Hello,
Does anyone know where the hex files are stored when RobotC compiles? I'd like to be able to download the hex file directly to the NXT from Linux using a Perl communications package. Right now, I've got RobotC running in Linux, but I can't communicate with NXT. The Perl library will let me communicate, but I don't know where to find the HEX file in order to try transferring it.

Any help on this one would be appreciated.

Currently the hex files are not stored on PC disk. They are only sent directly from the ROBOTC IDE to the NXT. I partially implemented at one time an option to also save the HEX files to PC. I'll look into how easy it is to finish it.

Please help me understand how you've managed to get ROBOTC running on LINUX. Can you describe the configuration please? I've had an interest to get ROBOTC working on LINUX but it has always seemed like an overwhelming task.

Where can I find details on the "PERL library" that you plan to use?

I'm guessing the reason that ROBOTC can't communicate with the NXT is that while you've managed to get ROBOTC somehow running on LINUX the Fantom.dll file is not working. Fantom.dll is developed by National Instruments and, AFAIK, they only support a Windows and MacOS version.

Even if you get HEX files and transfer you will miss a lot of the ROBOTC functionality in terms of interactive communications with the NXT. This is most prominent in the debugger capabilities of ROBOTC; there are also a number of utilities built into ROBOTC for manipulating and configuring the NXT firmware that are useful.

I'm just running the RobotC in WINE. There's a fellow named Michael Collin's who came up with a Perl package that allows you to communicate with NXT by USB or bluetooth. I have to admit that it's actually several of my students that set things up, but I believe I saw them communicate with NXT with RobotC firmware loaded via the Perl package in Linux.

Here's the link to the Perl packages by Michael Collin's:
http://search.cpan.org/~collins/

The nice thing about Collin's package is that it does allow for direct control of the NXT. So, possibly there might be something in there that could help you (and the rest of us).

Also, I've read discussions about using this code that let's you communicate with NXT from Linux through Bluetooth:
http://www.quietearth.us/nxtlibc.htm

The person who wrote nxtlibc says that they were able to learn a few tricks from Collin's so possibly there is some value in looking at the work of these folks.

If you do find a way to produce a HEX file, I would definitely be interested.
Thank you!

I know there is a Python package called nxt_python that i was able to get a Nintendo Wii-mote to control my NXT. The Wii-mote connected to my pc with this python script running and the PC would send the bluetooth messages to the NXT. This may be useful in trying to port some of the functionality to Linux.