Penguin Code versus Toddler Code - port comparison, etc.

LoopyByteloose · 2007-09-20 14:16

I haven't yet gotten a Penguin, but I have a perfectly good Toddler right next to me.

I am just wondering if anyone has moved Penguin programs over to the Toddler and noted any significant differences.· I suspect that I can do it without difficulty.

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"Everything in the world is purchased by labour; and our passions are the only causes of labor." -- David·Hume (1711-76)········

···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

Humanoido · 2007-09-20 15:55

Kramer, yes you can port Toddler code to
Penguin by making a few adjustments, keeping
the following in mind:

1) The servos are on different ports
2) The servos have different motion limits
3) Calibration is different due to the new motion limits
4) Timing is different with the faster 2px

5) Sensors are on different ports
6) Sensors have different timing
7) FREQOUT will require frequency & timing adjust
8) Peizo speaker is on a different port
9) IR Transmitter frequency will change due to the differences in clock pulse

Please add any additional items left out.
For the photodetectors and IR receiver/transmitters, you can
refer to some very nice code written by David Carrier to see
the ports, timing, code, etc. He recently posted updates to
the original code. Otherwise, refer to the Penguin manual for
a ports listing.

Penguin Documentation
www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/robo/27313-6%20PenguinDoc-v1.0.pdf

Penguin Code
www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/robo/PenguinCode.zip

Penguin Code Updated
forums.parallax.com/forums

humanoido

LoopyByteloose · 2007-09-21 16:32

Thanks,
The references make is all very easy to get going. The adjusting of motion limits is no big deal.

That list is enough to get started. I suppose I could have my Toddler driven by a BS2px in order to reduce converting all the timing factors. Then it would be mostly I/O redistribution.

I have a BS2px sitting right here, so it seems the right thing to do. It has more software features, more RAM and programing space too.

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"Everything in the world is purchased by labour; and our passions are the only causes of labor." -- David·Hume (1711-76)········

···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

Humanoido · 2007-09-22 04:01

Thanks Kramer, glad to help. The motion limits are
posted in the forum and listed in the Penguin manual.
You're right, these are just minor adjustments.
Running the Toddler on the 2px sounds like a good
idea while you're waiting for Penguin to arrive! I'm
sure Toddler robot will get a supercharged platform
out of it! Your 2px - is it a single chip or on a board?

Which Toddler programs will you work on converting
to the 2px platform? It will be interesting to compare
these converted programs with current Penguin
programs! There's also some Toddler modified
programs posted in the Toddler Group you may want
to look at. This is a great project and very worthwhile.
Please keep us informed of your progress.

humanoido

LoopyByteloose · 2007-09-23 10:38

I was thinking of moving code in the other direction - converting the Penguin programs to the Toddler platform, but using a BS2px. The Penguin takes advantage of the additional memory and speed. The Toddler originally has a BS2 [noparse][[/noparse]great on power consumption at a mere 9ma, but there are rechargible CR123 batteries] and is more limited in many ways.

I have pretty much worked through the Toddler code and since the Penguin is a later generation, I suspect that the NEW code and NEW goodies will make the Toddler provide me with more fun.

The only disadvantage is that the Todder requires a floor rather than a table top to work with. I keep worrying about kicking it or stepping on it. And of course, you can easily put the Penguin in your knapsack and show it off to friends. The Toddler is a whole shoebox to move.

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"Everything in the world is purchased by labour; and our passions are the only causes of labor." -- David·Hume (1711-76)········

···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

Post Edited (Kramer) : 9/23/2007 5:46:57 PM GMT

D Faust · 2007-09-23 10:50

Couldn't you use conditional compilation so the constants would change based on the directive you put in?

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LOOKDOWN ThisThread, [noparse][[/noparse]Your_?, My_?, Cool_Thing], looknum
LOOKUP looknum, [noparse][[/noparse]1, 2, 3], subnum
ON subnum GOTO Hope_this_helps, Thanks!, WOW!!
END

Humanoido · 2007-09-23 14:28

D Faust, yes, very good idea! Bby creating multiple sets of
constants a directive could call one robot code or the other,
keeping in mind all changes required. And why not?
The microcontroller should do all the work and be
flexible. However, it's most likely this code would
overflow the first page of EEPROM, thus requiring
two sets of code to load via the Editor. And that is
certainly doable. Are you thinking of working on this
unique duality code?

humanoido

D Faust · 2007-09-23 15:41

No, I don't have a toddler or penguin, just a boe-bot. I read about the idea somewhere else in thye forums.

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LOOKDOWN ThisThread, [noparse][[/noparse]Your_?, My_?, Cool_Thing], looknum
LOOKUP looknum, [noparse][[/noparse]1, 2, 3], subnum
ON subnum GOTO Hope_this_helps, Thanks!, WOW!!
END

LoopyByteloose · 2007-09-23 17:50

I'm sorry but I just hate conditional compilation. Generally it adds pages of preamble before you get to the guts of a program.

I am looking for the core concepts, not universal software.

While it is great for Parallax to release such code with accessories because the user can immediately verify the new device works properly, it is a real distraction to learners. They get lost and never move ahead.

So, I learn more from having to adapt specific code to another device than I could ever learn from trying to sort out which conditional compilations apply to what.

I strongly suspect that Senix Ubicom drove away sales by trying to provide complete conditional compilations along with the more important virtual peripherals concept.· I have to substantially strip thier code examples down from 20 or more pages to 3 or 4 before I can learn anything.

If you want to learn, keep it short.

Guenther's text is wonderful because it keeps it all simple.

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"Everything in the world is purchased by labour; and our passions are the only causes of labor." -- David·Hume (1711-76)········

···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

Post Edited (Kramer) : 9/23/2007 5:58:20 PM GMT

Humanoido · 2007-09-24 06:11

Very good points.
There's a time and place for everything
and I expect the place for code of duality
nature is for "user" simplicity, and not
necessarily for one who is learning code or
sorting it out bit by bit for advanced
modifications. It would probably take
three times as long to complete duality
code over that of a singular nature but
that's just a guess.

Besides, you'd have to rewire Toddler
robot or Penguin robot to get that kind
of compatibility. It does sound like a
very interesting project to replace the
original Toddler board with one from
Penguin. It's lighter, smaller, faster,
and the PBasic language dialect is more
powerful. Plus, the compass,
2 photodectors, segment display, IR
transmitter, 2 IR receivers, power LED,
reset button, and expansion port are
already there for use. It's almost
plug-n'-play for people who want to
concentrate on immediate results.

humanoido

Penguin Code versus Toddler Code - port comparison, etc.

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