PropellerIDE running on pcDuino3!
dgately
Posts: 1,630
Thanks to Gadgetoid's directions on compiling PropellerIDE in this thread http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/158485-I-really-like-the-new-PropellerIDE!?p=1306267#post1306267 I've compiled the same code on a pcDuino. Here's a few shots of PropellerIDE running on the pcDuino, loading and running a compiled Spin program on a QuickStart... The program is just blinking LED 19 on the QS in this shot.
And thanks to Brett Weir's work, the (deb) installation package places PropellerIDE in the Programming menus for easy access as well...
The pcDuino is an alternative to the RaspberryPi. It's more expensive (pcDuino3 & pcDuino3B are ~$59 U.S.) but much faster. It has an A20 Allwinner ARM chip which runs the same ARM code as RaspberryPi (armhf). This is the same ARM chip as inside several Android tablets. Checkout the LinkSprite website for details.
pcDuino Website:
http://www.linksprite.com/?page_id=782
dgately
And thanks to Brett Weir's work, the (deb) installation package places PropellerIDE in the Programming menus for easy access as well...
The pcDuino is an alternative to the RaspberryPi. It's more expensive (pcDuino3 & pcDuino3B are ~$59 U.S.) but much faster. It has an A20 Allwinner ARM chip which runs the same ARM code as RaspberryPi (armhf). This is the same ARM chip as inside several Android tablets. Checkout the LinkSprite website for details.
pcDuino Website:
http://www.linksprite.com/?page_id=782
dgately
1000 x 774 - 1M
1010 x 643 - 1M
Comments
I have a Python loader in the works, which is an improvement of an improvement of the original loader authored by Remy Blank and posted to these forums. It's focused on providing GPIO-based upload functionality on the Raspberry Pi, but it may be possible to extend it to the PCDuino if it has a suitable Python GPIO library and a serial port broken out on the IO pins.
Have you tried any GPIO-based communication with a Propeller from the PCDuino?
It is the same loader code used in prop-gcc and hence SimpleIDE on the Pi. But modified to use a GPIO pin for the Propeller reset signal.
I have no idea what PropellerIDE uses for a loader. I always thought it used the same as SimpleIDE in which case pi-propeller-load should be a drop in replacement.
Whichever way, whichever language, no special libraries should be necessary for driving serial ports and wiggling GPI bits for Propeller loading. Just use the standard serial port API's and read/write from /sys/class/GPIO to operate the GPIO pin. This is what pi-propeller-load does.
Have not tried a GPIO upload via Python yet. I'll take a look at it this week and update the thread.
@Heater, I'll check out pi-propeller-load as well. Looks like I'll need a pcDuino-built propgcc for this.
dgately
Aye. I'm well aware of and have built and used this in my early prototyping. I replaced it with a Python version for the time being for several reasons- but the most notable being that a single Python script is far easier to distribute to non-technical Pi users than a C application.
The other main reason is more technical and specific to Propeller HAT... and in fact this whole train of thought is just derailing this thread, eep!
Anyway, there some serious progress being made on the documentation front for the Propeller loader protocol, plus some interesting developments and ideas with respect to upload speed- I'm really hoping to see a canonical cross-platform uploader solution in C++/C soon which will be a great boon to SBC users!
Edit: P.S. @Heater, did you get my last email on the 18th Dec?
I'm all in favor of Prop loaders being available in the easiest way for the end user.
The point of my modified loader in C was to make it seamlessly usable for users of prop-gcc and SimpleIDE. My changes did get pulled into prop-gcc, I have no idea if anyone has used or tested it yet.
I'm not sure what you mean by "hoping to see a canonical cross-platform uploader solution in C++/C soon ". This loader has been used on PC, Mac, Linux and with my mods, Raspberry Pi, other ARM boards, MIPS based routers etc.
I have to go back and check my mail, perhaps your mail got lost in the noise, do try again.
By the way, I'm now working on a Prop loader in JavaScript. Hopefully usable in Chrome Apps and under node.js. Then we can have a web based Spin IDE using openspin.js.
Oh yeah, what is " Propeller HAT" ?