Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port - SparkFun Electronics Forum

Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161427

By cs123 - Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:28 am

- Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:28 am #161427

Hi,

I have a Sparkfun Pro Micro (with an Atmega32u4 on it) which is programmed to identify itself as a HID keyboard when plugged in via USB. During development, I used the virtual com port for programming and debugging. My “product” is finished right now, and I would like to hide or disable the virtual com port.

At this moment when a user plugs in the USB, the computer installs the HID keyboard driver automatically and shows a driver installation error for the virtual com port. This does not look very professional for an end product. I could provide a driver for it, but the virtual com port is not needed. That’s why I want to hide or disable the virtual com port.

Is this possible? I don’t want to remove the virtual com port completely, as I may need it in the future for program updates. So it needs to be available when needed.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161434

By Ross Robotics - Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:25 pm

- Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:25 pm #161434

cs123 wrote: I could provide a driver for it, but the virtual com port is not needed.
...I don’t want to remove the virtual com port completely, as I may need it in the future for program updates. So it needs to be available when needed.

Then I guess you do need the COM port.. So, if you need it you will have to provide a driver for it. You can find one that is not copyright or distribution limited or you can wrote your own.

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//codlink
Available for circuit and PCB design, just PM me!

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161436

By cs123 - Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:42 pm

- Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:42 pm #161436

No, I mean that the user will never use the virtual com port. I, the programmer of the device, may need to update it in the future. So I need a solution to turn off the com port at this moment, but being able to turn it back on again if I need to change the program.

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161440

By Ross Robotics - Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:51 pm

- Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:51 pm #161440

So is the user going to send it back to get reprogrammed?

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//codlink
Available for circuit and PCB design, just PM me!

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161445

By cs123 - Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:30 pm

- Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:30 pm #161445

codlink wrote:So is the user going to send it back to get reprogrammed?

Yes. So only I need to be able to use the com port. It needs to be hidden for the user.

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161455

By Ross Robotics - Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:58 pm

- Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:58 pm #161455

lol, I don't know of any circumstance that I would buy a product and have to send it back to get software updates.. lmao

Good luck on selling it.

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//codlink
Available for circuit and PCB design, just PM me!

Re: Atmega 32u4 "hide" virtual com port#161483

By cs123 - Sat Jul 13, 2013 4:02 am

- Sat Jul 13, 2013 4:02 am #161483

codlink wrote:lol, I don't know of any circumstance that I would buy a product and have to send it back to get software updates.. lmao
Good luck on selling it.

That's not the point... It's not even a product that i am going to sell in large quantities.

So anybody else that can help me with disabling the virtual com port?

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