does not work!! It reports file internal inconsistent!!!

So in summary:
1) I think you may have a faulty SR5i (non volatile memory failure)
2) The distributed example definition file has a problem

Problem 1. I think you need to follow up with Money Controls.
Problem 2. I have updated the file distributed from the Aardvark web site to include a usable example uk definitions file.

If you feel there is still a software issue then let me know and I will perform more testing.
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

Just to let you all know I got the SR5i swapped out and the new one performs as expected. :D

I'm waiting to hear back from the engineer to confirm it was a hardware problem with the original acceptor, but in the chance it was something I did to it that has caused it to malfunction, i'll let you all know what that was so you can avoid the same issue..
jq
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:27 am

Post by jq »

Just to let you all know I got the SR5i swapped out and the new one performs as expected. :D

I'm waiting to hear back from the engineer to confirm it was a hardware problem with the original acceptor, but in the chance it was something I did to it that has caused it to malfunction, i'll let you all know what that was so you can avoid the same issue..
Tainshy
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: Stockport

Post by Tainshy »

Glad to hear you are up and running.
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