Post by thread:[PIC]: How to master PIC MPASM language

Hello everybody! I really need advice from all the good people of the PICLIST. =) I have so much respect for all advices and help that you have given me, as I was trying to learn assembly language, starting from scratch. Sirs, how could I be an expert in PIC MPASM language and PIC software development? I really need your help, to point me to the right direction. I really dream on becoming an expert PIC developer someday, like most people here. Thank you so much. Kindest regards. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

On Thu, 12 Apr 2001 23:14:46 MDT, you wrote: >Hello everybody! >I really need advice from all the good people of the PICLIST. =) >I have so much respect for all advices and help that you have given me, >as I was trying to learn assembly language, starting from scratch. > >Sirs, how could I be an expert in PIC MPASM language and PIC software >development? I really need your help, to point me to the right direction. I >really dream on becoming an expert PIC developer someday, like most people >here. Practice...! After mastering the basics, the only way is to learn by doing real projects for real applications. Looking at others' code can be useful, but it can sometimes be hard to tell the good from the bad. The same goes for hardware - MCU software cannot be considered on its own - you will never write optimal code if you don't understand how to best arrange the external hardware. The whole is far greater than the sum of parts (hardware + software) - if you can design the hardware AND the software, your skills will be _far_ more marketable. I've been doing stuff on PICs and other micros for about 15 years, and learnt PIC assembly in a day, but there is still rarely a project I don't learn something new from. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Practice, practice, practice. The more you do, the more you learn. And study others' code (especially those on this list whose code is compact, simple and elegant) to uderstand what it does and how, then figure out how to use the same kind of techniques. On Thu, 12 Apr 2001, Jose S. Samonte Jr. wrote: {Quote hidden}> Hello everybody! > I really need advice from all the good people of the PICLIST. =) > I have so much respect for all advices and help that you have given me, > as I was trying to learn assembly language, starting from scratch. > > Sirs, how could I be an expert in PIC MPASM language and PIC software > development? I really need your help, to point me to the right direction. I > really dream on becoming an expert PIC developer someday, like most people > here. > > > Thank you so much. > Kindest regards. > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > > --- The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny ..." -- Isaac Asimov -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Thank you so much sir Dale for the advice! =) But could you give me/suggest sir 10 projects or more, that I could start working on, so as to develop my skills? Kindest regards. Dale Botkin <spam_OUTdaleTakeThisOuTBOTKIN.ORG> wrote: Practice, practice, practice. The more you do, the more you learn. And study others' code (especially those on this list whose code is compact, simple and elegant) to uderstand what it does and how, then figure out how to use the same kind of techniques. On Thu, 12 Apr 2001, Jose S. Samonte Jr. wrote: {Quote hidden}> Hello everybody! > I really need advice from all the good people of the PICLIST. =) > I have so much respect for all advices and help that you have given me, > as I was trying to learn assembly language, starting from scratch. > > Sirs, how could I be an expert in PIC MPASM language and PIC software > development? I really need your help, to point me to the right direction. I > really dream on becoming an expert PIC developer someday, like most people > here. > > > Thank you so much. > Kindest regards. > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > > --- The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny ..." -- Isaac Asimov -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

> But could you give me/suggest sir 10 projects or more, that I could start > working on, so as to develop my skills? Try something like an RS232 to LCD "terminal" that you can use on other projects to output debug strings or display valid data. This does two things in one project - consolidates your PIC to LCD knowledge, and gets your knowledge of the UART interface in the PIC a work out as well. Once you have that side of it running fit a 10 key keypad to it so you can send data the other direction. For another project you may like to try something like a burglar alarm controller for a house. This will allow you to try dealing with multiple sensors of the same type, or different types e.g. some times you want a normally open switch sensor, sometimes a normally closed switch sensor, sometimes a light beam, and think about how to handle things like broken wires to sensors in a sensible manner. You could use the LCD terminal above as a controller for it. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Start by doing projects for yourself, not to impress somebody else. I would suggest you start with the all time favorite: A flashing LED. Then take the same code and expand it: Make 10 LED's in running lights and do all kings of fun things. Next project must be completely different and not use any of the code of the first two. Start again with a simple one, make it work and for the next project expand on it. Carry on like that. Include things like: LCD Keypad PWM switch debouncing. I2C Serial (RS232), make your PIC talk to your PC. A/D etc. Just to name a few. Look at ways you can make a PIC work. Try and see if you can make it replace things in your home. Like remote control, clock, etc. Use your imagination, and use your imagination on a PIC. It could be a whole new world out there. (This is not just pep talk, PICs can be marvelous little things) Quentin -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

OK sir Roman! =) What do you suggest? Roman Black <.....fastvidKILLspam@spam@EZY.NET.AU> wrote: Jose S. Samonte Jr. wrote: > > Thank you so much sir Dale for the advice! =) > > But could you give me/suggest sir 10 projects or more, that I could start > working on, so as to develop my skills? Maybe we could suggest ONE project, so after you finish that and tell us how you went, people could then suggest the next project? :o) -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Thank you sir Alan! I think I could work on these. =) HAPPY EASTER! "Alan B. Pearce" <A.B.PearceKILLspamRL.AC.UK> wrote: > But could you give me/suggest sir 10 projects or more, that I could start > working on, so as to develop my skills? Try something like an RS232 to LCD "terminal" that you can use on other projects to output debug strings or display valid data. This does two things in one project - consolidates your PIC to LCD knowledge, and gets your knowledge of the UART interface in the PIC a work out as well. Once you have that side of it running fit a 10 key keypad to it so you can send data the other direction. For another project you may like to try something like a burglar alarm controller for a house. This will allow you to try dealing with multiple sensors of the same type, or different types e.g. some times you want a normally open switch sensor, sometimes a normally closed switch sensor, sometimes a light beam, and think about how to handle things like broken wires to sensors in a sensible manner. You could use the LCD terminal above as a controller for it. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for these! =) Quentin <.....qscKILLspam.....ICON.CO.ZA> wrote: Start by doing projects for yourself, not to impress somebody else. I would suggest you start with the all time favorite: A flashing LED. Then take the same code and expand it: Make 10 LED's in running lights and do all kings of fun things. Next project must be completely different and not use any of the code of the first two. Start again with a simple one, make it work and for the next project expand on it. Carry on like that. Include things like: LCD Keypad PWM switch debouncing. I2C Serial (RS232), make your PIC talk to your PC. A/D etc. Just to name a few. Look at ways you can make a PIC work. Try and see if you can make it replace things in your home. Like remote control, clock, etc. Use your imagination, and use your imagination on a PIC. It could be a whole new world out there. (This is not just pep talk, PICs can be marvelous little things) Quentin -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Next project must be completely different and not use any of the code of the first two. Start again with a simple one, make it work and for the next project expand on it. Carry on like that. I disagree that an Nth project needs to be completely distinct from the (N-1)th project... Learning how to reuse code is not such a bad idea either, not to mention the issues that will crop up as memory gets more full (like the "caution: crossing page boundry" assembler warning that someone just mentioned.) For example, it ought to be easy to think of ways to add keypads, switch debouncing, and a bunch of other things to your LED flasher. Flash an LED using delay loops. Flash an LED using the watchdog timer. Flash an LED using the timer module(s). Flash (sequence) several LEDs using one of the above methods. Use two (debounced) pushbuttons to change the speed of the LED sequencer. Devise a "programming language" for the LED sequence, to be stored in the EEPROM of the microcontroller. Initially, program the eeprom with the PIC programmer. Add PWM "brightness control" for each "ON" LED... (adjust "LED language" appropriately.) Add Serial code so that the LED program can be downloaded from a PC separately from the PIC code itself. Do this with and without external rs232 level shifters. If your chosen PIC has a UART, do this with and without using the uart. Use Intel Hex format for the download. Use Motarola S-record format for the download. Use a modified xmodem protcol to make the download reliable. Develop a snazzy GUI "LED programming environment" for the PC that interfaces to the PIC. Interface to an external I2C EEPROM for larger LED programs. SPI EEPROM? Port code to 12bit PIC core. Port code to 18bit core. Extend LED language to support 24 LEDs. Use conditional assembly so the same sourcecode can be used for any core. Add keypad, LCD and UI to allow programming the LED sequencer from the keypad. Using a large PIC, allow it to program pics with "LED code." Um... Use A-D converter to measure power supply voltage - maintain constant LED brightness for a given programmed level over full 2V-5V supply range. (there, I used everything in Quentin's (rather good) list in one project that grew into a rather complex system. The final "product" isn't so different from the "pocket programmer" in complexity (or even in details, I would think.) Publish everything. If you can still read the code, and Olin doesn't complain about "frankenstein code" or somesuch, you're probably eminently hirable...) BillW -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Jose S. Samonte Jr. wrote: > > OK sir Roman! =) > What do you suggest? >> Maybe we could suggest ONE project, so after you >> finish that and tell us how you went, people could >> then suggest the next project? :o) I think everyone has offered good suggestions. :o) My suggestion would be to find the "pic micro web ring" (do a yahoo search) and there are a lot of small firms and hobby sites. Choose a project you like, then make it. This will already have asm source code, so you might learn a lot from how someone else makes things work. There is always something good to learn that you would not have done yourself. -Roman PS. Please don't call me sir! It really is not needed, just use our names like we do when talking to each other. No need to be different! I'm not angry. :o) -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

It's really just a sign of RESPECT. =) But I don't want anyone to get mad at me... Thank you so much. Best regards. Roman Black <EraseMEfastvidspam_OUTTakeThisOuTEZY.NET.AU> wrote: Jose S. Samonte Jr. wrote: > > OK sir Roman! =) > What do you suggest? >> Maybe we could suggest ONE project, so after you >> finish that and tell us how you went, people could >> then suggest the next project? :o) I think everyone has offered good suggestions. :o) My suggestion would be to find the "pic micro web ring" (do a yahoo search) and there are a lot of small firms and hobby sites. Choose a project you like, then make it. This will already have asm source code, so you might learn a lot from how someone else makes things work. There is always something good to learn that you would not have done yourself. -Roman PS. Please don't call me sir! It really is not needed, just use our names like we do when talking to each other. No need to be different! I'm not angry. :o) -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listservspam_OUTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body