Please someone help me!!!

luke.b

Hello all,

I've just signed up with this forum after buying a propellor development board and learning that this website·is so helpful.·I have puchaced the book which explains exactly how the propeller chip works and how to write spin code.

I work as an electronic systems engineer which mainly deals with automation using PLC's although i rarely program them and have a very basic knowledge in that area.

My problem is that no matter how many times i look at this book i just can't seen to get my head around it.

I would really appreciate some help with a project that i have been trying to do for months now. I have purchaced most of the components that are need for my project.

My project i'm sure you will find very simple.

i have an small LCD screen http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=searchProducts&searchTerm=5326458&x=30&y=8

in which i want to diplay a reading from my encoder http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=2508968358

The reading i want the display to give is a rotational distance in metric and in imperial, for example:

The encoder is rotated·720 degrees and diplays 8cm on the screen

Furthermore, i would like a pushbutton to instantly change that figure in to an imperial reading (for this example 3.14 inches).

Also a couple of other small features which i will explain later if anyone is kind enough to help me.

I would be very grateful for a reply and any help with wiring on the development board and writing the code.
Thanks
Luke

Harprit

search for book for beginners under Harprit as author
some of the programs that were listed for this in the last year might help
Harprit

luke.b

thanks, will try

Mike Green

In starting a project like this, particularly as a beginner, it's important to take one small piece at a time.

First get the LCD working all by itself. You will be able to use it for other status information as well.

Next get a pushbutton or keyboard working.

Then get the encoder working

Lastly put the various pieces together and get them working.

There are examples of LCD coding and the use of encoders in the Object Exchange. Use those as your starting point.

SamMishal

I·totally second what Mike said. I would like to add one more point. Do each step Mike mentioned as a SINGLE project
all by itself as ONE project.
Then when you have all three devices working and you can understand how they work and how to program them
then you can start COMBINING them. But again...only combine TWO and make sure they work together and that there
are no unforeseen consequences to combining them. Then add the third one and so on.
For example, your selected LCD is a Parallel input one. This is not a trivial thing to WIRE-UP or program. So you should
do all this and make it work as a standalone project without any other distractions that would make debugging harder.
Another thing you should consider is that you may need to use various OBJECTS from the OBEX. Many of these are not
hard to use, but again, you may want to use each object by itself in a small test project all by itself without other
distractions. This way you can learn all about the object and how it works. This way when it comes time to use the
object with other routines you have written and something goes wrong you know how and what and where to look for
bugs.
Good luck....and keep asking here for more detailed help....
Samuel

Dr_Acula

I've recently gone from a complete newbie to being able to hack existing code to the point of running a single board computer complete with keyboard and VGA display. In the next few days I'm going to be adding an LCD display the same as yours. I know very little about LCDs but based on past experience I am confident it will be straightforward with the prop.

First step is to flash a led. There are several chapters in the help on how to do this. It is a little strange and unfamiliar but worth doing. I felt at the end of this that not much progress had been made, but the rest seemed much easier in comparison.

The secret is this obex.parallax.com/

Everything you want seems to be there. Keyboard. Display. Multiple I/O. So coding for the propeller becomes a matter of finding the relevant 'object' and then tying them together. If you stick to the same pinouts as the 'object' it makes things easy. So - put a keyboard on the prop using 4 resistors. Capture the key and then send it somewhere, eg a display.

Right now, I know as much about the LCD thing as you do (ie nothing!), so I'll muddle through this process and post it as I go:
go to the obex
select 'display'
can't see it straight away, so click search at the top and type in LCD
the parallel LCD driver comes up at the top of the list
click on it
download it
unzip it
save all the files it to a new folder eg c:\propeller\lcd
load it into the propeller tool software so it looks right with all the spin code properly formatted
read it - I see it looks well documented as to which pin on the chip goes to which pin on the LCD (it is 20x4 but I happen to know that 20x4 and 16x2 LCDs use virtually the same code)
ok - off to the shed to do some soldering

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www.smarthome.viviti.com/build

Post Edited (Dr_Acula) : 11/20/2009 4:44:58 AM GMT

Cluso99

Welcome to the forum. There a lots of people willing to help here.

Forum hints...
Use something meaningful in your subject as we often skip over "please help me" subjects. It helps if we know what you are looking for. Also if you have problems with some code, post it all using the PropTool to pack it up. If you quote a piece of code in your code use the insert code section to preserve the indentation.
There are a few other sources of info...

The Propeller Manual that comes with the PropTool download - make sure it is the latest (PropTool v1.2.6) as the manual is much better. Work through the examples - it will not take long and you will learn heaps.

The Propeller Cookbook and the Propeller Tips and Tricks are two other sources of good info.

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· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
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