Decline of PicBasic ?

[Ioannis]

Mike:
1. Since arduino libs you can find online are if I may say, un-official you cannot trust them for something serious. For hobby it is ok
2. About the hid maker. Can you build a project and never worry about port settings like USB to serial converters? I mean make a really plug and play device?

Ioannis

[mpgmike]

HIDmaker creates the files needed to transfer data between the PIC (in variations of C as well as PBP) and the PC (in Visual Basic, Delphi, and I believe another tool). You get skeletal code to build around. After playing with it for a few months, I'm developing quite a sophisticated dashboard for my controllers. As for the port settings, I just find it and connect. I love HIDmaker!

[Ioannis]

That's nice. So I need to extend now on VB...

Ioannis

[mpgmike]

There is a few sites with a limited function free version. I bought the professional version of Visual Studio 2015. Of course, the newest is 2017. I also bought about a half dozen books to try to learn how to use it. I have worked with industrial PLCs & HMIs in the past which helped me grasp VB quicker than I otherwise could have. At this point I'm barely functional with VB, but I'm getting some cool things done with it.

[Ioannis]

VB6 used to produce easily a stand alone installer to distribute to others.

After that the new studio I tried was too complicated and never managed to make a stand alone installer.

Also I found it much different (as a language) and had not enough time to learn it. Was not proficient with VB6 either but seemed easier to make small projects.

VB6 does not work on new systems anyway. A solution for now I found is to ask a friend and do some apps on LabView but I really have to do the VB way some day.

Ioannis

[pedja089]

For CDC(usb serial port) you have example from DT. And you don't need any PC software, except drivers. And you have another serial port when your device is plugged in.
If you want HID comm, then you need host application.
Only pain with USB is high cost of VID(only 5000$ per year).
But you can try to get free PID and VID fro microchip on request.

[mpgmike]

Only pain with USB is high cost of VID(only 5000$ per year).

It's $4000 per year to become a member of USB-IF. There are only about 500 members. The $5000 is a one-time fee to purchase the Vendor ID (VID). With it the purchaser receives 65535 Product IDs to use any way he/she wants.

For playing, though, you could enter just about any number you want for VID & PID. Just don't sell a product doing that. DT used numbers in his examples. Not sure if he paid the fees or borrowed those numbers. And yes, Microchip has a program where you can request one of their VID/PIDs when you are using their components in your product.