PicBasic Pro Demo

[nbrucew]

Novice Pic and Basic user. Installed MPlab 8.33 and Pro Demo to decide if I want to learn or go to C. Using Pickit2 programmer and PF16F690. On demo board wrote:

Mainloop: High Portc.0
Pause 1000
Low Portc.0
GOTO mainloop
end

Expected LED pin 0 to blink but just stayed on. Played with just using HIGH Portc.0 command to set pin high and then pause, then High Portc.1, Pause, etc. to get all Pickit2 demo board lights to flash and success. Now wonder if Pro Demo recognizes Low command ...

So two questions .. where can I get list of commands Pro demo supports and what does forum members prefer Basic or "C" for Pic controllers. Retired so $250 for PRO or for "C", to old to learn both and not rich enough to experiment with both.

Thanks for any reply and real novice so bear with me. My wife cannot figure out why I want to blink LED lights in basement .. and sometimes I wonder ...

[Archangel]

Hi nbrucew,
Yeah we have all made that mistake. You turn the light on for 1 second and then you turn it off and loop right? how long is it off, 1 µ second or so ? :D See, it comes back on before your eye detects it is off, add a pause after turning it off and see if things work better. Welcome to the forum!
Addendum: You have a bunch of ANALOG stuff you need to turn off too . . . ANSEL, ADCON CMCON0 . . .
EDIT: I am guessing you bought Chuck's book, a PICKit2 and demo board . . . Yes ?

[mackrackit]

I think Pic Basic Pro is the best out there. Worth the extra money in the long run.

The demo is the same as the full version as far as the commands go, I think.
At the bottom of this page you can find the manual.
http://www.melabs.com/resources/index.htm#Manuals

Sounds like you are going to need to build a neat gizmo for the wife to win her over :)

[dhouston]

Retired so $250 for PRO or for "C", to old to learn both and not rich enough to experiment with both.

While I prefer PBP you might want to look at mikroelectronika which offers Basic, C, Pascal for PIC, dsPIC and Atmel AVR and is free as long as your compiled programs are under 2K in size.

[doggitz]

Just bought the LABX-1 Board, PicBasic Pro and Melabs U2
Using a 16F877a
Here is my program

clear
adcon1 = 7
mainloop:
high portd.0
Pause 500
low portd.0
pause 500
goto mainloop
end

The compiler says that it is compiled successfully and then it loads into the X-1 without error, but it won't run! Nothing happens when I load it into the board/chip. Yes, I have checked to be sure that the polarity of the led bar graph and the JP2 jumper are correct. I have even tried it using low portd.0 just for giggles, and that doesn't work either. I've tested the programmer and the board/chip using the board test program (in hex) supplied with the programmer and it runs fine, making the leds blink, lcd display, etc.

I've read and reread the book but can't find what I'm doing wrong. Sorry to come with such a basic question. My head hurts from banging it in the wall.
Thanks

[dhouston]

Sounds like you are going to need to build a neat gizmo for the wife to win her over :)And if that doesn't work, build a neat gizmo to replace the wife :)

[nbrucew]

Just wanted to say Thanks for all replies. Got all to work. Forgot to set
pins to digital output. Still a lot to learn.

Thanks .. plan on going with PicBasic Pro .. demo seems fairly easy to work with.