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VB for Stamp — Parallax Forums

VB for Stamp

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-11-22 01:43 in General Discussion
Hihi..
I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic language is used
to program it. I would want to know whether visual basic can be used
to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?

Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and automation
system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board be used?? or is it
meant for doing robotics only?

Thankz!

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-14 04:12
    Visual BASIC is designed for desktop applications and lacks a lot of
    features required for embedded controllers (since the language was not
    designed for embedded control) ... so the short answer is no, you cannot
    program the BASIC Stamp in VB. PBASIC, however, is quite capable,
    includes high-level constructs like IF-THEN-ELSE, SELECT-CASE, etc.,
    that you would find in other versions of BASIC and, more importantly,
    has specialized embedded commands. At the risk of editorializing,
    PBASIC is slim-and-trim, VB is bloatware when in comes to micros.

    Many have built all descriptions of automation systems with the various
    flavors of BASIC Stamps. The BASIC Stamp can do whatever you program it
    to do -- robots is just one of the popular applications of BASIC Stamps.
    The limit is only your own imagination.

    -- Jon Williams
    -- Applications Engineer, Parallax
    -- Dallas Office



    Original Message
    From: hysteric_kitt [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=T1gYTGzX0wL_97e424cV4tGOmF26IV_4BlHJxP7R9zoCK2k3kIGM7xTn2Mg7m5PmAE4nMmljqYBubwRQ175B]hysteric_kitt@h...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 7:01 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] VB for Stamp


    Hihi..
    I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic language is used
    to program it. I would want to know whether visual basic can be used
    to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?

    Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and automation
    system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board be used?? or is it
    meant for doing robotics only?

    Thankz!



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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-14 05:02
    You can accomplish a lot with stamp, but you have to do your homework
    first.

    Basic Stamp is a micro controller generally intended to react to an
    input, do some processing and than change state of the output. The
    number of inputs, processing space (software code), processing power
    (variety of operators) and inputs is limited.
    The desired task must fit into this hardware and software space. If
    it fits - go for it, if it does not - use different hardware /
    software platform. The development tool – Parallax editor – is
    specifically designed to work within this hardware and software
    space.

    As far as using VB to code Basic Stamp – you probably could - but why?

    VB was specifically developed to build code for Windows environment
    not for Basic Stamp. Does someone make software to "translate"
    regular VB to talk "Basic Stamp"?
    I do not know, but even if they did, you will have a fancy graphical
    interface that does not write the code, you do! VB IDE "desktop" can
    get pretty cluttered with all the forms, dialogs etc. All this GUI
    stuff obliterates the actual code.

    When writing code for stamp in Parallax editor you do not have to put
    up with too much fancy distraction – you see your code!

    But I `ll admit, debugging in VB IDE is lot easier!

    Cheers Vaclav
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-14 14:43
    For home automation and control, the Stamp is
    a very nice platform. With that, an X10
    'firecracker' interface, and a few X10 modules,
    you can put together a 'send only' home controller.

    If you want to monitor the power line, that
    takes the 'Home Run' computer interface -- I
    believe it's called the CM11, also available
    from X10.

    The X10 approach takes care of the 110 volts
    AC part of the project, and lets you concentrate
    on the programming. It also allows you to control
    sockets 'far away' from your BS2 or PC.

    I don't work for X10, I just appreciate their
    hardware. And the BS2 makes a nice controller,
    in the 'Board Of Education' package.

    As has been said, you can't use VB to program it.
    However, the new PBasic 2.5 is quite nice.



    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "hysteric_kitt"
    <hysteric_kitt@h...> wrote:
    > Hihi..
    > I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic language is
    used
    > to program it. I would want to know whether visual basic can be
    used
    > to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?
    >
    > Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and automation
    > system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board be used?? or is
    it
    > meant for doing robotics only?
    >
    > Thankz!
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-14 15:49
    you can do just about anything you wish to imagine with the stamp. I've
    used them in alarm systems, robot control, industrial controls with sensors
    and motors, laser control, marking equipment control, automation, toys, etc.
    If you want something to happen in response to an input (audible,
    mechanical, visual, serial data, etc.) you can use the stamp to help make
    it happen. Also, use the supplied pbasic to program it. Anything else just
    adds another layer of complexity to the project and produces nothing and if
    you are already familiar with visual basic, you already understand how to
    write the code that is necessary.
    jim
    http://www.geocities.com/jimforkin2003/


    Original Message
    From: hysteric_kitt [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=FEYMmUcrgDIQGZf16uTI8g3ErZgy4yZdTBY18bD4CzZpOupkPi0QJZvvcoKbFw02G4N0vox39xyI-neTD7RavrZi]hysteric_kitt@h...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 8:01 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] VB for Stamp


    Hihi..
    I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic language is used
    to program it. I would want to know whether visual basic can be used
    to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?

    Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and automation
    system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board be used?? or is it
    meant for doing robotics only?

    Thankz!



    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.


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-21 17:57
    you can communicate with your stamp through the serial communications port with
    visual basic. use mscomm event.

    Jon Williams <jwilliams@p...> wrote:Visual BASIC is designed for desktop
    applications and lacks a lot of
    features required for embedded controllers (since the language was not
    designed for embedded control) ... so the short answer is no, you cannot
    program the BASIC Stamp in VB. PBASIC, however, is quite capable,
    includes high-level constructs like IF-THEN-ELSE, SELECT-CASE, etc.,
    that you would find in other versions of BASIC and, more importantly,
    has specialized embedded commands. At the risk of editorializing,
    PBASIC is slim-and-trim, VB is bloatware when in comes to micros.

    Many have built all descriptions of automation systems with the various
    flavors of BASIC Stamps. The BASIC Stamp can do whatever you program it
    to do -- robots is just one of the popular applications of BASIC Stamps.
    The limit is only your own imagination.

    -- Jon Williams
    -- Applications Engineer, Parallax
    -- Dallas Office



    Original Message
    From: hysteric_kitt [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=AoTUtFQnU-NN_Y9EAoMQzy2v0A-oUocn09X-PhxCAc-m-rS6_zzmPRiOyuRhUuA-RFYzlW4w_Cm_FuzNYf-p6wIgvA]hysteric_kitt@h...[/url
    Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 7:01 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] VB for Stamp


    Hihi..
    I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic language is used
    to program it. I would want to know whether visual basic can be used
    to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?

    Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and automation
    system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board be used?? or is it
    meant for doing robotics only?

    Thankz!



    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
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    and Body of the message will be ignored.


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    This message has been scanned by WebShield. Please report SPAM to
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    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-22 01:43
    Hi,
    I have uploaded a file for the serial protocol demo to
    the group. This vb project shows how to program a BSII
    in vb. I am also now able to program the BSII using
    NSBASIC CE ,nsbasic.com . It's exactly like vb.
    Good Luck,
    Curtis

    --- Jigorok Ano <gorodaimon321@y...> wrote:
    > you can communicate with your stamp through the
    > serial communications port with visual basic. use
    > mscomm event.
    >
    > Jon Williams <jwilliams@p...> wrote:Visual
    > BASIC is designed for desktop applications and lacks
    > a lot of
    > features required for embedded controllers (since
    > the language was not
    > designed for embedded control) ... so the short
    > answer is no, you cannot
    > program the BASIC Stamp in VB. PBASIC, however, is
    > quite capable,
    > includes high-level constructs like IF-THEN-ELSE,
    > SELECT-CASE, etc.,
    > that you would find in other versions of BASIC and,
    > more importantly,
    > has specialized embedded commands. At the risk of
    > editorializing,
    > PBASIC is slim-and-trim, VB is bloatware when in
    > comes to micros.
    >
    > Many have built all descriptions of automation
    > systems with the various
    > flavors of BASIC Stamps. The BASIC Stamp can do
    > whatever you program it
    > to do -- robots is just one of the popular
    > applications of BASIC Stamps.
    > The limit is only your own imagination.
    >
    > -- Jon Williams
    > -- Applications Engineer, Parallax
    > -- Dallas Office
    >
    >
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: hysteric_kitt
    > [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=BPBHw2s8z20r_RSish7WZoDJI5LWucCA7Jz1Z_LBPVB-gqzs_1M_c-RCs2hc9rSh9LM25bzJCqlDOvriWL0i3vQ5]hysteric_kitt@h...[/url
    > Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 7:01 PM
    > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] VB for Stamp
    >
    >
    > Hihi..
    > I'm new to this basic stamp, but i know that Pbasic
    > language is used
    > to program it. I would want to know whether visual
    > basic can be used
    > to program it instead? How do I go about doing it?
    >
    > Currently doing a school proj on home monitoring and
    > automation
    > system. Can the basic stamp and a controller board
    > be used?? or is it
    > meant for doing robotics only?
    >
    > Thankz!
    >
    >
    >
    > 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/
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > This message has been scanned by WebShield. Please
    > report SPAM to
    > abuse@p....
    >
    >
    > 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/
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > Do you Yahoo!?
    > Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now
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    > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been
    > removed]
    >
    >
    > 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/
    >
    >


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