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Basic Stamp to Prop transition - Analyzing existing code and Tutorials — Parallax Forums

Basic Stamp to Prop transition - Analyzing existing code and Tutorials

StampmysterStampmyster Posts: 27
edited 2011-03-06 14:46 in Propeller 1
Holy ‘Tamole! As I slowly trudge through the prop manual tutorial, I have come to the conclusion that I need something better. I ordered the Propeller ED Lab; Fundamental Text, and the Programming the Prop with Spin, beginners guide.

Any other suggestions?

I think I’m gaining on a “cloudy” understanding of how things work, and now trying to focus on Library-Objects and how they fit into the hierarchy.

I’m trying to make heads or tales of The display.spin object, and the Numbers and TV_Terminal that are used in it.

Question;:

Right of the bat I ask myself what does the (15) represent in the statement TV.Start(15)? But, my question is far deeper in scope. In Pbasic, I can usually figure out what a program is about by analyzing the code and looking up command details in the reference book. However in "Prop-World" it appears to require a bit more than that? (Especially in regards to video stuff.)

For instance in the TV_Termianl library object they have Vertical and Horizontal Sync variables, and a host of others stuff that I don’t have a clue to their meaning. Do I need to study the “Raw Nuts and Bolts” of televisions theory? Can a discriminating programmer somehow circumvent unknowns?

I certainly do, appreciate any comments in regards to how to approach this, and curious to know how others dealt with it? Perhaps I’m thinking out of phase and distorting the intended concept?

I sometimes feel like I’m driving with a rubber-steering-wheel.

Thanks!

Comments

  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2011-03-05 19:44
    Right of the bat I ask myself what does the (15) represent in the statement TV.Start(15)?

    The (15) in TV.Start(15) is an called argument. The argument 15 is passed to the Start method of the TV object. A method is a like an action. An object can have many methods.

    For example, you can have an object called CAR. The CAR object can move forward, reverse, left and right at speeds from 1 to 10.

    First you have to reference the subject, Car_Object. 
    OBJ
  myCAR : "Car_Object"

    Then you turn it on
    Main
  myCar.Start

    Full stream ahead
      myCar.Forward(10)

    Maybe you have differenet kinds of cars you'd like to drive
     Ferrari := 15
 myCar.Start(15)

    These are Object Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts.
  • StampmysterStampmyster Posts: 27
    edited 2011-03-05 20:00
    Thanks MikeG,


    Very well said....I actually understand what you said!
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,768
    edited 2011-03-06 04:56
    Hi stampmyster,
    Check out Beans Prop Basic. It should allow you to port many of your basic programs to prop with little modification.
    RS_Jim
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-03-06 08:18
    The complete Hydra manual is now available as a download. It has a lot of good info on using video with the Propeller: http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/prop/HydraGameDevManual-v1.0.1.pdf
  • DaemonDaemon Posts: 6
    edited 2011-03-06 08:28
    Stampmyster wrote: »
    Question;:

    For instance in the TV_Termianl library object they have Vertical and Horizontal Sync variables, and a host of others stuff that I don’t have a clue to their meaning. Do I need to study the “Raw Nuts and Bolts” of televisions theory? Can a discriminating programmer somehow circumvent unknowns?

    I certainly do, appreciate any comments in regards to how to approach this, and curious to know how others dealt with it? Perhaps I’m thinking out of phase and distorting the intended concept?

    I sometimes feel like I’m driving with a rubber-steering-wheel.

    Thanks!

    Hello stampmyster.
    Good to hear that you're actually digging into the object code itself to figure out how stuff works.
    But keep in mind that, yes, to fully understand how the TV object controls.. well.. the TV, you have to know how to control a TV.
    But(!!!) This also means that, since the TV object already exists, you don't have to write it. Simply instantiate the TV object and tell it to display whatever-the-hack you want on it.

    For example, if you wanted to do the same on the BASIC stamp, the BASIC stamp manual still would not be enough.. ;-) So let the specialists do the specialistic stuff. Ofcourse: Learn from their work what you can, but don't blame the code, the writers or yourself if you don't grasp the mechanisms behind it.
  • StampmysterStampmyster Posts: 27
    edited 2011-03-06 14:46
    Excellent!

    I will check out the recommendations. However, I think I may stick with spin until I get a solid handle on it.

    Ok, back to the books! (The video stuff truly interest me.)

    Thanks!
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