My RTC clock set program seems to be corrupted

AGCB · 2025-03-29 19:04

I been using DS3231 RTCs for a long time but now even after a lot of checking I can't seem to make the setting program work. It just wants to read out zeros after programming. Don't know if I accidentally changed something. I had a computer crash in January and been rewriting a lot of things. Help would be appreciated. It is using 5 volts!

CON

  _clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x      '80 MHz system clock
  _xinfreq = 5_000_000

  SCL = 28
  SDA = 29

  RTC = %1101000




'Timbuf address registers
Seconds = 0
Minutes = 1
Hours   = 2
Day     = 3
Date    = 4
Month   = 5
Year    = 6

'Useful assignments

Sunday    = $01
Monday    = $02
Tuesday   = $03
Wednesday = $04
Thursday  = $05
Friday    = $06
Saturday  = $07

January   = $01
February  = $02
March     = $03
April     = $04
May       = $05
June      = $06
July      = $07
August    = $08
September = $09
October   = $10
November  = $11
December  = $12

OBJ

   PST  :   "Parallax Serial Terminal.spin"
   i2c  :   "I2C SPIN driver v1.4od"
VAR
  byte  Timbuf[7]
  byte answer

PUB  init

'  rtc.startx(sclpin, sdapin)      'startx(sclpin, sdapin)
  PST.start(115_200)
  waitcnt(clkfreq * 3 + cnt)

  I2C.init(SCL,SDA)


    PST.clear
    PST.str(string("Enter 'y' before 3 seconds if you want to set clock:"))
    answer := PST.CharIn
    if answer == "y"
      Settime
    PST.clear  'clear screen          ?????????
    waitcnt(clkfreq / 100 + cnt)
    time
PUB  settime | Idx, t, n      'probably don't need Idx or t


  PST.clear     'clear screen

  n:= 0
  PST.str(string("Enter year (00-99): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[year] := Timbuf[year] << 4 + (n - "0")


  n := 0
  PST.str(string("Enter month (01-12): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[month] := Timbuf[month] << 4 + (n - "0")

  n := 0
  PST.str(string("Enter date (01-31): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[date] := Timbuf[date] << 4 + (n - "0")

  n:= 0
  PST.str(string("Enter hour (01-12) for 12 hr or (01- 23) for 24 hr): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[hours] := (Timbuf[hours] << 4 + (n - "0"))


  PST.str(string("if 12 hour clock desired, press 'y' before 3 seconds:"))
                            'IF NOT PRESS ENTER
    answer := PST.CharIn
    if answer == "y"
      twelve_hour
    Else
      PST.newLine

  PST.str(string("if PM, press 'y' before 3 seconds:"))
 '                                 'IF NOT PRESS ENTER
    answer := PST.CharIn
    if answer == "y"
      afternoon
    Else
      PST.newLine

  n:= 0
  PST.str(string("Enter minutes (00-59): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[minutes] := Timbuf[minutes] << 4 + (n - "0")

  n:= 0
  PST.str(string("Enter seconds (00-59): "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[seconds] := Timbuf[seconds] << 4 + (n - "0")

  n := 0
  PST.str(string("Enter Day of Week. Sun=01,M=02,T=03,W=04,TH=05,F=06,Sat=07 : "))
  repeat until n == $0D
    n := PST.CharIn
    if n => "0" and n =< "9"
      Timbuf[Day] := Timbuf[Day] << 4 + (n - "0")



  Timbuf := I2C.writebytes(RTC,Seconds,@Timbuf[seconds],7) '(device,address,dataAddress,bytes)
 ' PST.bin(timbuf,16)
  waitcnt(clkfreq/2+cnt)


PUB  time

  Repeat
    waitcnt(clkfreq/2+cnt)
    PST.clear    'clear screen
    I2C.readbytes(RTC,0,@Timbuf,7) '(device,address,dataAddress,bytes)
    PST.str(lookup(Timbuf[Day]:string("Sunday"),string("Monday"),string("Tuesday"),string("Wednesday"),string("Thursday"),string("Friday"),string("Saturday")))
    PST.str(string(" "))
    if Timbuf[Month] => $10
      Timbuf[month] -= $06
    PST.str(lookup(Timbuf[Month]:string("January"),string("February"),string("March"),string("April"),string("May"),string("June"),string("July"),string("August"),string("September"),string("October"),string("November"),string("December")))
    PST.str(string(" "))
    PST.hex(Timbuf[Date],2)
    PST.str (string(", "))
    PST.hex($2000 + (Timbuf[year]),4)
    PST.str(string(" "))
    if Timbuf[hours] & %0100_0000   'is true (ie not 0)         'if set for  12-hour time
      PST.hex(Timbuf[hours] & %0001_1111,2)
      PST.str(string(":"))
      PST.hex(Timbuf[minutes],2)
      PST.str(string(":"))
      PST.hex(Timbuf[seconds],2)
      PST.str(string(" "))
      if Timbuf[hours] & %0010_0000
        PST.str(string("pm"))
      else
        PST.str(string("am"))
    else     'if set for 23-hour time
      PST.hex(Timbuf[hours] & %0011_1111,2)
      PST.str(string(":"))
      PST.hex(Timbuf[minutes],2)
      PST.str(string(":"))
      PST.hex(Timbuf[seconds],2)

PUB  twelve_hour
  Timbuf[hours] += $40    'for 12 hour clock

PUB  afternoon
  Timbuf[hours] += $20      'for PM

 {
PRI Prompt(msg, CR)
  PST.str(msg)
  if CR
    PSTclear
 }

JonnyMac · 2025-03-29 22:01

If you want to try another code set to verify that it's not a hardware problem, I've attached my DS3231 object. I've included my I2C object as well.

AGCB · 2025-03-30 15:28

Can I use this on a Prop 1?

Ltech · 2025-03-30 15:42

Yes it is for P1

File extensions:

.spin = P1
.spin2 = P2

AGCB · 2025-03-30 17:16

I tried to use your 'jm_ds3231_demo.spin2' from the library demos but get an error. Is there a spin1 version?

Ltech · 2025-03-30 18:35

in post #2 you have it in the zip file

AGCB · 2025-03-30 18:43

Is there a demo to go along with it?

JonnyMac · 2025-03-30 19:16

Why would you try to use Spin2 code on a P1? You could have spent 10 minutes converting it to Spin1 and would have learned a lot in the process....

JonnyMac · 2025-03-31 17:34

I fixed, refreshed, and uploaded DS3231 drivers and demos for the P1 and the P2 to ObEx.

This is running on the P1:

AGCB · 2025-04-01 08:53

We've been without power for 27 hours due to ice storm.

I've tried everything and can't get it. 3 different Quickstart boards, 4 RTC modules Nothing works. I give up!

JonnyMac · 2025-04-01 16:29

Since I'm human, hence fallible, I downloaded the P1 archive from ObEx, unzipped it to a folder and ran it from there -- this would mean running all of the code that you have. The project tree shows all local files -- nothing from my master library.

It works fine, so I don't think it's on my end.

Things to check

Are you plugging into the correct pins? (The QuickStart can be difficult this way -- Parallax used to make plastic guides with the pin numbers.
Do you have SCL and SDA swapped? (I always use white for SCL and yellow for SDA to prevent problems.)
Are you running from a local folder? (Start there, them move the objects into your main library when you know things are working.)

Rayman · 2025-04-03 16:26

Guess one could also hook up a pullup resistor to 32kHz output pin and see if it has a pulse?
If one put a 10 kOhm resistor between 3.3V and 32 kHz, guess I'd expect the DC voltage there to be 1.65 VDC.
Just guessing, but seems like that's how it should be...

Seems like we need a P1 board with a QWIIC connector to make this kind of thing easier for people...

Rayman · 2025-04-03 17:18

Guess should also make sure the RES\ pin isn't being pulled down somehow...

Rayman · 2025-04-03 17:19

@AGCB is it the Adafruit module you are using or something else?

JonnyMac · 2025-04-03 18:50

Seems like we need a P1 board with a QWIIC connector to make this kind of thing easier for people....

I do that for myself, and agree that it would be good for Parallax to build accessories with the Qwiic socket.

Attached is my latest P1 dev board. It's compatible with P2 accessory modules (I build a lot of custom boards in that format), and it has SAO (Silly Add-On for the hacker #BadgeLife community, Qwiic, Grove, and JST connectors. I changed from a standard 40-pin DIP socket on V1 to this double 2x20 arrangement so I can plug in the FLiP and have a female socket for every pin. This is not my idea -- I liberated it from an RPi Pico dev board.

The second image is my V1 dev board with a DS3231 module I bought from Amazon.

AGCB · 2025-04-03 23:16

I have genuine Parallax Quickstart boards sold by Radio Shack when they were still in business.

JonnyMac · 2025-04-03 23:48

Yeah, me too -- and it still works. You're doing something wrong.

AGCB · 2025-04-04 22:45

I appreciate the time you guys have spent on this. I included the code in post 1 hoping someone would just have a quick look at it.
Thanks
Aaron

Rayman · 2025-04-04 23:08

@JonnyMac is there a version of your i2c scanner that works on P1?

If so, that’s where I’d start with this…
If doesn’t show up there, then it’s a hardware issue.

Next, most i2c things have an id register. I like to read that to make sure all good…

JonnyMac · 2025-04-04 23:52

@JonnyMac is there a version of your i2c scanner that works on P1?

Yes. This is what my DS3231 module returns running the attached program. The RTC is $D0; the device at $AE is an little EEPROM on the same board.

I updated the program today to display the I2C bus pins (I'll add that to the P2 version later).

JonnyMac · 2025-04-05 00:09

I included the code in post 1 hoping someone would just have a quick look at it.

It would be easier for others to try your code if you would attach an archive. I don't have the I2C driver that you use, and I could not find it after 15 minutes of searching in ObEx.

JonnyMac · 2025-04-05 00:17

A few minutes later.....

I found the I2C object you're using in the forums and -- shocker -- the program works (as is) on my FLiP dev board.

I also tested it on my old QuickStart and, unsurprisingly, it works.

Check your wires. This why I'm so specific about the wire colors I use, even on prototypes.

AGCB · 2025-04-05 16:45

Your PST screenshot is exactly what I get all the time regardless of what info is put into the RTC!

AGCB · 2025-04-05 18:54

Wiring is good but I tested the QS board and found both pins 28 and 29 to be faulty. Then won't blink a LED with a simple program. Switched to pin 20 for SCL and 21 SDA and now it works.

I've never used these for anything but I2C on this board and they used to work so don't know what happened.

Thanks Jon and others for your time.
SORRY!

Aaron

JonnyMac · 2025-04-05 22:31

To be honest, your code is a really kind of mess, and messy code often leads to programming errors. After looking at it a bit, I think I sorted out what it wants to do, and wrote my own version using my working DS3231 library. See attached.

We use libraries so that we can "black box" the details of a device or process just once. I'm not saying you have to use my library, or anyone else's library, but it is silly not to take a working library and study it. I rarely use libraries written by others, but I study and learn from them all the time, and I provide appropriate attribution to those whose code I learned from or used in some way.

Do with the attached demo what you will. It works. One of things you may notice is that I try to keep my methods compact, and when I find redundancy, I encapsulate that into another method (for example, the prompted_value() method).

After setting:

Edit: Get updated version for post below.

JonnyMac · 2025-04-06 22:42

Here's another update with a few more features in my DS3231 object.

AGCB · 2025-04-07 12:27

Let me say 1st of all that I appreciate all posts in response to the questions that I ask. I would not ask questions on the forum if I did not want to learn from others.

BUT I am not a professional programmer. Everything I know about it, was self-learned from either the Propeller Manual along with tutorials online or books and help gotten from this forum or others.

I started out with PIC MCUs and I started using assembly code. I bought BOOKS (paper). Multiple times when I asked questions on the PIC forum, I was told I should be using a higher-level language to make things easier. But I considered that as copying others work. I wanted to learn to do it myself. And I did learn to write assembly code for many things like I2C, SPI, 7-seg and LCD displays, ADC, keypads, math, and others.

I've also monkeyed with Arduino. My main gripe about Arduino is that code for everything is already written and full of libraries, most of which I do not understand.

When I found Parallax Propellers and spin code, I again set out to teach myself. I have a drawer full (multiple dozens) of cheap Chinese sensors and gadgets, all of which I wrote code for to make them work. Not to use them necessarily but only to learn how.

When I ask a question, it is not to get other people's code for free but just help me understand a new instruction that I have not used (and probably doesn't have a complete list of examples in the Propeller Manual). I don't want your whole code but only an example of the point I am stumped on or to tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Concerning libraries, I believe in a way that I do use things like libraries that I have written. These are usually methods placed in the top object. And used over and over in that and other projects. I also modify some of the Propeller Library items to be easier for me (a non-typist) to type quickly.

So again, I appreciate all posts in response to the questions that I ask.

Thank you all!
Aaron

My RTC clock set program seems to be corrupted

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