Re-discovering Spin
Rsadeika
Posts: 3,837
Yesterday I got a package from Parallax, which contained, among other things, an HIB board for my QuickStart board. Since I have not used Spin in quite awhile, I thought I would offer up my rendition of a beginners program. I am using the PropellerIDE for this, because it is the latest and the greatest.
The objects that come with an installation of PropellerIDE pretty much covers all the components that are on an HIB, except for one, the uSD card. I did not see any object or DEMO program that would show how to use this. I am sure that this oversight will be corrected in a short time, I hope.
I am also wondering if a specific object should be made that would contain all the methods for using all the components on the HIB, that way you could just use a command format to implement the specific component, just a thought.
Ray
The objects that come with an installation of PropellerIDE pretty much covers all the components that are on an HIB, except for one, the uSD card. I did not see any object or DEMO program that would show how to use this. I am sure that this oversight will be corrected in a short time, I hope.
I am also wondering if a specific object should be made that would contain all the methods for using all the components on the HIB, that way you could just use a command format to implement the specific component, just a thought.
Ray
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'' test1.spin
'' Setup QuickStart board with HIB
CON
_clkmode = XTAL1 + PLL16X
_clkfreq = 80_000_000
OBJ
'' misc : "tools" '' Commonly used methods object
term : "Parallax Serial Terminal" '' Access the debug terminal
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
PUB Start
term.Start(115000) '' Initialise the debug terminal
term.str(string($d,"The blinker program.",$d)) '' Header message
main
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
PUB main
repeat
blink
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
PRI blink
high(16) '' Turn on LED P16.
waitms(500) '' Pause for half a second.
low(16) '' Turn off LED P16.
waitms(500) '' Pause for half a second.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'' These methods would be kept in a seperate object
''
'' How to use - wait(1)
'' Pauses for one second
PUB wait(time)
waitcnt((80_000_000 * time) + cnt) '' This method has a roll over
'' when set for greater than 53 seconds.
'''''''''''''''
'' How to use - waitms(1000)
'' Pauses for one second
PUB waitms(time)
waitcnt(((80_000_000 / 1000) * time) + cnt) '' This method has a roll over
'' when set for greater than
'' 53 seconds.
'''''''''''''''
'' How to use - high(0)
'' Set high P0
PUB high(pin)
DIRA[pin] := %1
OUTA[pin] := 1
'''''''''''''''
'' How to use - low(0)
'' Set low P0
PUB low(pin)
DIRA[pin] := %1
OUTA[pin] := 0
'''''''''''''''
Comments
No. As an example... what protocol would you select for IR in and IR out? Sony? Panasonic?
Creating an object for everything on the HIB just means bloated code; go with individual objects for the pieces that you're using on the HIB for a given project.
I am now using my tools object, so if anybody is playing along, you will have to make that happen in your Spin rendition.
Ray
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '' coged_blink.spin '' '' Setup QuickStart board with HIB CON _clkmode = XTAL1 + PLL16X _clkfreq = 80_000_000 OBJ misc : "tools" '' Commonly used methods object term : "Parallax Serial Terminal" '' Access the debug terminal ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '' Create a stack for the new COGs VAR long cog1stack[10] long cog2stack[10] long cog3stack[10] long cog4stack[10] long cog5stack[10] long cog6stack[10] long cog7stack[10] PUB Start term.Start(115000) '' Initialise the debug terminal '' Header message term.str(string($d,"The coged blink program.",$d)) '' Start the COGs cognew(Cog1LED,@cog1stack) cognew(Cog2LED,@cog2stack) cognew(Cog3LED,@cog3stack) cognew(Cog4LED,@cog4stack) cognew(Cog5LED,@cog5stack) cognew(Cog6LED,@cog6stack) cognew(Cog7LED,@cog7stack) main ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' PUB main repeat misc.high(23) misc.waitms(300) misc.low(23) misc.waitms(300) PUB Cog1LED repeat misc.high(16) misc.waitms(700) misc.low(16) misc.waitms(700) PUB Cog2LED repeat misc.high(17) misc.waitms(600) misc.low(17) misc.waitms(600) PUB Cog3LED repeat misc.high(18) misc.waitms(500) misc.low(18) misc.waitms(500) PUB Cog4LED repeat misc.high(19) misc.waitms(400) misc.low(19) misc.waitms(400) PUB Cog5LED repeat misc.high(20) misc.waitms(700) misc.low(20) misc.waitms(700) PUB Cog6LED repeat misc.high(21) misc.waitms(600) misc.low(21) misc.waitms(600) '' Anybody figure out why this LED is not '' going on/off?? PUB Cog7LED repeat misc.high(22) misc.waitms(500) misc.low(22) misc.waitms(500)For the benefit of some new people, kuroneko, is a Master Guru, in Spin, PASM, and I can only guess at what other programming languages. JonnyMac is more Spin/PASM, plus their are others.
Since I setup my QS_HIB to do some prototyping, the next thing I might try is adding an XBee module and do some IO with that, not sure though.
Ray
Obviously creating IDE archive/zip buttons is a waste of time.
For example:
pri cog_led(pin, mson, msoff) | t ' launch with cognew() dira[pin] := 1 ' make pin output in this cog mson *= clkfreq / 1000 ' convert on ms to ticks msoff *= clkfreq / 1000 ' convert off ms to ticks t := cnt ' sync blink timing repeat outa[pin] := 1 ' led on waitcnt(t += mson) ' wait outa[pin] := 0 ' led off waitcnt(t += msoff) ' waitBTW, I tend to use 16 as my minimum stack size for a simple cog -- crashing the stack is a real nasty bit of business.
TIP: When I have methods in my main program that are going to launch into a cog (as above), I declare them as private to remind me not to call them as standard methods.
Ray
From ObEx that may be helpful:
-- http://obex.parallax.com/object/319
-- http://obex.parallax.com/object/321
Ray
I have a "Glow with the Show'" hat from Disneyland that uses serial over IR (2400 baud) and I've used my HIB to control the hat. Disneyland uses the Propeller in several small projects and this year I will help them revamp a display -- we'll probably throw GWTS hat control in as well.
Ray
I tried to use some of the screen control commands, I was not getting what I expected. For instance, I tried to use the GOTOXY, to place the next read out after the banner, for what ever reason it clears the screen and then nothing shows up after that. Something as simple as that, and I seem to have a problem figuring it out.
I guess the next thing is to create a program that has a remote keypress and a designated HIB LED turn on/off. The key to this is to have an object that has all the decimal key values and a response to each key press.
I was thinking of a project where I would have these different devices in a room, and I would control them with an XBee, now I am thinking if you have one master with an XBee and IR, then I could control the other devices with the IR. Line of site for the IR, I guess I could point the master device at the ceiling and that should alleviate that problem somewhat.
Ray
pub main | key, bc setup ' open PST, select com port, enable, press a key term.rxflush term.rx ' SIRCS demo term.tx(term#CLS) term.str(@Banner) irin.enable ' allow ir input repeat key := irin.rx ' wait for sircs bc := irin.bit_count ' get bit count case bc 12: term.str(string("12 :: ")) ' show bit count term.bin(key >> 7, 5) ' show device code term.tx("_") ' separater term.bin(key, 7) ' show key code 15: term.str(string("15 :: ")) term.bin(key >> 7, 8) term.tx("_") term.bin(key, 7) 20: term.str(string("20 :: ")) term.bin(key >> 12, 8) term.tx("_") term.bin(key, 12) other: if (bc < 10) term.tx("0") term.dec(bc) term.str(string(" :: ")) term.bin(key, bc) term.tx(" ") term.hex(key, 8) term.tx(term#CR) time.pause(250) ' ignore key repeats irin.enable ' re-enable for next keyWhen I need to move the cursor to a specific position (I do a lot of formatted output) I tend to add a method like this:
The only mods that I made to the jm_sircs program was, adding a dec and a hex listing along with the binary that you got originally. Somewhere along the line I will probably add a column header that labels the information, so you know what you are looking at.
The td_sircs program was changed to run with the PropellerIDE, and I found it easier to figure out how to assign some code for the TV remote controller keys. I tested all the keys out with the LED on/off commands. This program is different from the jm_sircs, it does not "sniff" out the controller key codes.
The knk_vga80x25 program is a plug and play demo, it worked with the PropellerIDE and the QS_HIB without a hitch, did not have to change one bit of code to have the demo run. On my 19" widescreen TV set with a vga plug, the characters displayed were very nice, even when the whole screen is filled. Now I have to look into creating an object that has a command structure so I can make it work in place of the "Parallax Serial Terminal".
Somewhere along the line I will probably add a keyboard, once I figure out how the implement the knk_vga80x25 diver to work with it. But first I will try having the td_sircs display a message with a keypress of the TV remote controller, to the TV monitor. So far the one thing that I am missing is some ADC sockets, not sure if I have enough resources left on the QS_HIB to implement that. Now if Parallax could do a cost reduction on the QS_HIB, I think this combo has a lot of potential.
Ray
Ray
'' myQS_HIBset.spin CON _clkmode = XTAL1 + PLL16X _clkfreq = 80_000_000 '' VGA '''''''''''' CON columns = driver#res_x / 9 rows = driver#res_y / font#height bcnt = columns * rows rows_raw = (driver#res_y + font#height - 1) / font#height bcnt_raw = columns * rows_raw CON vgrp = 2 mode = 1 video = (vgrp << 9 | mode << 8 | %%333_0) << 21 CON CURSOR_ON = driver#CURSOR_ON CURSOR_OFF = driver#CURSOR_OFF CURSOR_ULINE = driver#CURSOR_ULINE CURSOR_BLOCK = driver#CURSOR_BLOCK CURSOR_FLASH = driver#CURSOR_FLASH CURSOR_SOLID = driver#CURSOR_SOLID #0, CM, CX, CY ''''''''''''''''''' OBJ misc : "tools" driver : "waitvid.80x25.driver.2048" font : "halfrange8x16-2font" VAR '' VGA ''''''''' long scrn[bcnt_raw / 2] long link[driver#res_m] long cursor '''''''''''''''' PUB Start vga_banner main PUB main repeat PUB vga_banner link{0} := video | @scrn{0} link[1] := font#height << 24 | font.addr link[2] := @cursor * $00010001 driver.init(-1, @link{0}) misc.waitms(50) setCursor(CURSOR_ON|CURSOR_ULINE|CURSOR_FLASH) '' Print string text, non-flashing BG, use %1110_100_1 flash BG printText(%1110_100_0, string("This is the QS_HIBset program")) misc.waitms(50) PRI setCursor(setup) cursor.byte{CM} := (cursor.byte{CM} & !(CURSOR_ON|CURSOR_ULINE|CURSOR_FLASH)) | setup PRI printText(attr, s) repeat strsize(s) printChar(attr, byte[s++]) PRI printChar(attr, c) | x, y c &= 127 x := cursor.byte[CX] y := cursor.byte[CY] attr.byte[1] := c scrn.word[bcnt_raw - y * columns - ++x] := attr ifnot x //= columns y := ++y // rows cursor.byte[CX] := x cursor.byte[CY] := yNow I guess I can experiment with the uSD. The one thing that I noticed was, for PropGCC the driver size was about 9K, and for Spin the size is about 7K, I was under the impression that it would be way smaller for Spin.
The other thing that I noticed, with the HIB installed, when you apply power via the barrel socket, and you have the USB plugged in, when I try to program the chip, PropellerIDE comes back with a "Cannot find a Propeller chip". As soon as I unplug the power from the barrel socket, then the PropellerIDE finds the Propeller chip, is that my board, or is that the way it supposed to work?
Ray
Ray