Use Arduino STM32 with Maple mini

Maple Mini

Maple mini is a phased out product, a STM32 based product with cheap price(about 5USD or 150NTD).
Official Maple IDE is not bad, but no longer support to win7, and driver with IDE is not signed, win7 deny install the driver without signed. It make Maple mini be a junk after win xp os.

Arduino  STM32

There are some replacement package can let maple mini alive with win7 os:

1. Arduino Support Package For Maple
2. STM32F103 and Maple / Maple Mini with Arduino 1.5.x IDE
3. Arduino STM32

The best choice is method 3: "Arduino STM32", because it's based on method 1&2, and still active project.

It's a package to run with Official Arduino IDE, so you need to download the Arduino IDE and install. The newest version 1.6.7 maybe is not a good choice, because I had some problem when compiling sketch. Version 1.6.5 is ok and Arduino STM32 official site say support it.

Install Arduino STM32

Download Arduino STM32 and decompress, recommend to put whole directory to "~your sketch directory/hardware/" , named it to "Arduino_STM32" or whatever you like.

Install the driver first by "Arduino_STM32/drivers/win/install_drivers.bat".

Run Arduino IDE, now you can seed Maple Mini in Board:

Bootloader

If your Maple Mini is original, you should select Original Bootloader.

 

It's recommend to update to Bootload 2.0 (bootload with Arduino STM32).

You can update by a updating sketch  from Arduino STM32's site. You can download it by this link. And Follow these step:

1. Upload "updating sketch" by Arduino IDE with Original Bootloader version.
2. Open Serial Monitor, you can see some warning message, press Y and send it.
3. Wait some updating message, reset it, 

Now you have Maple Mini with Bootloader 2.0.
Happy Arduinoing with Maple Mini !!!!