Troubleshooting
This page lists the most common error and warning messages that MotioForge Studio can display,
with an explanation of the cause and the steps to resolve them.
Full messages are always visible in the port console.
Ports and connection
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|
[ERR] COM5: access denied |
The COM port is in use by another program (Arduino IDE, serial monitor, another MotioForge Studio instance). |
Close the program occupying the port. If the problem persists, disconnect and reconnect the USB cable. |
[ERR] COM port not found |
The configured COM number does not match any device detected by Windows. |
Open Device Manager → Ports (COM & LPT) to find the correct number. Update it in the ports editor. |
[WRN] port already open |
MotioForge Studio attempted to open a port that was already active. |
Non-critical message. If the port responds correctly playback continues. Otherwise use Disconnect from the console and retry. |
[ERR] handshake timeout |
The connected DEIMOS board did not respond to the initialisation message within the expected time. |
Check that the firmware is up to date. Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable. Check that the board is powered. |
[ERR] invalid frame received |
Corrupted data or wrong protocol. The configured baud rate does not match the hardware. |
Check the baud rate in the ports editor. For DEIMOS it must be 115200. For Arduino PWM check the loaded sketch. |
Servos and elements
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|
[WRN] Servo "X" — position Y° out of range |
A segment tries to move the servo beyond the Min/Max limits set in the elements editor. |
Edit the segment in the segment editor or increase the travel limits in the elements editor. |
[WRN] orphaned element: "X" |
A segment references an element that has been deleted or renamed in the domain. |
Update the segments that use the missing element or recreate the element with the same name. |
[WRN] duplicate address: port Y, address Z |
Two domain elements share the same address on the same port (e.g. two servos with ID=1). |
Check the physical addresses in the elements editor. Every device must have a unique address. |
[ERR] playback: port not open |
Playback started but the required port failed to open (preceding silent error). |
Check previous messages in the console. Verify the hardware connection and restart playback. |
Audio
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|
[ERR] audio file not found: "path" |
The audio file linked to a SOUND segment does not exist at the saved relative path. |
Check that the file is in the domain's audio/ folder. Reopen the segment and select the correct file with Browse. |
[ERR] unsupported audio format |
The audio file has a format not recognised by MotioForge Studio (e.g. WMA, AIFF). |
Convert the file to WAV, MP3 or OGG using any free converter (e.g. Audacity, VLC). |
[WRN] audio device unavailable |
MotioForge Studio cannot access the Windows audio device (sound card disabled or in use). |
Check that an audio device is selected and active in Windows → Settings → Sound. |
DEIMOS firmware
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|
[ERR] firmware upload failed: arduino-cli not found |
The arduino-cli tool is not installed or not in the system PATH. |
MotioForge Studio includes arduino-cli in its resources. If the error persists reinstall MotioForge Studio or contact support. |
[ERR] firmware upload failed: port busy |
The COM port is still in use by MotioForge Studio or other software. |
Disconnect the port from the console before loading firmware. MotioForge Studio does this automatically from the firmware dialog; if the problem persists close MotioForge Studio, reconnect and retry. |
[ERR] integrity check failed |
The firmware package file is corrupted or partially downloaded. |
Reinstall MotioForge Studio to restore the original firmware package files. |
[WRN] incompatible firmware version |
The firmware loaded on the board does not match the version expected by the MotioForge Studio protocol. |
Update the firmware via Load DEIMOS firmware using the package included with the current version of MotioForge Studio. |
Domain and files
| Message | Cause | Solution |
|---|
[ERR] cannot load domain |
The domain.json file is corrupted or written by an incompatible version of MotioForge Studio. |
Restore the domain from a backup. If unavailable, create a new domain and reconfigure manually. |
[WRN] animation has no segments |
The selected animation contains no segments. Playback will be immediate and silent. |
Add at least one segment in the main editor before starting playback. |
[ERR] domains folder not found |
The folder configured in Settings → Paths does not exist or is not accessible. |
Open Settings → Paths... and select a valid folder. MotioForge Studio creates it automatically if it does not exist. |
Tip: Enable the Log I/O flag in the port console to see all transmitted
and received frames in real time. It is the most direct way to diagnose hardware communication issues.