SX Programing
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Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
Thanks
programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
Thanks
Comments
schools use to teach SX assembly:
http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/downloads/downloads_sx.htm (go to
the bottom).
Regards,
Al Williams
AWC
* Your Stamp on the Internet?
http://www.al-williams.com/awce/netporter.htm
>
Original Message
> From: iamturbo2000@y... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=vTYRk99cbNJGigXqYBlGz2uILs5dsXGXQog5A_bk-mhOWN_IPossYEEUEkwFeNbnZxSAXF-eKbgboxdw]iamturbo2000@y...[/url
> Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:40 AM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SX Programing
>
>
> Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
> programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
>
> Thanks
>
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
> Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
> programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
>
> Thanks
Having done a lot of both, I think I can give some measure of the
difference. The language itself (assembler language) is somewhat
harder to understand and to write than Basic. You need to be MUCH
more aware of the physical hardware you are using and exactly how it
works. Much of this is hidden from you in a product like the Stamp. I
would rate the language itself as maybe twice or three times as hard.
The real issue for most beginners is that all the functionality you
are used to having in a language like Basic, you must do yourself in
assembler language. You can find some canned routines to do serial
communication, for example, but you must adapt them to work for you
in your program. Things like pulse outputs, communication with
external devices, even doing math, require code that you write or
borrow from somewhere. Only the most rudimentary operations are done
directly by the SX processor. For example add/subtract of 8 bit
values is all you get. Multiply/divide? Do it yourself. There are
dozens of functions in Basic that have no direct equivalent.
This means that you will be MUCH less productive in getting actual
results in assembler than you will in Basic. I would guess a ratio of
about 20 to one or more, in terms of useful functions provided per
hour of work. And debugging of assembler can be notoriously difficult
because you can easily destroy data anywhere in the processor with
ease. I say all this, not to discourage you, but to make you aware of
what you are in for, so you can decide whether it is worthwhile for
the task you are trying to accomplish.
What is the upside of assembler? Some types of functionality can ONLY
be done in assembler because of the speed requirements. If your need
is such that assembler is really a good fit, you may find some things
can be run 10 to 100 times faster or more in assembler.
For example, we sell a control board that was designed for model
railroad use. One function of this system must read an input signal
and selectively output an image of this signal to as many as four
other pins. And it has to do this about half a million times per
SECOND, while also doing full duplex serial communication and five or
six other functions, all simultaneously. There is no way this could
be done other than in assembler language.
If you have a need for increased speed, but don't want to climb the
assembler learning curve, there are some BASIC compilers available
that will run somewhat faster than Stamp BASIC. I'm not sure if there
is one that targets the SX chip or not, but there are BASIC compilers
for PICs and Atmel chips, and C compilers for many chips. But be
aware: compiled programs MAY run somewhat faster than interpreted
programs (like we have in the Stamp), but the difference is not
necessarily all that much. In some cases, a good interpreter on a
fast processor will actually be better than a compiled program on a
slower processor. And, in the limited arena where assembler must be
used, nothing can even come close to it for speed.
Chuck
assembly. But if you're facing a development product deadline, there are
major advantages in investing in a C compiler which supports the SX among
other microcontrollers.
This is just my .02 after years of programing Assembly and now writing a lot
of C/C++.
Dennis
Original Message
From: "Al Williams" <alw@a...>
To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SX Programing
> It isn't so bad. Check out my texts on SX programming that several
> schools use to teach SX assembly:
>
> http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/downloads/downloads_sx.htm (go to
> the bottom).
>
> Regards,
>
> Al Williams
> AWC
> * Your Stamp on the Internet?
> http://www.al-williams.com/awce/netporter.htm
>
>
> >
Original Message
> > From: iamturbo2000@y... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=h1NEkTh-pp01Gl7lTlpSXpcEMaPa1bYG-Nezh0V1gu2_yjERpYHoUVgmTgAk2JWCvtiffcxJaCUlmC_M_LjJu2Y]iamturbo2000@y...[/url
> > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:40 AM
> > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SX Programing
> >
> >
> > Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
> > programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
>
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
Body of the message will be ignored.
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
appreciate them and they can be downloaded for free.
I myself though had knowledge of basic, C, Java befor I delved in and
an extensive background in Plc logic (Allen Bradley and such), they
all work hand in hand.
As for the original question just read and take some time to do the
examples and it will come to you. Much cheaper to buy an sx than a
stamp. But I will confess, I use the stamp for rapid development
when I need to see results now.
Timothy Hosey
E/EE Tech
Thanks again Al for the great books.
--- In basicstamps@y..., "Al Williams" <alw@a...> wrote:
> It isn't so bad. Check out my texts on SX programming that several
> schools use to teach SX assembly:
>
> http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/downloads/downloads_sx.htm
(go to
> the bottom).
>
> Regards,
>
> Al Williams
> AWC
> * Your Stamp on the Internet?
> http://www.al-williams.com/awce/netporter.htm
>
>
> >
Original Message
> > From: iamturbo2000@y... [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:iamturbo2000@y...]
> > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:40 AM
> > To: basicstamps@y...
> > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SX Programing
> >
> >
> > Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
> > programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> > basicstamps-unsubscribe@y...
> > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
like this freely available.
Al Williams
AWC
* Easy RS-232 Prototyping
http://www.al-williams.com/awce/rs1.htm
>
Original Message
> From: thosey@w... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=dn5oY76lzXDs-74b_-lc4Enl0d21fclqILcH5WMbiuM5IsOPCe6H7QjmjnJTDit3iKCSW32BBxaVWkcFiVdxUw]thosey@w...[/url
> Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 10:17 PM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: SX Programing
>
>
> Al, those books are great! I have learned much from them and really
> appreciate them and they can be downloaded for free.
> I myself though had knowledge of basic, C, Java befor I delved in and
> an extensive background in Plc logic (Allen Bradley and such), they
> all work hand in hand.
> As for the original question just read and take some time to do the
> examples and it will come to you. Much cheaper to buy an sx than a
> stamp. But I will confess, I use the stamp for rapid development
> when I need to see results now.
> Timothy Hosey
> E/EE Tech
>
> Thanks again Al for the great books.
>
>
>
> --- In basicstamps@y..., "Al Williams" <alw@a...> wrote:
> > It isn't so bad. Check out my texts on SX programming that several
> > schools use to teach SX assembly:
> >
> > http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/downloads/downloads_sx.htm
> (go to
> > the bottom).
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Al Williams
> > AWC
> > * Your Stamp on the Internet?
> > http://www.al-williams.com/awce/netporter.htm
> >
> >
> > >
Original Message
> > > From: iamturbo2000@y... [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:iamturbo2000@y...]
> > > Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:40 AM
> > > To: basicstamps@y...
> > > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] SX Programing
> > >
> > >
> > > Can Someone tell me how hard it is to learn SX? I am a newbe at
> > > programing (PBasic only). I would like to learn more.
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > >
> > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@y...
> > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> > > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
> > >
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> > >
>
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>