Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
NEWBIE: I need A Partner In Crime — Parallax Forums

NEWBIE: I need A Partner In Crime

Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
edited 2013-06-17 07:24 in Propeller 1
Hi All,

As much fun as I'm having jumping into the Propeller world, I simply don't have the time to learn the language. If there is anyone out there that may want to co-collaborate on my project which i have every intention to bring to market I'd love to hear from you.

The final product will be for the automotive market so I need someone who has an understanding of that area and the reasons why certain "hardware issues" need to be a certain way.

I have resources for initial production runs and I will make it very well worth your while. I will have to have whomever decides to come on-board sign an NDA though.

Please PM me if your interested.

Comments

  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,107
    edited 2013-06-15 13:26
    In the day it will take to find a collaborator you could in fact learn Spin. It is easier than you may have been lead to believe.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-06-15 13:53
    Automotive market...and the reasons why certain "hardware issues" need to be a certain way.
    Does anyone know what this means?
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 14:02
    Mike G wrote: »
    Does anyone know what this means?

    Yes I do, there are certain constraints that need to be adhered too for THIS application due to a staggering amount of "noise" the circuitry may be subjected too.
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 14:06
    JonnyMac wrote: »
    In the day it will take to find a collaborator you could in fact learn Spin. It is easier than you may have been lead to believe.

    Thanks Jonny, If you can recommend a better way for me I'd love to hear it. Too much dissimilar information out there and I cannot seam to find a good rooted base to take my learning curve from cradle to grave.

    Please give me your thoughts .............
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,107
    edited 2013-06-15 14:22
    There are many roads that lead to Rome. Looking for *the one* is a fool's errand in my opinion. Sometimes you just have to crack open the editor and get to work. I've certainly got plenty of information online (my N&V columns), there's the PEK information that you can find the Propeller Tool help file, and there's even a couple books (though only one is worth owning -- again, my opinion). If it's your product, why would you want to relinquish control of how it works? I like being able to write the code for the boards I design. Nothing left to chance....
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 14:35
    Thanks again Jonny, I agree with everything you've said. Can you please provide me with links to you columns and exactly which book your speaking of.

    Thank you in advance. Also consider the can of worms you may be opening by offering it to me. LOL
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 14:37
    JonnyMac wrote: »
    There are many roads that lead to Rome. Looking for *the one* is a fool's errand in my opinion. Sometimes you just have to crack open the editor and get to work. I've certainly got plenty of information online (my N&V columns), there's the PEK information that you can find the Propeller Tool help file, and there's even a couple books (though only one is worth owning -- again, my opinion). If it's your product, why would you want to relinquish control of how it works? I like being able to write the code for the boards I design. Nothing left to chance....

    Last thing - I sincerely hope I didnt come off sounding like this guy, my apologies If I did - http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/112859-NEEDED-Propeller-Expert-Partner-for-new-product-idea-...
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-06-15 14:52
    Nuts & Volts Columns and other resources here.
    PEK (Propeller Education Kit) here and here. It's downloadable for free if you don't need the paper manual.
    Look at the application notes and other information here.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2013-06-15 14:54
    Frankenfern, if you go to the Prop downloads page...

    http://www.parallax.com/ProductInfo/Microcontrollers/PropellerGeneralInformation/PropellerMediaPage/tabid/832/Default.aspx

    ...and get the first Propeller manual, v1.01, it contains a detailed tutorial which was left out of v1.2 on blinking LED's, setting up time delays, and similar basic intro stuff. It's worth doing because it uses some of the weirder Spin conventions; Spin's expression evaluator is incredibly powerful and terse and a superset of almost everything else out there, and it's worth learning it because it will enhance your understanding of how all other languages work. But nowhere else will you find that VAR~ sets VAR to 0 while VAR~~ sets it to -1 and !VAR as a command does a NOT. Once you blink some LED's you'll be ready to hook up a demoboard to a monitor or keyboard and really get rolling, which is key because those interfaces are also your debugging channels in Propellerland.
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 14:59
    Hey Mike, Good to hear from you again.... Your as consistent as the sunrise. Thanks for the links, checking them out now.
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 15:02
    LOCALROGER, pleasure to meet you, Thanks for the info. BTW Did you spell my name as FRANKENFERN on purpose, I actually like it better that way LOL. thanks again.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2013-06-15 15:15
    Frankfern123 wrote: »
    Did you spell my name as FRANKENFERN on purpose, I actually like it better that way LOL. thanks again.

    Obviously too many viewings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hey, at least I didn't graft on a furter!
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-15 15:32
    localroger wrote: »
    Obviously too many viewings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hey, at least I didn't graft on a furter!

    ROTFL - Oh No !!!!! Wow you just brought back some memories, Midnight Showings Of The Rocky Horror in the old Island Twin Theater, replete with bags of rice, toasted bread, rolls of TP and the High School drama club who'd show up in costume............. Wow, been years since i thought of that.
  • PliersPliers Posts: 280
    edited 2013-06-15 16:06
    You can find a lot information concerning the automotive environment and the propeller micro controller.
    I did a quick search and found..http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/146538-Powering-the-prop-from-an-automotive-12v-source.?highlight=Spin+automotive

    I'm sure you will find help here.
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,107
    edited 2013-06-16 07:36
    Also consider the can of worms you may be opening by offering it to me.

    Believe me, it's a can of fun! Just last night I was at a B'nai Mitzvah party and a group of us in the FX business were talking about how much fun the Propeller is to use. There are some really great folks here in this forum that can guide you. Continuing my blunt streak (grin)... I think you'll find you'll get more enthusiastic guidance by showing a willingness to jump in. I guess you could say the forum helps those who attempt to help themselves! ;)

    Again, it's fun -- don't deny yourself that pleasure. If you get stuck, help is here.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2013-06-16 14:14
    Frankfern123: As Jon and others have said, give it a go. When you get stuck, post a good description of the problem and some code and there are plenty to help here. The prop is certainly an amazing chip and a pleasure to code.
  • Frankfern123Frankfern123 Posts: 35
    edited 2013-06-17 05:49
    To Everyone who's posted back to me'

    I began in buying the Prop BOE board, not the Prop In Class kit. I ran through all the lessons and luckily only had a few wiring hiccups. I understand the base concepts behind it all, my problem is assembling a working system in how everything will interact. This is where I keep losing my place. FYI - I did study electronics and got a degree from De'Vry back in the late 80's. So my understanding of the hardware is ok, but even in college I terribly flunked out the one programming course we were given. Hmm, Mental Block maybe ????

    Now on the issue of programming from a GUI I have no problems at all IE, automotive, control systems, robotics, etc etc. But with every a GUI I've worked with, I'm simply making changes externally to a pre-defined system, Hmmm, another possible mental block..........

    I feel structuring the interaction is my downfall, I have every circuit working independently, but i cant seam to string it all together.

    Please give me your thoughts .............
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-06-17 06:09
    I suspect the nightmares of automotive noise have become less and less with the advancements in linear regulators. The old standard 7805 just couldn't hold up, but now we have purpose-designed linear regulators that are very automotive feature rich. Get one that is Low Drop Out, tolerates reverse voltage, tolerates overloads via thermal shutdown, and so on.

    The LM2940-3.3 is pretty good. Go with that or something that has specs and features better than that. http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm2940-n.pdf

    With the trash on the power line behind you, the rest is pretty much about code.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-06-17 06:35
    "structuring the interaction" ... Yep, that's important and takes a lot of work to get right. Unless you can share a description of what you want your device to do, there's not much we can do to help. In "real life", people make mockups, whether they're functional or made from paper ... and try them out on friends, colleagues, other victims and get comments and suggestions for improvement. They look at similar devices already on the market, etc.
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2013-06-17 06:57
    Please give me your thoughts .............
    Practice... There's language syntax which is like a tool and there's system design which is conceptual and pattern based. Don't confuse the two.

    IMO, the bast way to start building a project with unknowns is to start with one small piece. Get it working, test it hard, refactor, repeat until thoroughly tested. Then move on to the next chunk. Continue down this path until you have tested all interfaces. Next, integrate the well tested code chunks into a cohesive application. Working in way will cause you to build an abstracted and extensible code base.

    if you need help along the way - Just ask.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-06-17 07:24
    Like MikeG says:
    Start with One peripheral device.
    • Read the data sheet.
    • Make a simplest driver to show you can make it talk.
    • Add one more function until it does what you want (send the piece of data you want, performs the action you want).
    • Repeat for teach peripheral device you want to add.


    Put multiple devices together, add one at a time.
    • Collect an input, control an out put.
    • Repeat until all your devices are added.


    REMEMBER! Be sure a given device is REALLY doing what you need before you add another unknown. You want to work with at most 1 unknown when ever possible, or you will get blow away by the combinatorial explosion from multiple variables. Very messy.
Sign In or Register to comment.