Debugging infrared connection to an Uwatec Aladin Tec?

[bluebanded goby]

I would try running the uninstall script inside a Terminal window and see if you see anything interesting like an error message. It doesn't sound like it has been removed.

Ah, but as I noted, there isn't any uninstall script in the driver installation package that I downloaded.

Once you think it's removed, and you've rebooted the machine, then plug in the dongle again and bring up a Terminal window. Run the command "kextstat" and look for the Asix driver in the last entry or so. (I can't remember exactly what's it's called there, but you should recognize it). If it shows up, then it hasn't been removed yet.

"kextstat" produces quite a lengthy list of drivers, but I'm reasonably confident that none of them are for IrDA.

If you go to the main home page and scroll down bit to information about Dive Log Manager/DiveLogDT, you can click the link next to "Dive Log Manager - ==>download from our website<== (free with an optional In-App purchase for the full featured version)." The free version does not support Downloading dive computers so you will have to purchase a license to get that functionality. Let us know if you have any issues.

I downloaded the free app without any problems, but then ran into difficulty upgrading to the paid version. Within Dive Log Manager, I went to Dive Log Manager > Purchase License. It then wanted access to my Contacts. When I declined, it came up with an error box: "Alert - The resource could not be loaded because the App Transport Security policy requires the use of a secure connection." Does this really require access to my Contacts to complete? I have to say that's pretty much a show-stopper.

 

[bluebanded goby]

Have you tried Subsurface yet?

Yes, I did try downloading Subsurface and ran it. There were two problems. First, my Aladin Tec is not included on the list of Uwatec dive computers to select from. Second, the only option offered for the type of connection was Bluetooth (which my MacBook supports, but which won't do any good with the Aladin Tec). So it looks like I've struck out with that app.

 

[morejanus]

Ah, but as I noted, there isn't any uninstall script in the driver installation package that I downloaded.

I downloaded the same package from the same website and they are there, I think you're just looking in the wrong place. The MCS7780_Macintosh_Driver_v3.1.0_Binary.dmg file becomes the MCS7780 mount point and the MCS7780SerialApplication.dmg file becomes the SERIALAPP mount point. And there is an uninstall script at the base of each of those mount points. Worse case, delete the package you have on your machine and re-download it.

"kextstat" produces quite a lengthy list of drivers, but I'm reasonably confident that none of them are for IrDA.

Yeah, again, don't look for IrDA, look for "MCS7780" or "Asix" which would be the "name" of the driver. If you don't plug the dongle in until shortly before you run the kextstat command, it will be one of the later entries.

Once you've really verified that the driver is removed, you should try LogTRAK again and make sure it works.

I downloaded the free app without any problems, but then ran into difficulty upgrading to the paid version. Within Dive Log Manager, I went to Dive Log Manager > Purchase License. It then wanted access to my Contacts. When I declined, it came up with an error box: "Alert - The resource could not be loaded because the App Transport Security policy requires the use of a secure connection." Does this really require access to my Contacts to complete? I have to say that's pretty much a show-stopper.

No, you do not need to allow access to your Contacts to run the application. It only uses Contacts when you indicate you want to load the information from your Contacts to populate information about your Dive Buddy into your logbook. But since the application says it "might" access Contacts, Apple asks your permission before the application does anything. "App Transport Security" is a relatively new security feature from Apple that does not permit applications to contact websites "insecurely" or via http instead of https. I have just found out that the library we use from our 3rd party credit card processor will use http if it does not find the "Me" card from the Contacts, which it won't if you don't allow access to Contacts. And App Transport Security denies the http request. If the Me card is found, it uses https instead and the App Transport Security is not a problem.

This is something I'll need to fix in the application. So from that standpoint, Thanks for pointing it out. In the mean time, you can do one of two things:
1) Purchase the license from their website instead. Go to this link:
More Mobile Software

2) Temporarily enable Dive Log Manager to access your Contacts, buy the license from within the application, and then disable access to Contacts again.
- start System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy Tab -> Select Contacts
- click the checkbox for Dive Log Manager
- uncheck after purchasing the license.

Janice

 

[bluebanded goby]

I downloaded the same package from the same website and they are there, I think you're just looking in the wrong place. The MCS7780_Macintosh_Driver_v3.1.0_Binary.dmg file becomes the MCS7780 mount point and the MCS7780SerialApplication.dmg file becomes the SERIALAPP mount point. And there is an uninstall script at the base of each of those mount points. Worse case, delete the package you have on your machine and re-download it.

Okay, the problem here was that the MCS7780 mount point was not being created correctly when I double-clicked on the dmg file. When I did a ctrl-click, however, I could choose from a menu to open the dmg file, which created the MCS778 mount point successfully. This allowed me to find and run the uninstall script.

After rebooting, I ran kextstat with the infrared dongle unattached and attached, then used Apple's FileMerge utility to compare the text output from each. The output was byte-for-byte identical, meaning that no new entry was showing up in the kextstat output when the dongle was plugged in.

I then downloaded LogTrak again, started it and attempted to have it access my Aladin Tec dive computer. The behavior was unchanged from before. As noted before, I do see the light flashing on the dongle in these attempts. If the Aladin Tec is *not* within range, LogTrak retries for about 25 seconds before giving up on the connection. However, if the Aladin Tech *is* within range, it gives up and reports an error after less than 5 seconds of trying to establish a connection. This behavior is very consistent. This seems to indicate to me that it is sensing the dongle but there is an issue with some parameter.

Finally, I went to the website to buy a Dive Log Manager license, and after downloading it I started Dive Log Manager and double-clicked the license file to install it. Now I believe I saw another option on the top menu screen. However, I then got bogged down in finding the right menu option to do a transfer. I recall it saying something about a Synchronize menu, but there I could only find information on sync'ing iOS devices -- and I'm now unable to find the menu that had the information on accessing a dive computer. Can you walk me through exactly what I need to do to try getting an IrDA session going within Dive Log Manager with the Aladin Tec?

 

[morejanus]

Finally, I went to the website to buy a Dive Log Manager license, and after downloading it I started Dive Log Manager and double-clicked the license file to install it. Now I believe I saw another option on the top menu screen. However, I then got bogged down in finding the right menu option to do a transfer. I recall it saying something about a Synchronize menu, but there I could only find information on sync'ing iOS devices -- and I'm now unable to find the menu that had the information on accessing a dive computer. Can you walk me through exactly what I need to do to try getting an IrDA session going within Dive Log Manager with the Aladin Tec?

So, if you've installed the license, there will be a "Download" section in the list on the left. Under there, select the UWatec (IrDA) panel. Plug in the dongle and get your Aladin Tec setup in a solid place with the IrDA light about 3"-6" away from the dongle light. Press Download.

If dives get Downloaded, they will show up in the top half of the window. Select all of them (since this will be your first download), and Import them into your logbook using the Starting Dive# of your choice.

Janice

 

[bluebanded goby]

Well, I'm happy to report that that went successfully. All of the dives currently remaining on the dive computer got downloaded and imported successfully in Dive Log Manager. I'll have to look at the app and its functionality more closely. In particular, I also have log files from older Aladin Tec dives no longer remaining on the dive computer, as well as dive logs from Suunto instruments. It would be neat to be able to consolidate them in one program.

One nit: If I close and later reopen Dive Log Manager, the "Download" menu area doesn't appear. Do I have to rerun the license install every time I use Dive Log Manager to do a dive computer download?

 

[morejanus]

Well, I'm happy to report that that went successfully. All of the dives currently remaining on the dive computer got downloaded and imported successfully in Dive Log Manager. I'll have to look at the app and its functionality more closely. In particular, I also have log files from older Aladin Tec dives no longer remaining on the dive computer, as well as dive logs from Suunto instruments. It would be neat to be able to consolidate them in one program.

Good, glad to hear it. If you have an old SmartTRAK database with dives in it, we are happy to do a one time conversion of it into our logbook format. If you used DM4/DM5 for your Suunto dives, you can Import from their database format into Dive Log Manager on your own.

One nit: If I close and later reopen Dive Log Manager, the "Download" menu area doesn't appear. Do I have to rerun the license install every time I use Dive Log Manager to do a dive computer download?

Uh, no. This is not normal. I will think about it more, but can't explain it. I've never heard of anyone having this problem. As with anything "weird", first thing to try is reboot. Just after installing the license and then quitting the program. Especially if you're running macOS 10.12 (Sierra).

Janice

 

[bluebanded goby]

Well, I t

As with anything "weird", first thing to try is reboot. Just after installing the license and then quitting the program. Especially if you're running macOS 10.12 (Sierra).

Well, I tried that, but it didn't fix it. Here is the exact sequence of behavior that I'm seeing:

-- I launch Dive Log Manager. There is no "Download" menu area.

-- I double-click on the license file. A second instance of Dive Log Manager appears superimposed over the existing one; the new one contains a Download menu area. There is a box that says "License Saved - Thank you for purchasing Dive Log Manager! Please restart the application to enable the additional features":

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

-- If I work within this new instance of Dive Log Manager that is currently open, I can see and use the Download functionality. However, if I close the program and reboot the computer -- or simply close Dive Log Manager and reopen it -- the Download area is missing when I restart the program.

This isn't a huge problem for me at the moment, as I don't expect to be doing a lot of downloading in the near future, but might be worth looking at. A Sierra thing?

 

[morejanus]

This isn't a huge problem for me at the moment, as I don't expect to be doing a lot of downloading in the near future, but might be worth looking at. A Sierra thing?

No, not a direct Sierra thing. But sometimes new releases get "confused" earlier in time and need re-booting sooner than established releases. I notice though from your image link that you posted that you do not have a logbook open in the "front" version of the application. But I can't see the "back" version to know if you do there. But FYI you'll need to create a logbook before you can do too much.

Janice