Debug vs regular serial output for Prop Tool
Rayman
Posts: 15,264
in Propeller 2
Still finding it hard to decide between them...
Just spit balling here...
FlexProp IDE and Spin Tools IDE found a way to combine regular serial output with debug output and wishing Prop Tool could do the same...
Wondering if it would be possible to add your regular serial output methods to Debug and then have them go to a separate window in Prop Tool.
Maybe something like:
Debug(tx(13)) debug(str(@"Serial Output"))
But, would be easier to swap in regular serial driver if could be:
debug.tx(13)
debug.str(@"Serial Output"))
Probably asking a lot since Prop Tool hasn't been updated in ages....
And there are probably more pressing things to attend to if it does get updated...
Comments
Have attempted to combine Debug with serial output in the past with "SimplestSerial". Think put in Obex.
But, not happy with that. Seems to get tripped up by anything like starting another cog, etc...
Just had the idea of creating a fake serial object that does nothing.
So, could have regular serial output code that doesn't trip up debug.
Then, can turn off debug and change the serial object definition to a real one...
If Spin Tools IDE had a block select and paste (Alt-drag select) mechanism, code folding in the main window, and bookmarks like Propeller Tool, I would never open PT again. While I think code-folding and bookmarks are possible, what gives PT the ability to to block-select and paste is the underlying architecture of the editor. After chatting with Parallax at their event, I'm pretty sure they're never going to update PT. The good news with @macca and Eric is that they are actively updating their tools, and I have found them willing to implement good ideas.
Still, Parallax said they would never update Prop Tool before. So, made my own Spin2 editor. Then, they updated Prop Tool and made my version irrelevant. So, not giving up hope yet. Also, for me, it's OK the way it is.
Getting regular serial output and DEBUG to play ball required changes to both. Credit to @ersmith for figuring it out.
Annoyingly, there's no easy way to change the DEBUG stub in PropTool. (I guess you could figure out the offset of it in the EXE and patch it...). Not that it's super easy in flexspin either (FYI, it's included into the executable alongside a bunch of built-in support code in the sys directory).
I'm not, either, I routinely push Jeff to do what he can.