AVR Freaks

You also have to tell Linux something about your programming device. I.E. is it an AVRisp-MKII or something else.

I have two Toshiba notebooks, three Dell desktops, all running Ubuntu Mate 16.0.4.  They communicate with devices ranging from the FTDI232RL used by personal projects, CH341 used on some cheap Arduino Nano v3 controllers and Atmel's new USB ( FTDI replacement ) device that are now part of the Arduino Uno R3 and Mega2560 controllers.  As well, I have a V-Pro GRBL motion comtroller attached to a Toshiba notebook and, I have two Mega2560 R3 (using the new Atmel USB device) controllers, both acting as GRBL motion controllers that are each attached to their own Raspberry Pi and running bCNC on Ubuntu Mate 16.0.4.

Following is the procedure I use for enabling serial devices in Linux Ubuntu Mate 16.0.4.

# Mounting Atmel AVR MKII class devices to the Linux udev() USB server

# What to do...
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------

# Open a terminal.
# root using "sudo -s"
# Enter password

# cd /lib/udev/

# Using a text editor (vi, vim, gvim, pluma, etc.) open a new file:
# 60-avrisp.rules

# Add the following

# BEGIN AVRISP SERVICE
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
#  	AVRJTAG-MKII, AVRISP-MKII, AVRDRAGON USB mount rules
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUBSYSTEM!="usb_device", ACTION!="add", GOTO="avrisp_end"

# Atmel Corp. JTAGICE-MKII
ATTRS{idVendor}=="03eb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2103", MODE="660", GROUP="carl"

# Atmel Corp. AVRISP-MKII
ATTRS{idVendor}=="03eb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2104", MODE="660", GROUP="carl"

# Atmel Corp. AVR Dragon
ATTRS{idVendor}=="03eb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2107", MODE="660", GROUP="carl"

LABEL="avrisp_end"

#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
#--------------------------------------------------------------------------
# END AVRISP SERVER

# Save the file to the folder:
# /lib/udev and close the text editor

# Move to the rules.d sub-directory
# cd lib/udev/rules.d

# Create a virtual link for non-root access
# run:
# sudo ln ../60-avrisp.rules 60-avrisp.rules

# Restart the rules processing service
# run:
# sudo restart udev
#
# or the following on the Raspberry Pi uning the Raspberry Pi Ubuntu Mate fork.
#
# sudo /etc/init.d/udev restart

# If the USB cable is already attached to the machine,
# remove the USB cable for a few seconds,
# then plug it back into the machine's USB port.
# or
# You MUST perform a complete power cycle (NOT A REBOOT) of the machine.
#
# Install AVRDude
#
# Use the following command to see if avrdude is talking to the connected avrisp-mkii programmer.
# avrdude -p m328p -P usb -c avrispmkii -b 115200 -t
#            ^^^^^ <--- Your target AVR device.
#
# You only have to do the above one time
#
# Its good to go until you want to add another type of programmer to the system.

In the above script, YOU MUST assign a group to each attribute string, as in the following:

        ATTRS{idVendor}=="03eb", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2104", MODE="660", GROUP="carl"

It doesn't seem to matter which group you assign, as long as YOU belong to that group.  Groups include your "User Name" (in my case "carl") "adm", "tty", etc.

You do this in "system/administration/usersandgrooups/users settings".  Click on the "Manage Groups" button and a list of groups will pop up that you can select from.  While in "Users And Goups" uou might as well click on the "change" button for "Account Type" and make yourself an "Administrator".

Once you've done all of the above, you MUST unplug your USB cable from the machine for a few seconds and then plug it back into the machine.  That, or perform a power cycle (NOT A REBOOT) on you machine, in order for Linux to recognize your hardware device to becime registered in the Linux operating system.

If you don't perform the above, you will get permissions error messages, and possibly other error messages related to the device you are attempting to communicate with.

EDIT:

    Spelling corrections.