BASIC interpreter for propeller?

Binaryweaver · 2006-09-14 01:59

Are there any plans either from Parallax or from an individual to develop a BASIC interpreter for the propeller?

Martin Hebel · 2006-09-14 03:16

I'd say chances are Zero. The Propeller has a built in interpreter for Spin. It's part of the hardware. Spin is nearly as easy and much more powerful than BASIC, so why bother? A C compiler for cog's machine code would be more likely, but I don't know any specific plans in this area.

-Martin

Dennis Ferron · 2006-09-15 04:00

Not necessarily. What about a Basic Stamp 2 with a Propeller on it instead of a Scenix or PIC? It wouldn't be a "BASIC" interpreter, per se, it would be a "pBASIC" interpreter and a BASIC Stamp emulator, but you could use it in the BASIC Stamp demo boards and the Basic Stamp robots and program it in pBASIC or Spin. Is that doable? Maybe there are technical reasons it wouldn't work. It seems like it should though - I'm surprised Parallax hasn't done it yet.

Mike Green · 2006-09-15 04:27

Parallax hasn't done it yet for several practical reasons: 1) The Propeller chip is several times as expensive as the SX chip used in the Stamps. They hope to sell the Propeller in quantity for something over $10. The SX sells for at most 1/3 of that. 2) The Propeller chip is quite large physically and, even in the smallest package, is much larger than the SX chip. It may not be possible to physically produce a 24 or 40 pin DIP sized hybrid substrate with the Propeller on it. 3) As mentioned already, SPIN is a high level language (more sophisticated than PBasic) already available for the Propeller. Why create another language?.

Despite this, it should be possible to produce a PBasic compiler that would compile PBasic into either SPIN interpretive code or even SPIN source code using a library like the BS2 compatibility library already in the Object Exchange. In the absence of a physically compatible device, it's probably more useful to improve the BS2 compatibility library, improve the Propeller Tool, and publish some specific guides with lots of examples on converting PBasic to SPIN.

Paul Baker · 2006-09-15 16:47

Without going into any specifics, there are currently no plans for a PBASIC Propeller. If you want a PBASIC-like Propeller, use the BS2 library functions availible from the Object Exchange.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Bergamot · 2006-09-16 16:28

Are there any plans at all to use the Propellor in a Stamp-like package? Kind of like a pre-assembled smd propstick?

Paul Baker · 2006-09-18 21:57

Yes, there is a product in development called the PropStick USB which uses the QFN package. It will have·onboard a voltage regulator, eeprom, crystal, ftdi USB and reset switch.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

CJ · 2006-09-18 22:18

color me intrigued

gold star if it has the same footprint as the dip40

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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?

I've killed a fly with my bare mind.

Paul Baker · 2006-09-18 22:52

Yes it does.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

CJ · 2006-09-18 23:01

a worthy successor to the stamp series indeed!

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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?

I've killed a fly with my bare mind.

Paul Baker · 2006-09-18 23:07

Oh wait, theres a bit of confusion here. No I was refering to it being compatible with the 40 pin Propeller in the DIP package, which is not the same as the BS2p40.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Martin Hebel · 2006-09-18 23:54

We were just discussing in class today how the PropStick would have been simplier if it simply had a header to connect a USB2SER or PropPlug/clip thingy to. Made us want to design one [noparse]:)[/noparse]

After talking about the 8051 for 4 weeks for background on 'typical controllers', today was the most energized I've seen the students as we started discussing the propeller and its architecture. Ideas and questions flying at me left and right..... of course that may have been because they got ragged on because most didn't read chapter 1 of the prop manual.

Speaking of the Prop USB, why does the USB2SER and PropPlug have different orders of pins? Aren't they essentially the same thing?

As I get these presentations I am using to teach with and supplement the manual material, I'll post them on line somewhere, and I'll work to make them into a tutorial such as we did with the BS2 Tutorial. Plans were for a text, which may still happen, but this would be the framework for it.

-Martin

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Martin Hebel
Personal Links with plenty of BASIC Stamp info
StampPlot - Graphical Data Acquisition and Control
AppBee - XBee ZigBee / IEEE 802.15.4 Adapters & Devices

CJ · 2006-09-18 23:56

what I meant was that it was born of the search for the right micro to power the next basic stamp and is now taking a stamp-like form.

I was refering to the Propeller DIP40 package, though I can see how it could confuse others

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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?

I've killed a fly with my bare mind.

Mike Green · 2006-09-19 13:27

On the original subject of this thread ... There was a simple Basic interpreter written in SPIN that ran on the Propeller that was posted here shortly after the Propeller was released, I believe based on the TRS-80 Basic. This isn't quite what binaryweaver was asking about, but could be useful nonetheless.

Ym2413a · 2006-09-19 19:24

Mike Green said...
...There was a simple Basic interpreter written in SPIN that ran on the Propeller...

I remember seeing that. It had a small handful of commands.
I can't remember what that post was called though. Oh well.

Mike Green · 2006-09-19 19:31

Here is my copy of the archive. I don't have a link to the thread.

nutson · 2006-09-19 22:05

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=126292&g=126355#m126355

Chris Savage · 2006-09-20 23:47

Martin Hebel said...(trimmed)
Speaking of the Prop USB, why does the USB2SER and PropPlug have different orders of pins? Aren't they essentially the same thing?

Martin,

·· Essentially, yes they are...But here are the differences...The USB2SER was used in the original development of the Propeller.· Later when Chip designed the PropClip he used the newer FT232R.· The USB2SER uses the FT232BQ, which had a higher parts count.· Anyway, when the PropClip was developed the order of the pins for programming was changed, and later when the PropPlug was made it was to be pin (order) compatible with the PropClip rather than the USB2SER.· Take care.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support

Martin Hebel · 2006-09-21 02:29

Thanks Chris, can you tell me if the USB2SER will continue to be a supported/sold product since it seems to have been obsoleted by the others?

-Martin

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Martin Hebel
Personal Links with plenty of BASIC Stamp info
StampPlot - Graphical Data Acquisition and Control
AppBee - XBee ZigBee / IEEE 802.15.4 Adapters & Devices

parsko · 2006-09-21 06:12

Sorry to continue the hijack...

Could someone provide another picture of the bottom of the PropClip?

I just (disconvered) this existed this morning. It looks interesting, but without seeing the back-side and dimensions, how could I make a decision if I need one???

Thanks,

-Parsko

PS- There are other Parallax products that suffer the same single-picture dilemma

BASIC interpreter for propeller?

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