Getting start on Propeller

Coolguy · 2007-10-09 03:02

Can anyone of you help guide me to the best place to getting start on Propeller beside the Propeller Manual? I've read through the manual, but there are only few examples. Where can I find more information and experiments so I can practice?

Mike Green · 2007-10-09 03:11

The Propeller Education Kit labs are a good place to start (www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=32305). There are also links to the labs off the "sticky thread" at the start of this forum (http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=617192).

Timothy D. Swieter · 2007-10-09 05:12

Coolguy - do you have programming experience? If so, then I would recommend looking at the various objects in the object exchange. Pick a couple objects that you would know how to write in the language you are familiar with. Study the objects with the Propeller Manual as a reference. You can pick up on the language that way.

I second Mike's comments. The Education Kit is just that, a great tool to learn the propeller.

Do you have one of the propeller kits, demo board, etc? Having the hardware makes all the difference in learning and experimenting.

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Timothy D. Swieter
tdswieter.com

One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode

potatohead · 2007-10-09 05:27

If you don't have hardware yet, there is GEAR. It can be used to run many programs. I use it regularly, when away from the prop. There are limits, but it's a lot better than just thinking through the manual.

In the top of this forum, the stickies, represent a nice collection of starter information. DeSilva has written a nice assembly language tutorial, with some examples. I've done the same, but it's very introductory. Good if you are really new to assembly language, not so good otherwise. I'm gonna snag an education kit, because it's got some nice labs that involve some elementary hardware and just having the nice pool of parts and a flexible setup seems like a great way to explore more on the hardware side of things.

I really like Timothy's suggestion too. That's one of the first things I did. Helps to just see some code and parse it, ability to run it or not.

You can download the Propeller tool, install it, then run some of the supplied reference objects in GEAR. It's slow, but totally useful to see what's going on, make minor changes, etc...

search.parallax.com is your friend [noparse];)[/noparse]

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Propeller Wiki: Share the coolness!

Coolguy · 2007-10-09 15:39

Here is my background:

Hardware development experience, robotics

8051 ASM, C and BASIC
PIC ASM, C and BASIC
68HC11 and 68HC12 C
AVR BASCOM
BASICSTAMP
PICAXE

I’ve been playing with electronics since 1998. I got a BS degree in Electrical Engineering.

I purchased the HYDRA a month ago and hoping this will help me learning Propeller. Appealingly the material focus deeply in to the game and it probably not for beginner for Propeller. I’m look for additional material to teach me to basic of Propeller before I just back on to HYDRA again. I also purchased couple of Propeller DIP IC and EEPROM. So I’m thinking about using those parts on the breadboard to get me up to speed.

The reason why I’m looking into this microcontroller is because the capability of directly display on the TV and VGA monitor. Thanks Mike, Tim and Potatohead for your suggestions. I’ll look into those experiments and go from there.

Potatohead,

Quick question for you, what is the GEAR?

Thanks,
Coolguy

Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL) · 2007-10-09 15:47

GEAR: Propeller Debugging Environment

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=164602

Mike Green · 2007-10-09 15:58

I'd also suggest you try FemtoBasic (obex.parallax.com/objects/28/). There's a compiled version for the Hydra. The main advantage is that it provides you with access to the hardware (the I/O pins and the cog counters) with an interpreter that runs directly on the Hydra. You can enter statements directly (like: OUTA[noparse][[/noparse] 5 ] = 1 or PRINT INA[noparse][[/noparse] 3 ]) and see immediately what they do.

potatohead · 2007-10-09 16:00

There is some display related information on the propeller wiki http://propeller.wikispaces.com Largely game related, but does cover some of the available drivers, colors and other options. Do a search for simple NTSC, or maybe simple_NTSC and you will land on Cardboardguru's very nice explanation / template code for building NTSC display programs. I found this, and ongoing study of the Parallax reference TV driver, very helpful.

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Propeller Wiki: Share the coolness!

rjo_ · 2007-10-09 16:57

Be goal oriented. Learn by doing. (There is so much available that you would need a huge appetite for abstractions to approach the Prop from the usual direction. Just when you think you've mastered the material... you will find out there is more[noparse]:)[/noparse]

Once you have a feel for Spin and are comfortable with (.) objects, it is very easy to accomplish a great deal. Learning in this way makes everything enjoyable and productive.

If you run into something and don't undertand it after sleeping on it... that's a good time to ask for help.

The forum is so full of good stuff that you can easily get caught up reading it... and not doing much with your Prop. In the beginning stick with the sticky threads... it is full of good stuff. Tricks and Traps is great. Graham Stabler has a good thread index where you should go for major subjects.

Choose a project... any project... you'll be amazed by how quickly and easily you will get it done.

D Faust · 2007-10-09 18:51

good reference: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=609066

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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

Fred Hawkins · 2007-10-10 00:29

Coolguy,
Worth mentioning: take the time to study the basic spin files that come along with the tool. I particularly like keyboard.spin and keyboard_demo.spin as basic introduction files. The first for a nice glimpse of spin and assembly and a simple data structure. And keyboard_demo for how simply you can use nicely written methods.
Fred

Bryan K. · 2007-10-10 02:37

I got my start by buying the PropStick kit, and playing around with simple code first, like clock speed, and blinking an LED. I gained most of my knowledge through the propeller manual. It also dives into the multiple processors pretty much right away, I liked that. I would recommend starting there.

D Faust · 2007-10-10 18:23

You recommend a printed copy? (It is kinda expensive.)

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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

CJ · 2007-10-10 18:27

free on the propeller downloads page

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Parallax Forums - If you're ready to learn, we're ready to help.

D Faust · 2007-10-10 18:29

I know, I asked if a printed version was worth the money. Sorry If I wasn't clear.
I wouldn't want to waste all my ink and $$ printing it out.

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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

Getting start on Propeller

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