Spin Tool Question?

electromanj · 2014-01-23 17:03

Hello all!

I have a question regarding Spin Tool. Following is a screenshot from FullDuplexSerial.spin. This page is of no use to me because I do not understand it at all other then the bar graph showing the size of the program sections, but I'm sure it is there for a reason.

My questions are: What does the circled section mean? The section to the left is obviously in hex. What is that page used for, how do you use it, and can it unlock the secrets of the Propeller Based Universe?

Thanks.

traVis.

Duane Degn · 2014-01-23 17:25

electromanj wrote: »

My questions are: What does the circled section mean? The section to the left is obviously in hex.

The right are the printable ASCII characters or special Parallax characters corresponding to the hex values.

From the help menu of the Prop tool if you select "Show character chart" then you can see the hex values corresponding to the various characters. These characters and hex combos are the same seen in the F8 screen.

electromanj wrote: »

What is that page used for,

Unlocking the secrets of the Propeller Based Universe.

electromanj wrote: »

how do you use it,

Carefully.

electromanj wrote: »

and can it unlock the secrets of the Propeller Based Universe?

Yes.

Sorry, I ran out of time. I was attempting to show an example of finding a string within a program.

The hex is what will be loaded in to the Propeller's RAM when you press F10 (or F11). The easiest things to find from your program are strings used.

Hopefully someone else can give you a better answer. I just ran out of time.

electromanj · 2014-01-23 17:32

I'll stay tuned....

Duane, thanks for the quick reply. I have noticed my strings in all of that data before. Is the circled portion just the ASCII equivalent of the hex portion or is there another difference?

How is this part of Spin Tool used by the gurus? Is it useful for troubleshooting?

Thanks.

Dr_Acula · 2014-01-23 18:26

How is this part of Spin Tool used by the gurus? Is it useful for troubleshooting?

I don't think the ascii dump is really much used at all by most programmers. The main part of that screenshot that is useful is the little bargraph which grows as your program grows. Checking that from time to time means you can get a feel for whether the code is all going to fit.

I would just ignore that ascii code.

On the other hand, if you are trying to hack the program to do things it was never intended to do, like compile programs bigger than the propeller memory, yes, that ascii dump is useful. But for that, I am going to change my evening tipple from alcohol to caffeine

Duane Degn · 2014-01-23 19:33

I was trying to remember the times I've used the memory map and all I can think about are times when I've used it to help illustrate the way strings are stored and referenced.

You never want to completely fill the RAM, the Propeller needs so space for cog zero's stack (I think that's what they call it).

electromanj · 2014-01-24 16:13

On the other hand, if you are trying to hack the program to do things it was never intended to do, like compile programs bigger than the propeller memory, yes, that ascii dump is useful. But for that, I am going to change my evening tipple from alcohol to caffeine

Way above my mental paygrade.

Thank you both for your replies. I was really just curious about what I was looking at. I love tools, be they hammers and wrenches or little tiny silicon devices and the IDE's that speak to them. I like to learn how to use them all correctly.

The more you know... que the NBC rainbow stars graphic..... along with "knowing is half the battle!" (I've watched a little television in my time).

P.S. Can someone add a sticky that Duane's avatar does not match his personality.

traVis.

Spin Tool Question?

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