Stache for Propeller

Newzed

My SuperMill· - out in the shop- only has a computer with Windows ME.· This means that if I need to change the program or update the DAT list, I will have to disconnect the Prop, bring it·into the office where I have the Propeller Tool, update it, then take it back out to the shop and connect everything up again.· Has any thought been given to a Stache for the Propeller?· I would buy the first one.

Sid

rokicki

With the SD reader stuff, you can simply use a small SD card to "boot" from;
the EEPROM will just have boot code that boots from the SD card.

Mike Green

The difficulty with this is that the current EEPROM write routines write only one byte at a time and the EEPROM requires about 10-20ms to do the write. That's about 10 minutes to rewrite the whole EEPROM ... not great. It's possible to use the faster page mode write operations, but there would have to be new write routines that know about blocks of data and page mode. Maybe Chip could provide us with documentation for the EEPROM file format that the IDE can put out?

Sawmiller

how about a socketed epprom with a nut superglued on top, so you could screw in a short bolt, pull the epprom, plug it in to your prop setup in the house and reprogram ?
dan

Tracy Allen

Hi Sid,

I appreciate your interest in a pstachio. A couple of other people had asked too about a Stache for Propeller, but I don't know. It seems to me as other posts here suggest, that there are so many alternatives with Propeller.

I'd think that one could program one propeller, and then plug it into another unprepped propeller and clone the program from the first into the second. The key is knowledge of the protocol. I'm not sure if Chip and Jeff have documented that yet. It is not straight ascii, as it uses ratiometric timing, so that it can work with the uncalibrated 12mhz RC oscillator.

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Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com

Newzed

Thanks, Tracy.· I hope you decide to purse the idea of a Stache for Propeller.· With the mill and the Propeller out in the shop with no Propeller Tool it is really going to be a pain to drag everything back in here just to revise the DAT list.· In addition to buying the first one, I'll send you some of my home-made beef jerky.

Sid

Paul Baker

Here's a program Chip released which programs one propeller using another: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=591445

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Life is one giant teacup ride.

Newzed

That looks like a very neat object, Paul.

I think the best bet for me right now is to plug in a ZIF soclet in the new board and in the board here in the office.· That way I can easily bring the Prop from the shop in here, reprogram it, then take it back out to the shop.· Nice and clean, so special wiring for Resn or BOEn, and using the ZIFs will preclude any damage to the Prop pins.

Sid

Paul Baker

Sounds like your best interm solution, the ol' sneaker-net (physical transport of information).

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Life is one giant teacup ride.

Sawmiller

so paul, using that propellor loader program,
you could use a lil setup like a propstick, with a mating connector on it to plug into your remote propellor's programing interface, maybe a 4 pin like usbtoser, and download code that way ?
that would be cool. i wonder if you could make the propstick parasite the power needed off the remote prop's power supply.
dan

Paul Baker

well, you would use a serial to serial communication between the propellers, otherwise you'd have to deal with the whole USB master issue. Also Im not sure if the code provided will program an EEPROM connected to the target propeller or just run it from RAM.

But you could use the target propeller's power supply for the programmer propeller.

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Life is one giant teacup ride.