Develop for Prop using an IDE on an Android tablet?

John Kauffman · 2013-09-29 07:31

I'm not getting luck on searching the fora for an answer, maybe I'm asking this wrong.

Is it currently possible or in development that I can open an IDE on my Android tablet, write a program for Prop, load it and run it? It would be great to do small updates in the field without the laptop.

jazzed · 2013-09-29 08:57

Hi John,

What kind of IDE?
A graphical language or text based?
What would you require?

John Kauffman · 2013-09-29 10:43

Jazzed:
Hadn't thought that far, I picture application of Props recording in the field. Then I go out, pull their SD cards and read to Android device. Then maybe need to make adjustment, like sample frequency or re-calibrate. Original program is in Android, can open in Android, make adjustment and load new version into Prop.

I guess text based would solve the problem and be easier.

It is not something I need now, more thinking ahead.

jazzed · 2013-09-29 11:08

Maybe try this?

If the Propeller program is using SD Card, then parameters such as sample frequency can be kept in an SD Card text file and read at program startup. Then it would not be necessary to have a programming environment on the Android to change some variables. A simple Android editor could be used to change the text file(s).

Heater. · 2013-09-29 11:13

Round here somewhere people have made serial connections to their Propellers from Android, via bluetooth I believe.

So if your Propeller program could accept calibaration and other configuration over a serial link and save them back to it's I2C you would not need a complete IDE on your Android. Just a simple app that would allow user entry of the new parameters and send them to the Prop.

One day....SimpleIDE will compile under Qt5. Then it will be possible to compile it for you Android Tablet as Android is now supported by Qt5. Not sure how the programming link works out though, might work over bluetooth.

John Kauffman · 2013-09-29 12:12

Thanks. That lets me know that:

No out-of-box solution now.
Technqiue for entering & getting data without modification to actual program
Probably possible in future

max72 · 2013-09-29 13:36

Forth is used this way. Check tachyon. Peter started with propforth, bur required something different, and created it. He used also propforth for the same purpose.
The cheap bluetooth modules work perfectly for a connection with an Android tablet (ipad is another story, you might need wifi).
Massimo

max72 · 2013-09-29 13:44

I forgot.. if you simply need to change some (predefined parameters) you can do that creating a small serial interface and storing the data in eeprom
If you have a bigger one you can use the upper part, this way if you need to reload the program the data in the upper part of the eeprom is still there.
You can upload a new program (created at home) with a SD card too. So it really depend on your needs.
For instance you can reload the full program from SD if needed, and update some selected parameters using the tablet. This is already possible.
An example for storing parameters is here:
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/147519-Heated-bed-control-for-my-3D-printer

Massimo

rosco_pc · 2013-09-29 17:26

Actually I got quite far:
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/140189-Android-Spin-Tool?p=1103003&viewfull=1#post1103003

Downloading is possible, but you need to have a OTG USB port on your tablet to get that working and the correct drivers/kernel modules for the USB<>serial chip (ftdi or pl2302). Getting the kernel modules can be quite a challenge depending on the tablet you own, and if a device tree/kernel source is available for your tablet.

Develop for Prop using an IDE on an Android tablet?

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