# OpenBCI GUI works in 3.3.7 but doesn't work in 4

**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146
**Category:** Electronics (Arduino, etc.)
**Created:** [March 5, 2023, 6:14am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146 "2023-03-05T06:14:23Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![hcdebey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@hcdebey](https://discourse.processing.org/u/hcdebey)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 6:14am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/1 "2023-03-05T06:14:23Z")

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I have an application that works in Processing 3.3.7 but not in 4. This line gets an error.

Serial port;  
The error message is: “The type Serial is ambiguous”

Can someone help me with this?

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### Author: ![jafal](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/jafal/32/19112_2.png) [@jafal](https://discourse.processing.org/u/jafal)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 8:48am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/2 "2023-03-05T08:48:50Z")

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> [@hcdebey](#):
>
> but not in 4

Hi

Which release of processing 4 you are using ??  
Some was include issues

> **[The type Serial is ambiguous. - Issues Antenna](https://issueantenna.com/repo/openbci/openbci_gui/issues/1025)**
>
> ProblemIssue starting the OpenBCI GUI with the latest version of Processing v4.0b3. When pressing "start," the...

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![hcdebey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@hcdebey](https://discourse.processing.org/u/hcdebey)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/3 "2023-03-05T13:28:05Z")

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Presently, I am using 4.1.1

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### Author: ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/4 "2023-03-05T14:31:56Z")

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> [@hcdebey](#):
>
> I have an application that works in Processing 3.3.7 but not in 4. This line gets an error.
> 
> Serial port;  
> The error message is: “The type Serial is ambiguous”

Hello @hcdebey,

A little more information helps us to solve problems.

> [@Guidelines—Asking Questions](https://discourse.processing.org/t/guidelines-asking-questions/2147):
>
> Summary (TL;DR) Ask complete questions to get better answers! Be specific. For example: I want to load an image. I tried using createImg() , and I expected the image to be on canvas, but what happened instead was the image showing up below the canvas. Isolate your problem and work in small steps. Share only the code directly related to your problem if it is part of a bigger project, and if something isn’t working, try the smallest code that could do the thing you want. Can we run your code to …

If you are using OpenBCI\_GUI the github repository is here:

> **[OpenBCI](https://github.com/OpenBCI)**
>
> Open Source Brain-Computer Interfacing. OpenBCI has 16 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

Read through this for recommendations on installing:

> **[GitHub - OpenBCI/OpenBCI\_GUI: A cross platform application for the OpenBCI Cyton...](https://github.com/OpenBCI/OpenBCI_GUI)**
>
> A cross platform application for the OpenBCI Cyton and Ganglion. Tested on Mac, Windows and Ubuntu/Mint Linux.

You can also search through the issues for any reported problems including the one you stated.

Issues on GitHub searching for _“serial”_ (a broader search):

- [The type Serial is ambiguous #1025](https://github.com/OpenBCI/OpenBCI_GUI/issues/1025)

- [Update to Processing 4 beta 3 CI pipeline #1019](https://github.com/OpenBCI/OpenBCI_GUI/pull/1019)

- There may be others that are related to your issue.

From what I gleaned perusing the GitHub page and issues:

- Use Processing 3.5.4

If you want to use Processing 4:

- Use the latest version v5.1.0
- Try it with Processing 4.0b2 and then Processing 4.0b3
- Also try Processing 4.2
- The [issue](https://github.com/OpenBCI/OpenBCI_GUI/pull/1019) states that:

> Processing 4 beta 3 uses Java 17 and JavaFX 17, whereas this PR began with Processing 4 beta 2 which uses Java 11. I hope this should be ok with forward compatibility.

What hardware are you using?

Let us know if you had success with Processing 4 and details about versions of Processing and OpenBCI\_GUI.

`:)`

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![hcdebey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@hcdebey](https://discourse.processing.org/u/hcdebey)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/5 "2023-03-05T14:52:35Z")

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After I went to 3.5.4 the problem went away.

Thanks for the help that people have offered.

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![glv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/glv/32/18785_2.png) [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2023, 4:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/openbci-gui-works-in-3-3-7-but-doesnt-work-in-4/41146/6 "2023-03-05T16:31:33Z")

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Hello @hcdebey,

I did get OpenBCI GUI v5.1.0 running with Processing 4.2 and as able to view the sample data:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/processingfoundation1/original/3X/a/8/a82998297dcb611e2221db4ae65c29c747d82dcc.png)

I did not have any hardware devices to connect to.

Cool stuff!

`:)`
