Welcome to the Propeller Tool software for the Propeller microcontroller. This file contains information about the Propeller Tool not found elsewhere. WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION Documentation on this product is contained in the Propeller Manual. Please visit the Parallax web site periodically to find updated software and documentation. http://www.parallax.com/propeller SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Windows 2000 or later The recommended processor for the Operating System The recommended RAM for the Operating System 20 MB Free Hard Drive Space 24-bit, or better, SVGA video card 1 Available USB port or COM port INSTALLATION The Propeller Tool is available as an install file downloadable from the Parallax web site. Simply run the downloaded file and follow the prompts. After installation, run the Propeller.exe program to run the Propeller Tool software. WHAT'S NEW ---------- Version 1.05.8 ---Bug Fixes--- Updated compiler to fix bug causing local labels of exactly 16 characters to be processed incorrectly. This was fixed in version 1.05.5 but was mistakenly broken again in v1.05.6 and v1.05.7. Version 1.05.7 ---Bug Fixes--- Fixed scaling issues with Progress window, Object Info window, and Preferences window, that occur when system has a DPI setting other than 96 dpi. Fixed to disallow filenames without the proper extension. This is to support .spin, .eeprom, and .binary in one deterministic fashion. Fixed bug preventing .binary or .eeprom files (listed on the command line) from opening upon initial startup. Version 1.05.6 Updated compiler to support $ as a "here" operator. Version 1.05.5 ---General--- Added preference item to the Operations tab to control how the Propeller Reset Signal is output. The signal can now appear on the: DTR pin (default), RTS pin, or on both DTR and RTS pins. Added "undo after save" preference item to the Files and Folders tab. ---Bug Fixes--- Updated compiler to fix bug causing local labels of exactly 16 characters to be processed incorrectly. Updated serial communication routines to including scanning of COM ports that don't register normally with the system. This issue was preventing some manufacturer's COM port devices from being recognized by the Propeller Tool. Version 1.05.2 ---General--- Enhanced to allow stub-loader configurations of binary and eeprom files. Adjusted Info View to display memory info and map in dark gray for everything that could be code space (based on image size) and medium-gray for everything that is outside that region. Adjusted look of block syntax preference items. Removed *.binary and *.eeprom from normal Save As dialog. Enhanced compiler to: 1) Support a new directive, ORGX, to allow user to stop COG address incrementing for large-model assembly programs. 2) Enhance arguments of ORG, RES, FIT, and ‘repeat’(in BYTE/WORD/LONG value[repeat]) so that they are allowed the same scope as instruction operands. 3) Support RES as _RET destinations. 4) Support TESTN instruction (which is an ANDN instruction, no result write... similar to how TEST is really an AND, no result write). Updated syntax highlighting to include ORGX. Updated syntax highlighting for TESTN. Enhanced to refresh the file list if a Top Object File was SaveAs'd. Added help menu items for the Propeller Quick Reference, Propeller Manual and Propeller Demo Board Schematic. ---Bug Fixes--- Fixed bad syntax highlighting when an equal immediately follows a comment in CON section ( '= ). Fixed corrupt label on About window that caused immediate exceptions upon execution. Fixed Progress display to show current compiled code rather than the last object name in the immediate chain. Fixed bug causing multiple versions to mistake each other's auto-recover files as their own. Fixed bug causing exceptions upon resizing edits. Fixed bug causing tab to be activated without updating status bar after a tab was deleted. Fixed Info Window to properly color code the Info Box and the Memory Map. Fixed source location methods to prevent rare error when creating an Archive. Version 1.0 ---General--- Added Preferences feature (Edit -> Preferences). Includes options for changing syntax highlighting, file association checks, launching into single or multiple editors, showing/hiding bookmarks, line numbers, and block group indicators, auto-recover, saving and loading syntax schemes. Updated color scheme. Standardized sounds for all messages. Enhanced forms to reposition themselves if they are more than 50% outside of visible space. Optimized compilation process. Enhanced Find/Replace to allow blank Replace fields (so user can replace text with nothing if desired). Enhanced serial routines to prevent tool from hogging CPU cycles unnecessarily. Added Auto-Recovery feature; if a system failure occurs, the next session recovers the last-used files up to the point they were last compiled and relays options to user. Eliminated limit of 32 objects per Propeller Application. Modified to decrease startup time by retaining Show Recent Only button state between sessions (press Show Recent Only button to limit Integrated Explorer's workload). Enhanced Archive error message "Object View Empty..." to be more clear. ---Bug Fixes--- Eliminated memory leak in compilation process. Fixed bug preventing undo/redo after saves. Fixed issue causing the tool to process many key presses twice. Fixed bug that allowed out-of-range font size values. Fixed menus from responding during application initialization. Fixed syntax highlighting of code and doc comments after a LONG declaration in DAT block. Fixed syntax highlighting of WORD and LONG declarations in DAT block after line end. Fixed syntax highlighting of assembly local labels after instruction. Fixed syntax highlighting of = operator after 2 or more spaces in CON block. VERSION 0.98 ---General--- Updated/Added Objects in Library. Updated compiler to support multi-pass CON/VAR/OBJ blocks to allow CON-defined constants to be used throughout those blocks. Updated syntax highlighting rules to support IFNOT and ELSEIFNOT reserved words. Enhanced Info's OpenFile method to indicate that file may not be a Propeller Application file, upon error. Added Close All Others option to both Edit shortcuts and Edit Tab shortcuts. Updated compiler to support TRUNC, ROUND, and FLOAT as automatic CONSTANT directives in addition to their normal tasks. Adjusted parser rules to not use _, $, or % as delimiters so that labels with underscores, or hex or binary numbers are selected properly with double-clicks. Enhanced serial communication to prevent sticking on invalid ports and to user better feedback. Modified/Updated Shortcut keys to following: Ctrl + Shift + B : Show/Hide Bookmarks Ctrl + Shift + N : Show/Hide Line Numbers Ctrl + B : Toggle current line's bookmark on/off Ctrl + N : New file Ctrl + W : Close current file ALT + T : Set Current File as Top File. Removed Minimize/Maximize buttons from Object Info window. Removed "+ Run" from Load RAM and Load EEPROM menu options. Removed Load EEPROM menu option. Updated hints. Made corresponding changes to Object Info window. Removed F12 and Ctrl + F12 as a shortcut keys. Enhanced to allow opening *.binary and *.eeprom files into Object Info window. Updated compiler to error out when literals greater than 9 bits are used in the source field of assembly instructions. Enhanced Archive to enabled status all the time; it now prompts user if the Object View is empty. Updated compile to fix STRING bug when in CASE-OTHER block. ---Bug Fixes--- Fixed bug in Archive feature that caused it to truncate binary files. Fixed bug causing Edit Tab shortcuts Close and Close All to not necessarily match up with that of Edit shortcuts. VERSION 0.95.1 ---General--- Added copyright notice to About window. Updated/Added Objects in Library. ---Bug Fixes--- Updated compiler to fix REBOOT command. Updated Parallax font to v0.70. VERSION 0.95 Initial pre-release.