Advice-scrutiny for my serial controller

Hello all,
It's been a long while since my last project...here I go again! I would like some advise-scrutiny-thoughts regarding my latest endeavor. It involves two "boards": a master board (with loop-out to other masters), and daughter boards (4 per master). The master is a 16F871, and the daughters each have a 16F88. I would love some pointers as to proper register setups, uart setups, etc. Most of all, if it'll work at all with how I'm trying to command them! I'll let the code explain the rest.
Thank you all for helping a long-time newbie!

Code:

' MASTERBOARD.BAS 'TO DO: SET ALL REGISTERS AND DEFINES Include "modedefs.bas" define OSC 20 ADCON1 = %00000110 SerInPin var PORTC.7 SerOutPin var PORTC.6 ADRpin var PORTB.0 ProgLED var PORTB.7 HrtbtLED var PORTB.6 Address var byte OutPin var byte OutLevel var byte BoardAdd var byte UpdPinLvl var byte low Progled LOW HRTBTLED Start: if Adrpin then serin SerInPin,t9600,["ADDRESS"],boardadd IF (boardadd > 0) and (boardadd < 256) THEN write 0,boardadd high Progled pause 1000 low progled serout seroutpin,t9600,["Board address set to ",boardadd,13] else serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Address ",boardadd," not valid! Please use 1 to 256.",13] endif goto Start else read 0,boardadd serin SerInPin,t9600,["A"],address '1 - 256 IF (ADDRESS > 0) and (ADDRESS <= 256) THEN if address = boardadd then serin SerInPin,t9600,["O"],outpin '1 - 24 if (outpin > 0) and (outpin <= 24) then serin SerInPin,t9600,["L"],outlevel '0 = OFF, 5 = 5%, 10 = 10%, ...50 = 50%,...100 = 100% (by 5's) if outlevel <= 100 then write outpin,outlevel 'Output will match EEPROM location read outpin,UpdPinLvl serout seroutpin,t9600,["Updated output ",outpin," to level ",UpdPinLvl * 5,13] select case outpin case 1 serout portA.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 1 case 2 serout portB.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 2 case 3 serout portA.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 3 case 4 serout portB.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 4 case 5 serout portA.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 5 case 6 serout portB.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 6 case 7 serout portE.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 1 case 8 serout portA.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 2 case 9 serout portE.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 3 case 10 serout portA.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 4 case 11 serout portE.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 5 case 12 serout portA.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 6 case 13 serout portC.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 1 case 14 serout portC.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 2 case 15 serout portD.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 3 case 16 serout portC.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 4 case 17 serout portD.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 5 case 18 serout portC.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 6 case 19 serout portD.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 1 case 20 serout portD.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 2 case 21 serout portC.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 3 case 22 serout portD.6,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 4 case 23 serout portC.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 5 case 24 serout portD.7,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 6 END SELECT else serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Level ",outlevel," is not valid! Please use 0 to 100 (By FIVES).",13] endif else serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Output ",outpin," is not valid! Please use 1 to 24.",13] endif endif else serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Address ",address," is not valid! Please use 1 to 256.",13] endif endif TOGGLE HRTBTLED 'Flashing pretty damn fast! goto Start

Code:

'DAUGHTERBOARD.BAS Include "modedefs.bas" DEFINE WRITE_INT 1 INTCON = %10010000 DimVal var byte DimTblVal var byte DimStore var byte DimPause var byte SerPin var portB.2 ZeroCross var portB.0 TriacTrig var portB.1 ON INTERRUPT GOTO ACDetect Start: serin serpin,t9600,dimval 'grab the Dim Value (0,5,10,15,...95,100) write 0,dimval 'store the dim value in mem pos 0 read 0,DimStore 'read mem 0, put it in DimStore dimstore = dimstore / 5 'convert 0-100 to 0-20 for lookup table (0=0, 5=1, 10=2, ... , 95=19, 100=20) if DimStore > 20 then goto start 'testing for 0-20, exit if greater than 20 LOOKUP DimStore,["F",202,195,188,181,174,166,157,147,135,104,74,62,52,43,35,28,21,14,7,"N"],DimPause goto start ACDetect: low triactrig select case dimpause case "F" 'F = OFF low triactrig case "N" 'N = ON high triactrig case else pauseus dimpause * 5 'multiply 8 bit value by 5 for true delay high triactrig 'fire triac after delay end select RESUME

Quote:

I would love some pointers as to proper register setups, uart setups, etc.

Are you wanting to change from SERIN/OUT to using the hardware ports?

Thanks for your inquiry.
I suppose, moreover, I'm in need of assistance with the intricacies of the USART registers, interrupts, etc. I've been reading a few posts here regarding "lost" bytes due to buffer overflows. I'd sure love a quick interrupt routine to avoid that problem (maybe parsing the bytes? I dunno?). I'm also interested in a pro reviewing the code and giving a yeah or nay to it, as far as basic functionality. If nay, I'll go back to the drawing board with suggestions-fixes in tow. I certainly don't expect any of you guys to do the project for me, just pro advice for a newbie that's a bit confused. Maybe one of you guys could put the boards through their paces on a simulator? Am I on the right track as far as the commands coming from the pc serial port?
"AxOyLz"
...where x = address 1-256 (8 bit)
After "A", grab next byte
...where y = output 1-24 (8 bit)
After "O", grab next byte
...where z = level 1-100 (8 bit)
After "L", grab next byte
I hope all this gibberish is not confusing to you! Just trying to fly-out my questions rattling in my noodle right now.
Anyhow, after posting the "masterboard" code, I revamped it a bit...hopefully for the better?
Thanks again for your time and advice.

Code:

' MASTERBOARD.BAS 'TO DO: SET ALL REGISTERS AND DEFINES ' MAYBE AN INTERRUPT ROUTINE FOR SERIAL IN? Include "modedefs.bas" define OSC 20 'DEFINE HSER_RCSTA 18h ' Set receive register to receiver enabled 'DEFINE HSER_TXSTA 98h ' Set transmit register to transmitter enabled TXSTA = %00100100 RCSTA = %10010000 ADCON1 = %00000110 TRISA = %00000000 TRISB = %10000000 TRISC = %00000000 TRISD = %00000000 INTCON = %01000000 PIE1.5 = 1 'USART RX INTERRUPT ENABLE SerRxOK var PORTB.4 SerInPin var PORTC.7 SerOutPin var PORTC.6 ADRpin var PORTB.0 ProgLED var PORTB.7 HrtbtLED var PORTB.6 Address var byte OutPin var byte OutLevel var byte BoardAdd var byte UpdPinLvl var byte low Progled LOW HRTBTLED Start: if Adrpin then serin SerInPin,t9600,["A"],boardadd IF (boardadd > 0) and (boardadd < 256) THEN write 0,boardadd high Progled pause 1000 low progled serout seroutpin,t9600,["Board address set to ",boardadd,13,10] else serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Address ",boardadd," not valid! Please use 1 to 256.",13,10] endif goto Start else read 0,boardadd IF (BOARDADD = 0) OR (BOARDADD > 256) THEN serout seroutpin,t9600,["Board is not addressed. Please set address between 1 and 256.",13,10] goto start endif serin SerInPin,t9600,["A"],address '1 - 256 IF ADDRESS <> boardadd THEN goto start endif serin SerInPin,t9600,["O"],outpin '1 - 24 if (outpin = 0) or (outpin > 24) then serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Output ",outpin," is not valid! Please use 1 to 24.",13,10] goto start endif serin SerInPin,t9600,["L"],outlevel '0 = OFF, 5 = 5%, 10 = 10%, ...50 = 50%,...100 = 100% (by 5's) if outlevel > 100 then serout seroutpin,t9600,["Error: Level ",outlevel," is not valid! Please use 0 to 100 (By FIVES).",13,10] goto start endif write outpin,outlevel 'Output will match EEPROM location read outpin,UpdPinLvl serout seroutpin,t9600,["Updated output ",outpin," to level ",UpdPinLvl * 5,13,10] select case outpin case 1 serout portA.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 1 case 2 serout portB.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 2 case 3 serout portA.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 3 case 4 serout portB.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 4 case 5 serout portA.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 5 case 6 serout portB.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 1, PIN 6 case 7 serout portE.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 1 case 8 serout portA.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 2 case 9 serout portE.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 3 case 10 serout portA.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 4 case 11 serout portE.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 5 case 12 serout portA.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 2, PIN 6 case 13 serout portC.3,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 1 case 14 serout portC.2,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 2 case 15 serout portD.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 3 case 16 serout portC.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 4 case 17 serout portD.1,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 5 case 18 serout portC.0,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 3, PIN 6 case 19 serout portD.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 1 case 20 serout portD.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 2 case 21 serout portC.5,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 3 case 22 serout portD.6,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 4 case 23 serout portC.4,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 5 case 24 serout portD.7,n9600,[UpdPinLvl] 'CAT5 JACK 4, PIN 6 END SELECT TOGGLE HRTBTLED 'Flashing pretty damn fast! endif goto Start

Usart is used with HSERIN /HSEROUT, and have a 2 byte buffer. Check out post 16 in the thread below for code which contains a ring buffer up to 64 bytes if I remember correctly.
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/show...highlight=cren