Post by thread:New to PIC

Hello, I've been very happy with the BASIC compilier by Micro Engineering. I'm fairly new to PICs myself. The nice thing about it is that it allows you to make calls to your ASM routines from within the basic program. This is refered to as 'Inline Assembly'. It also makes it nice to be able to open up the ASM file for the purpose of studying how your BASIC code is converted and the proper ASM syntax for the PIC. The PIC ASM code is a lot different than the 8051 ASM code. Studying the output(while you have your manual in hand) allows you to get a better understanding of the code. Unless you have some complicated programming issues to deal with, or have a need for great speed, use the basic for most of your code. Then you can ease into the Assembly Language. I have not run into any speed problems with the Micro Engineering BASIC compilier, but as I say I'm fairly new the to PICs and have not done a lot with them yet. That's my three cents. It was two cents... but that's inflation. Brent Pollock Customized Controller Solutions spam_OUTccsTakeThisOuTewol.com Embedded Control. Digital and Analog Electronics and Communications. Process Control, Windows interfaces to embedded products (Visual Basic 4.0 Pro)...on and on... -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of reply. Quoted text follows -------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- At 10:43 AM 12/12/96 -0500, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hi everyone, I am new to microcontrollers and PICs. My question is does >anyone have any strong recommendations regarding which programmer a newcomer >should buy? I have looked at The Digikey catalog and the JDR catalog and I >am considering buying a programmer from one of these three companies; >Parallax >Microchip >Micro Engineering > >Any info would be appreciated >Thanks B P Davies >

G'day all, I'm a computer technician in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. I trained as a radio tech in the RAAF and then as a Computer Tech Also in the RAAF. I am interested in computer control systems. I worked for Honey in the Industrial Service Division for 4 years so I have a working knowledge of Process Control. I am currently working on project that use the parallel printer port of a pc for control. I would like to learn about the world of PIC. I have more than 20 years experience with electronics and 18 years experience with computers. I have found a few FAQs on the net but they only seem to cover a bit of history. 1: Where do I start? 2: What do I need? 3: Is there a better, easier, cheaper PIC? That will do for now, Thanks, Cliff Rogers. .....absoluteKILLspam@spam@tpgi.com.au

Cliff, I'm in there with you. I've been 'lurking' in the background of this list gathering information. I've been in the computer industry for about 17 years and an ham radio operator for about 21 years. Love to tinker and I really need a good winter learning project. I've been collecting software and internet web page address to look at. It does seem that the 16F84 is a favorite starting chip. But as to software or programmers I am really lost. If you find some stuff let me know. I've found a few good web sites and I'll send you some to look at. http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/pic/ digiserve.com/takdesign/pic-faq/faqindex.html digiserve.com/takdesign/pic-faq/links.html http://www.microchip2.com/mplab.htm www.lancs.ac.uk/people/cpaame/pic/pic.htm http://www.man.ac.uk/~mbhstdj/piclinks.html http://www.melabs.com/mel/home.htm http://www.isc-durant.com/nolan/article.htm http://www.htsoft.com/pic/ http://www.isc-durant.com/nolan/article.htm Hope these help. You may have already been there but have fun Greg -- ------------------------------------------------- | Greg Newberry newberryKILLspamcyberhighway.net | | WB7DUO QRP-L #760 | | NorCal #1899 CQC #465 AR-QRP #65 | -------------------------------------------------

Hello, I've start with this web page: www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Way/5807/ Microchip has a lot of information and a free assembler and simulator, in http://www.microchip.com Then you need a PIC part (the 16F84 is great and cheap) and a programmer, I've build the LUDIPIPO programmer, very cheap and reliable. good luck, Adolfo. At 09:25 4/09/97 +1000, you wrote: >G'day all, > >I'm a computer technician in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. >I trained as a radio tech in the RAAF and then as a Computer Tech Also in the > RAAF. >I am interested in computer control systems. I worked for Honey in the > Industrial Service Division for 4 years so I have a working >knowledge of Process Control. >I am currently working on project that use the parallel printer port of a pc for > control. >I would like to learn about the world of PIC. I have more than 20 years > experience with electronics and 18 years experience with >computers. I have found a few FAQs on the net but they only seem to cover a bit > of history. >1: Where do I start? >2: What do I need? >3: Is there a better, easier, cheaper PIC? > >That will do for now, Thanks, >

Cliff Rogers wrote: > > G'day, I found this one on the net here in Oz. I haven't found anyone > who has > tried it yet to get their comments. > > http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~donmck/pickaxe.html Nuh! I think it's a bit of a dud! ;-) You could try: http://www.dontronics.com/pickaxe.html You will also find free Windows and DOS software and full schematics to do in-circuit programming with the PIC16C84 and PIC16F84. It uses a 4PDT switch to do a program then run cycle. The target chip stays in the target board, so that code changes can be done in a few seconds. 1 or 2 people on this list use it now I believe. Don McKenzie donspam_OUTdontronics.com http://www.dontronics.com SimmStick(tm) Atmel & PIC proto PCB's. 30 pin Simm Module Format. SLI, the serial LCD that auto detects baud rates from 100 to 125K bps. Send a blank message to @spam@infoKILLspamdontronics.com for more details.

; life.asm ; ; TITLE 'ACCELERATED LIFE TEST FOR RELAYS ; *******************************************************************" ; ;; REVISION HISTORY" ; ;; ; ;; 1 1-21-97 LAWRENCE LILE CREATED FROM IRON2.V54 ; *******************************************************************" ; ; CLOCK: ; INTERNAL 4MHZ OSCILLATOR ; ; ; I/O: ; GP0 = ; GP1 = ; GP2 = ; GP5 = Relay ; GP4 = led CBLOCK 0X08 ACCaLO ACCaHI ACCbLO ACCbHI ACCCLO ACCCHI ACCDLO ACCDHI ACCELO ACCEHI OVERFLOW LOLIMIT HILIMIT TEMP TEMP1 FLAGS SETPOINT ENDC #DEFINE LED 4 #DEFINE RELAY 5 STATUS equ 0x03 ;Status Register CARRY equ 0 ;Carry bit Z_bit equ 2 ; ZERO BIT LIST p=12C508 ; PIC12C508 is the target processor ; Load definitions of registers INCLUDE <P12C508.INC> ; long pages 999 LINES LIST N=999 ; WIDE PAGES 200 COLUMNS LIST C=200 ; BLOW CONFIGURATION FUSES __CONFIG _CP_OFF & _WDT_ON & _INTRC_OSC & _MCLRE_ON ORG 0 MOVWF OSCCAL ; STORE OSCILLATOR CALIBRATION WORD GOTO MAIN ;************************************************************************* ; ; MACROS ;************************************************************************* ORG 2 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ; BOOTROUTINE sets up ports, variables, etc. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; BOOTROUTINE MACRO MOVLW B'00001110' TRIS GPIO ENDM ; END BOOTROUTINE WAITASEC ; SUBROUTINE CLRF ACCALO WAITLOOP CLRWDT INCFSZ ACCALO, F GOTO WAITLOOP INCFSZ ACCAHI, F GOTO WAITLOOP RETLW 0 ;***************************************************************************** ; MAIN ROUTINE ; ;***************************************************************************** MAIN BOOTROUTINE BCF GPIO, RELAY BCF GPIO, LED CALL WAITASEC BSF GPIO, RELAY BSF GPIO, LED CALL WAITASEC GOTO MAIN ; FILL REST OF MEMORY WITH GOTO START COMMAND FILL (GOTO MAIN), (0X1FD - $) END ;****************************************************************

Greg enlightened us all with,... >. It does seem that the 16F84 is a favorite starting chip. But as > to software or programmers I am really lost. If you find some stuff > let me know. I'm training a technician in basic PIC (not PICBasic) right now. Here's the steps we're going to take: Get a David Tait 16c84 programmer (very cheap) or talk your MCHIP rep into getting a good price on an old PICstart 1b (semi obsolete). Later, get a good programmer. Later yet, get an emulator. Get MPLAB for free from MCHIP Get databooks on the processor you will use. Try to write a piece of code that will blink an LED. It won't run or compile at all the first time you wrote it, unless you are Bill Gates or are very lucky. Ask dumb questions here and with your MCHIP rep until it runs. Build it. Then make it do more. make the LED time out accurately. add a peizo speaker or a relay. Make it read a key. etc. etc. Attached is an example of such a file that I use to life test relays. It is the simplest functioning program I have, and is a useful learning tool. It is written for the 12C508, but would work on the 16C84 with some modifications. Pick over it, and ask me how it works. Best Regards, Lawrence Lile

Check out http://www.piclist.com . While you are there, check out the list FAQ, as you seem to have missed out on the proper use of topic tags for your post. There are a number of beginner's projects that might be applicable. In addition, it's a wonderful resource when you get stuck. You will need a programmer though, which can be close to a religious debate on the list. Best bet is to read through the list of programmers on the piclist.com website. You will also need MPLAB, the development environment available from Microchip's website, http://www.microchip.com. A good idea would be to download the datasheets for the chips you have chosen and read them. Read (or at least skim) the whole thing, it really does explain quite a bit. And since someone else will doubtless mention this, I might as well. You may wish to start with some different chips. In the 16F series, the 16f628 is a great replacement for the 16f84, it has more features and costs less. The 16f877 is a great 40 pin device. You may wish to look at the 18f series though. General consensus seems to be this is where most PICs are heading, with some of the data and program memory paging issues fixed. However, the smallest ones available now start at 28 pins. In addition, you will have to carefully choose a programmer, and there is less sample code available for the 18F series. Hope this helps, Josh -- A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams Jeff Lawver wrote: > I'm new to PIC, and pretty new to anything related to it. I'm pretty good > in C/C++ and know a bit of assembly for x86. I have a few PICs coming > [PIC16F84A-04/P] and some 12x's that I'm not going to use since they have > EPROM. but I would like to know how to go about starting with the PIC. I > want to eventually get into robotics with the PIC but I'm satisfied with > whatever projects I can get done. Any help would be greatly appreciated. -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email RemoveMElistservTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Welcome, Jeff! Many others will give good suggestions, and cruising around the piclist.com site, and the sites it links to like Myke Predko's site http://www.myke.com will certainly fill your brain up fast. But here is how I would start. Your first project should be the LED BLINKY MERIT BADGE. This apparently useless project can find some application if you want to make a statement, such as putting a blinking LED on your name badge at an electronics conference. It works like this. Take any PIC, doesn't matter which one, the '84 is fine. Program it in assembly language to blink an LED on and off 1X per second. Why use assembly? 1. It is free. 2. You have to know some assembler to program PICs in C efficiently. 3. It is fairly straightforward to do. Eventually you will probably use C for all your PIC projects, but learn the assembler anyway. The circuit diagram is trivial and it sounds like you already know enough to hook it up. You'll have to get some kind of proggrammer. If your budget is limited search around for David Tait programmers, Noppp (no parts parallel port) programmers, and there are a lot of others. If you have a hundred clams to blow just buy a PICSTART PLUS from mouser.com. Get MPLAB free from Microchip.com, and talk your local rep out of a paper databook (they are getting harder to find. Electronic databooks stink.) Then read the databook until you fall asleep every night for a week. Works better than sominex. -- Lawrence Lile Senior Project Engineer Toastmaster, Inc. Division of Salton, Inc. 573-446-5661 voice 573-446-5676 fax Jeff Lawver <TakeThisOuTres1ewenEraseMEspam_OUTVERIZON.NET> Sent by: pic microcontroller discussion list <RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> 01/10/2003 08:07 PM Please respond to pic microcontroller discussion list To: PICLISTEraseME.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU cc: Subject: New to PIC Hello everyone, I'm new to PIC, and pretty new to anything related to it. I'm pretty good in C/C++ and know a bit of assembly for x86. I have a few PICs coming [PIC16F84A-04/P] and some 12x's that I'm not going to use since they have EPROM. but I would like to know how to go about starting with the PIC. I want to eventually get into robotics with the PIC but I'm satisfied with whatever projects I can get done. Any help would be greatly appreciated. --Jeff -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email EraseMElistservmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body -- 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 Mon, Jan 13, 2003 at 08:48:24AM -0600, RemoveMEllileEraseMEEraseMESALTONUSA.COM wrote: > Welcome, Jeff! > > Many others will give good suggestions, and cruising around the > piclist.com site, and the sites it links to like Myke Predko's site > http://www.myke.com will certainly fill your brain up fast. It's almost overwhelming. Each of us approaches the task from a different point of view. Just remember that all the advise is pretty good and do what you feel comfortable wieh. > > But here is how I would start. Your first project should be the LED > BLINKY MERIT BADGE. This apparently useless project can find some > application if you want to make a statement, such as putting a blinking > LED on your name badge at an electronics conference. Agreed on the project. However it's importance is critical for two reasons: 1) It exercises your entire toolchain. So you know that every tools works and you know how to invoke every step. 2) It gives positive visual output of success. The importance of both of these cannot be underestimated. > > It works like this. Take any PIC, doesn't matter which one, the '84 is > fine. I would amend this point slightly. Pick the PIC that you are most likely to use for real projects. Why? Because there is an instinctive attachment to whatever tools first offer success. One of my colleagues used to call it "Love what you learn." It applies to cars, appliances, programming languages, and microcontrollers. So whatever is picked is generally used as a hammer trying to find a nail. Since it's a natural tendency, why not go ahead and pick a better hammer. Based on this I'd recommend in order: 16F876/77(A) 16F628, 18F452. Once the inexpensive toolchains catch up the 18F parts will go to the top of the list. > Program it in assembly language to blink an LED on and off 1X per > second. Why use assembly? 1. It is free. 2. You have to know some > assembler to program PICs in C efficiently. 3. It is fairly > straightforward to do. This is a somewhat tough go. I agree with Lawrence, but I'm painfully aware of the "Love what you learn" concept. Assembly's single downfall is it's near total lack of abstraction. And while for PIC assembly it certainly won't do too much damage for simple projects, as the tasks get more complex, the steeper the hill to climb becomes. Not because PIC assembly is difficult per se, but because the process of combining small instructions into something usable becomes tougher as you go alone the path. > > Eventually you will probably use C for all your PIC projects, but learn > the assembler anyway. Here's where I want to end my discussion. I think it's best to start with your likely production toolchain. It's going to require a time and understanding committment in any case, and the knowledge isn't as easily transferrable as we'd like to believe. As a simple example doing a bitbanged serial port in assembly on a 16F84 is a completely different task than programming the 16F877 UART in C. So you end up learning the toolchain/taskchain twice. Based on the above I'd throw out the following: * 16F877. Best of the widely supported 16F family. * JAL. Wouter has everything now. No reason not to use it. * ICD/Bootloader. Shortens the development turnaround time. And I'd still start with the blinky LED... ;-) BAJ -- 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

Thanks for the advice everyone :] -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [RemoveMEPICLISTspam_OUTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Byron A Jeff Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 2:10 PM To: RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: New to PIC On Mon, Jan 13, 2003 at 08:48:24AM -0600, EraseMEllilespamspamBeGoneSALTONUSA.COM wrote: > Welcome, Jeff! > > Many others will give good suggestions, and cruising around the > piclist.com site, and the sites it links to like Myke Predko's site > http://www.myke.com will certainly fill your brain up fast. It's almost overwhelming. Each of us approaches the task from a different point of view. Just remember that all the advise is pretty good and do what you feel comfortable wieh. > > But here is how I would start. Your first project should be the LED > BLINKY MERIT BADGE. This apparently useless project can find some > application if you want to make a statement, such as putting a blinking > LED on your name badge at an electronics conference. Agreed on the project. However it's importance is critical for two reasons: 1) It exercises your entire toolchain. So you know that every tools works and you know how to invoke every step. 2) It gives positive visual output of success. The importance of both of these cannot be underestimated. > > It works like this. Take any PIC, doesn't matter which one, the '84 is > fine. I would amend this point slightly. Pick the PIC that you are most likely to use for real projects. Why? Because there is an instinctive attachment to whatever tools first offer success. One of my colleagues used to call it "Love what you learn." It applies to cars, appliances, programming languages, and microcontrollers. So whatever is picked is generally used as a hammer trying to find a nail. Since it's a natural tendency, why not go ahead and pick a better hammer. Based on this I'd recommend in order: 16F876/77(A) 16F628, 18F452. Once the inexpensive toolchains catch up the 18F parts will go to the top of the list. > Program it in assembly language to blink an LED on and off 1X per > second. Why use assembly? 1. It is free. 2. You have to know some > assembler to program PICs in C efficiently. 3. It is fairly > straightforward to do. This is a somewhat tough go. I agree with Lawrence, but I'm painfully aware of the "Love what you learn" concept. Assembly's single downfall is it's near total lack of abstraction. And while for PIC assembly it certainly won't do too much damage for simple projects, as the tasks get more complex, the steeper the hill to climb becomes. Not because PIC assembly is difficult per se, but because the process of combining small instructions into something usable becomes tougher as you go alone the path. > > Eventually you will probably use C for all your PIC projects, but learn > the assembler anyway. Here's where I want to end my discussion. I think it's best to start with your likely production toolchain. It's going to require a time and understanding committment in any case, and the knowledge isn't as easily transferrable as we'd like to believe. As a simple example doing a bitbanged serial port in assembly on a 16F84 is a completely different task than programming the 16F877 UART in C. So you end up learning the toolchain/taskchain twice. Based on the above I'd throw out the following: * 16F877. Best of the widely supported 16F family. * JAL. Wouter has everything now. No reason not to use it. * ICD/Bootloader. Shortens the development turnaround time. And I'd still start with the blinky LED... ;-) BAJ -- 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 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.