Software Not Running on Win 7 x64

I received my Joulescope today. I installed the software on my Win 7 x64 machine. Everything went very smoothly. An icon was created on my desktop.

When I plug in the Joulescope the Status LED is green.

When I try to start the software, nothing happens.

Does anyone have thoughts or suggestions?

Cheers,

Buzz

1 Like

Hi @Buzz! Thanks for ordering a Joulescope and welcome to the forum. I’m sorry you ran into some issues getting Joulescope working quickly. I have had two reports so far of issues with Win 7 x64 not working as expected. If you open Device Manager, do you see “Joulescope” showed up under “Other devices” with the yellow exclamation point?

Hi,
Joulescope does not appear under “Other Devices”.

Ok, so it sounds like your issue is different. Do you have a few minutes to help troubleshoot this issue? If so, could you check to see if Joulescope created any log files? Use Windows Explorer and navigate to to your hidden AppData\Local directory:

C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\joulescope\log

But replace {username} with your username. My Win 7 skills are rusty now, but I think that this still works from the command line or start bar:

explorer C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\joulescope\log

If you do see a log, could you copy the text here?

I have time. I’ll get the info now.

Here ya go. I hope it helps.

INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,370:main.py:662:joulescope_ui.main:_device_change add disable
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,421:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’], [‘current’])
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,432:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’, ‘voltage’], [‘current’, ‘voltage’])
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,432:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’, ‘voltage’, ‘power’], [‘current’, ‘voltage’])
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,433:oscilloscope.py:338:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.oscilloscope:on_scrollbarRegionChange(25.0, 30.0, 1)
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,435:main.py:422:joulescope_ui.main:on_multimeterMenu(True)
INFO:2019-06-27 18:50:21,444:main.py:621:joulescope_ui.main:_developer_cfg_apply

1 Like

Well, that is strange. The logfile tells me that the Joulescope software started running, but then likely crashed in the Qt code. The log gives me no indication why, and you are the first to see this particular issue as far as I know. I need to create a new release tomorrow, and I will also create a console version for Windows which should display the Qt crash information (if there is any). I will post here when the release is ready so that you get a notification.

For what it’s worth, here is that start of the log on Win 10 x64 with a Joulescope connected:

INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,267:main.py:662:joulescope_ui.main:_device_change add disable
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,317:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable(['current'], ['current'])
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,326:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable(['current', 'voltage'], ['current', 'voltage'])
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,326:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.settings_widget:on_signalsAvailable(['current', 'voltage', 'power'], ['current', 'voltage'])
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,335:oscilloscope.py:338:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.oscilloscope:on_scrollbarRegionChange(25.0, 30.0, 1)
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,338:main.py:422:joulescope_ui.main:on_multimeterMenu(True)
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,347:main.py:621:joulescope_ui.main:_developer_cfg_apply
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,430:main.py:634:joulescope_ui.main:device_close None
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,431:main.py:684:joulescope_ui.main:_device_scan
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,432:driver.py:1121:joulescope.driver:scan_for_changes 1 devices: 1 added, 0 removed
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,432:main.py:662:joulescope_ui.main:_device_change add Joulescope:000081
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,433:main.py:697:joulescope_ui.main:current device = disable, True
INFO:2019-06-27 21:54:44,433:main.py:699:joulescope_ui.main:device_scan activate first device Joulescope:000081

If it was a problem with the Joulescope device, your PC should have at least made it to _device_scan before any chance of something going wrong, so that’s why I suspect something with Qt for now…

Thank you for your help. I’ll be anxious to see what tomorrow brings.
Cheers,
Buzz

1 Like

Hi @Buzz,
I just released 0.4.4 including a console version for Windows. You should be able to download and install this console version. If you just click on the shortcut, it will open a console that closes when the application closes. If you instead run it from a command prompt, it should stay open and you can copy the console output text up to this forum.

You can find out where the executable is located by right-clicking on the shortcut and then copying (CTRL-C) the Target location. My Win10 PC is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope\joulescope.exe"

Hi,

If I run 0.4.4 joulescope.exe from the command line, this is what I get.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope>joulescope


  • Joulescope User Interface *
  • UI Version = 0.4.4 *
  • Driver Version = 0.4.4 *

info = {
“joulescope”: {
“ui_version”: “0.4.4”,
“driver_version”: “0.4.4”
},
“platform”: {
“name”: “win32”,
“python_version”: “3.7.3 (v3.7.3:ef4ec6ed12, Mar 25 2019, 22:22:05) [MSC v.1
916 64 bit (AMD64)]”,
“executable”: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope\joulescope.exe”,
“frozen”: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope”,
“app_path”: “C:\Users\Lowell Bohn\AppData\Local\joulescope”,
“log_path”: “C:\Users\Lowell Bohn\AppData\Local\joulescope\log”
}
}

=====

If I run it by the Desktop Icon, the command line appears for just a second then closes.

Is this useful information?

Cheers,
Buzz

I guess it’s a start, but unfortunately, that doesn’t give me much more to go on as no errors or warnings are logged after the “=====”. Let’s try increasing the log level. Can you try:

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope\joulescope.exe" --console_log_level DEBUG

If you see more information, please post it.

Okay, we have a little more information.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope>joulescope.exe --console_log_level DEBUG


  • Joulescope User Interface *
  • UI Version = 0.4.4 *
  • Driver Version = 0.4.4 *

info = {
“joulescope”: {
“ui_version”: “0.4.4”,
“driver_version”: “0.4.4”
},
“platform”: {
“name”: “win32”,
“python_version”: “3.7.3 (v3.7.3:ef4ec6ed12, Mar 25 2019, 22:22:05) [MSC v.1
916 64 bit (AMD64)]”,
“executable”: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope\joulescope.exe”,
“frozen”: “C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope”,
“app_path”: “C:\Users\Lowell Bohn\AppData\Local\joulescope”,
“log_path”: “C:\Users\Lowell Bohn\AppData\Local\joulescope\log”
}
}

=====
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,020:logging_util.py:139:root:logging configuration: str
eam_level=10, file_level=20
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,020:driver.py:1136:joulescope.driver:Find all Joulescop
e bootloaders and run the application
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,022:main.py:1052:joulescope_ui.main:configure high DPI
scaling
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,022:main.py:1061:joulescope_ui.main:Start Qt
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,290:main.py:665:joulescope_ui.main:_device_change add d
isable
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,348:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.se
ttings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’], [‘current’])
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,359:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.se
ttings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’, ‘voltage’], [‘current’, ‘voltage’]
)
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,361:settings_widget.py:48:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.se
ttings_widget:on_signalsAvailable([‘current’, ‘voltage’, ‘power’], [‘current’, ’
voltage’])
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,362:oscilloscope.py:338:joulescope_ui.oscilloscope.osci
lloscope:on_scrollbarRegionChange(25.0, 30.0, 1)
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,364:main.py:424:joulescope_ui.main:on_multimeterMenu(Tr
ue)
INFO:2019-06-28 16:18:43,373:main.py:624:joulescope_ui.main:_developer_cfg_apply

C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope>

Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Buzz

1 Like

Thanks @Buzz! It really is crashing in _developer_cfg_apply without any extra information. I will investigate.

Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Buzz

I took a closer look at the code, and it appears to be crashing on Qt show(). Ugh. A crash in Qt show() could be a huge range of things that would be very difficult to debug without the Qt debug DLLs and full debugging tools on your machine. I have not been able to replicate this behavior, and I have no other reports of this same issue yet.

I have a few quick things for you to try before resorting to more thorough debugging.

Test 1: Prevent DLL confusion (which shouldn’t happen, but just in case)

Open a command window
set path=
C:\Program Files (x86)\Joulescope>joulescope.exe --console_log_level DEBUG

If this works, stop & let me know. Otherwise…

Test 2: Ensure that the packaged Joulescope distribution is not behaving strangely on your PC

We are going to try running from the joulescope-ui pypi package. Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy.

Download latest Python 3.7.3 (direct download link)
Run to install Python, customize as desired, but add to path
Open command window

pip3 install joulescope-ui

You can now try running the Joulescope user interface:

python3 -m joulescope_ui --console_log_level DEBUG

Note that you may need to use pip and python rather than pip3 and python3.

Does this behave any differently than Test 1?

Hi,
Just for grins. I clicked on the Joulescope Icon this morning and it worked.
I had not re-booted my machine or made any changes. Strange.
For now I appear to be up and running.
Thank you for your help.
Cheers,
Buzz

Well, good to hear you are up and running @Buzz ! I get nervous when things just start working (or not working) for no apparent reason, so please post again if things change!

I too am having difficulty on a Windows 7 x64 system. The software installed fine, but it does not see Joulescope . When Joulescope was connected, it went through the automated driver installation, but did not show up in the device manager as Joulescope . It did show up as an anonymous USB device.

I think the problem is that there are multiple versions of WinUsb in the wild, and Joulescope might not work with all of them. I have seen this with the low-end logic analyzers from Saleae. Saleae 8 channel analyzer works with V6.0.6000.16388 but not V6.1.7600.16385 Part of the problem with tracking something like this down on Windows, is that it installs the driver separately for each physical port.
I installed the software on another W7 x64 system and initially Joulescope didn’t work there either. I then tried other USB ports, and on the third try, the software recognized Joulescope and the software worked, so I know the Joulescope hardware is ok (except maybe the way it reports its USB information? to the system which might effect how drivers are loaded???).

There is a program called Zadig that supposedly lets you change which driver is applied for a given device. I am not sure if this helps, or muddies the water more, as you can only choose from its list of built-in USB drivers, which include V6.1.7600.16385 but not V6.0.6000.16388.

Anyway, I feel I can do more research, and in particular, try and characterize the full information from the device manager for both working and non-working scenarios.

Hi @Philip,

Thanks for backing Joulescope and welcome to the forum!

Depending upon which updates and software your Windows 7 system has applied, it may or may not support automatic WCID Device driver installation. Your report of trying multiple times only to have it work later is odd. On failures, was Joulescope showing up in device manager under “Other devices” with the yellow exclamation point (I assume that this is what you mean by “anonymous USB device”)?

I put together an INF that forces Win 7 to recognize your Joulescope. Here are the steps:

  1. Download the device INF and the bootloader INF to a {path}. Make sure that your browser saves these as “.inf” and not “.inf.txt” with a hidden extension.
  2. Connect Joulescope to the host PC
  3. Start Device Manager: Start, type “Device Manager”, press Enter
  4. Right click on Joulescope, which should be listed under “Other devices”
  5. Click “Update Driver Software…”
  6. Click “Browse my computer for driver software”
  7. Enter your {path}, click Next
  8. Click “Install this driver software anyway”
  9. Should see “Windows has successfully updated your driver software”
  10. Click Close

Does this fix your issue?

If you attempt a firmware upgrade, you will need to follow similar steps to install the INF for the joulescope bootloader.

Hi Matt,
Short answer is the .inf file and some screwing around now has Joulescope working on my main computer.

Longer answer:
First with regard to my multiple attempts, all attempts on my main computer failed. It succeeded on a second W7 x64 system (my file server) but not on the first 2 USB ports that I tried.

By anonymous, here’s the picture:

If I then open the properties panel for this “WinUsb Device”, on the Details tab, Hardware Ids entry, it shows Joulescope’s VID/PID.

Hardware_IDs

This happened regardless of USB port on my main computer, and I could not attach to Joulescope.

Following your instructions, here’s what happened:
2) ok
3) Windows shows that it is getting a driver from Microsoft Update Service (I think)
and when it succeeds, the anonymous entry appears.
4) ok
5) Joulescope is not displayed, anonymous entry per first pic is shown
6) ok
7) ok
8) ok , complains that the driver is not signed
9) ok
10 yes
11) ok

Problem appears to be fixed. I note that the serial/version number of the driver
your .inf installs is 6.1.7601.23403 which would suggest that it is more recent
than the versions that my system was installing without the inf file.

Thanks for the quick resolution to this issue. I hope my detailed description
might help others.