SPINbuilder - A GUI SPIN compiler - Now being released for FREE
Microcontrolled
Posts: 2,461
Well, you may be wondering why a software-in-development that was going to be a pay-for software has been released for free. The reason for this is simply that I am a much better Propeller programmer then a PC programmer, and the software has too many bugs in it to fix.
Here is a list of the main bugs:
(1: The "Save as SPINbuilder file" option will only work if you do not use any objects in your code.
(2: There is no easy way to change the pin settings, although I may have resolved this and forgotten.
(3: MOST IMPORTANTLY: IT CAN ONLY RUN ON WINDOWS VISTA AND WINDOWS 7
Of all of the errors above, the third is the main one. I will have to rebuild the ENTIRE program to get it to work right on Windows XP, which is still one of the most popularly used Windows installations.
If you do have Vista or 7, open the zip and run the installer. Do not change the target location (that's error 4, it's impossible to change without ruining the program). When it has the checkbox for "Run program when I click finish", LEAVE THIS SELECTED, because this runs the application that that installs the program to the program registry. Before the program boots, it will ask you if you have a demo board setup, select "Yes" and the program will boot.
The interface is fairly easy to use, and you will figure it out quickly.
BUT WAIT, THERE IS STILL HOPE!
There is another more advanced edition of this that is setting on my workbench now, almost ready to be released. It too will be released for free. The new one boasts:
-Multicog support
-Calling PUB routines
-Creation of your own objects
-A bigger object liberary that includes Text to Speech, VGA text, EEPROM, and more!
-A handy right-click dropdown menu that lets you set variables anywhere in your code without having to manually type them
This version also fixes many errors in the current one, and will be released as soon as the drop down menu is working properly.
I know that this is one crash-down way to release software, but considering I wasn't doing anything with it, I might as well let others use it. Who knows? Maybe it will be a greater tool then I think!
Thanks,
Micro
Here is a list of the main bugs:
(1: The "Save as SPINbuilder file" option will only work if you do not use any objects in your code.
(2: There is no easy way to change the pin settings, although I may have resolved this and forgotten.
(3: MOST IMPORTANTLY: IT CAN ONLY RUN ON WINDOWS VISTA AND WINDOWS 7
Of all of the errors above, the third is the main one. I will have to rebuild the ENTIRE program to get it to work right on Windows XP, which is still one of the most popularly used Windows installations.
If you do have Vista or 7, open the zip and run the installer. Do not change the target location (that's error 4, it's impossible to change without ruining the program). When it has the checkbox for "Run program when I click finish", LEAVE THIS SELECTED, because this runs the application that that installs the program to the program registry. Before the program boots, it will ask you if you have a demo board setup, select "Yes" and the program will boot.
The interface is fairly easy to use, and you will figure it out quickly.
BUT WAIT, THERE IS STILL HOPE!
There is another more advanced edition of this that is setting on my workbench now, almost ready to be released. It too will be released for free. The new one boasts:
-Multicog support
-Calling PUB routines
-Creation of your own objects
-A bigger object liberary that includes Text to Speech, VGA text, EEPROM, and more!
-A handy right-click dropdown menu that lets you set variables anywhere in your code without having to manually type them
This version also fixes many errors in the current one, and will be released as soon as the drop down menu is working properly.
I know that this is one crash-down way to release software, but considering I wasn't doing anything with it, I might as well let others use it. Who knows? Maybe it will be a greater tool then I think!
Thanks,
Micro
Comments
I can think of no reason why you should have to rebuild a program to run on XP. I am quite sure there a number of folks here sufficiently fluent in Visual Studio to help if you want it.
Joe