A header wizard

[prstein]

Hello Ioannis,

Please have a look at the attached picture. It has some garbage under File Utility menus.

You must be using Large Fonts. I'll add some handling to account for that,

Also when starting the application it askes fo the Microchip directory.
a) since it is by default installed in a known place, can this be autmated?

Are you aware of a registry key for this? I could check that and use that as the default (if the key exists). Failing that can you make any recommendations for what the default should be or how it should be determined?

b) the window that request to manually find the directory is at the back ground and not visible.

Good point. I can fix that.

And it then assumes that my PBP is at c:\pbp

If I have my PBP in a different place, say c:\pbp243 it gives an error message for MPASM not found!

Whoops...that will teach me to re-use code! I will fix that as well.

After the error messages if I set the paths in Utility/Settings menu, all are OK after.

In ADC tab, if All Analog Ports to Digital is checked, then there is no point in Configure Built in ADC. An being in the ADC, it does not set the ADCON0/ADCON1 registers. (I tested the 16F887)

Hmm. I'll have to figure out what I did to break that--thanks for finding the problem!

I did figure that someone might wish to configure all ports as digital and then change just one of them (or something) to analog. I probably didn't think that through far enough and will re-visit the question.

Can you add also a PWM tab?

Now this is a reminder if possible to add in a later version: Timers, Comparators, Interrupts.

Comparators is on the short list. PWM can be done reasonably easily (I think). Timers and interrupts somewhat harder. On any/all of these, what do you want to set? (What decisions would the user make and what would the output look like). I've set all of these at one time or another for my own projects but the challenge is how to generalize the rule.

The last note is about the aesthetic ofte windows. Can this be OS based to look more slick and related to the current OS system?

I'm using an old version of Delphi (v4 from 1998!). At some point I'll try recompiling under a newer version, which should update the look.

Thanks for all your comments!

Best Regards,
Paul

[cncmachineguy]

Comparators is on the short list. PWM can be done reasonably easily (I think). Timers and interrupts somewhat harder. On any/all of these, what do you want to set? (What decisions would the user make and what would the output look like). I've set all of these at one time or another for my own projects but the challenge is how to generalize the rule.

And thats what makes this a wizard.
Trying to make this the last time WE have to think about this stuff!

[cncmachineguy]

A question for the moderators or anybody more forum savy than I (won't take much)

Seeing how I have the first post in the thread, I would like to edit it to have a link to the most current updates. For example: a Link to Daves post with his link, and a link to todays update from Paul.

I am sure this should be quite easy, but I am just getting the "[QUOTE]" stuff figured out. I don't mind updating the post, just not sure how. Of course, I guess Dave, I could just copy your link and paste it in?

[mackrackit]

See post#1. I am not going very far with my code so I can at least maintain the thread...

Thanks Paul!!!

[cncmachineguy]

Thanks Dave

[ScaleRobotics]

Very impressive Paul ... and I am still playing...

And you thought you wouldn't have a new version out till Wednesday!

[mackrackit]

Very nice Paul!!!

Just a note for when you work on the comparator setup.
You said the comparator did not do anything. It changes the ADC to digital.

[prstein]

Just a note for when you work on the comparator setup.
You said the comparator did not do anything. It changes the ADC to digital.

Okay you got me there. The checkboxes for setting ADC and Comparator ports to digital are linked (because you might have one but not the other). If you check one the other is also checked.

Details, details...

Best Regards,
Paul

[prstein]

And you thought you wouldn't have a new version out till Wednesday!

Of course the original target was a week and a half ago...

Best Regards,
Paul

[harryweb]

No news for the header wizard ?

And for the Darrel "Fonctioning Configurator" too ?

Regards

[Ioannis]

You must be using Large Fonts. I'll add some handling to account for that,

Hi Paul. No I do not use other than the system default. In fact they seem a little small as the screen is on a 18.1 Laptop with HD support.

Are you aware of a registry key for this? I could check that and use that as the default (if the key exists). Failing that can you make any recommendations for what the default should be or how it should be determined?

I am not aware of any registry keys, but maybe you can set a default path as c:\program files\microchip\mplab suite

If this is not found, then you dialog will pop-up for the user to correct it.

Timers and interrupts somewhat harder. On any/all of these, what do you want to set? (What decisions would the user make and what would the output look like). I've set all of these at one time or another for my own projects but the challenge is how to generalize the rule.

I fully understand. I do not know exactly too!

Well, for timers lets start by selecting which timer will be enabled, if interrupts also will be set, prescaller settings, count-down value, time it takes according to Clock oscillator, which oscillator (system or external or 32,768).

For Interrupt, sure it is more difficult, maybe Darrel can help here. He has changed the files to a newer version (now is 1.10) and maybe you have to work with him.

Ioannis

[Acetronics2]

Hi, Paul

This tool is beginning to look really nice !!!

I noticed in V3 you used ANCON instead of ADCON ...

one other very little detail is if you select " all digital " ... ADC configs, if also selected, still appear in the produced code window ... might be one option only , no ???

Congratulations ... I'd really like to be able to do that !!!

Alain

[cncmachineguy]

Here is my attempt at creating a full wish list. I am not trying to imply This hasn't been covered through the many posts, but I am trying to get it all in 1 place. As I see we are still talking about what to include, I personally couldn't even attempt what Paul has done with such moving targets. Seems odd to me we are this far, and haven't stopped to create this list. so here goes:

• Config's
• Comparator
• 8 bit ADC
• OSC
  
  Mid-range (Above plus) PIC12,PIC16
• SPI/I2C
• UART
• PWM(s)
• LCD
• 10 bit ADC
• Op Amp
  
  Enhanced Mid-range (Above plus) PIC12F1XXX,PIC16F1XXX
• Adds multiple Communication Peripherals
• Linear Programming Space - I don't think this has anything to do with the wizard
• PWM(s) with independent time base
  
  PIC18 xtras (above plus)
• 8x8 Hardware multipler (need setup in wizard?)
• CAN
• CTMU
• USB
• Ethernet
• 12 bit ADC

This clearly came direct from the 8-bit brochure. This is all open for discussion, but I think this should be what we are after.

If anyone thinks its a good idea, I will attempt to create a new line of PIC's for us. PIC109999,PIC129999,PIC169999,PIC12F1999,PIC16F199 9,PIC189999.

Maybe we don't need all of them, I'm just not sure. The intended purpose is for testing. This way we wouldn't have to go through all the chips just to make sure everything works.
This is open for discussion.

If it is a good idea, This is not something Paul or Dave should create. After all, they are providing us with their programming skills, we can at least help by putting some text files together. Maybe these "feature rich" chips actually do exist already, in that case we just need to agree they are the test standard.

Now to ALL of us except Paul or Dave, certainally we can help out by coming up with the things to be set for each line item. This way they don't have to do all the homework! For us to be able to do this, we need a format with which to convey the information.

Paul, you asked what should that look like? (in reference to the timers I think). How would you like to get the answer? ie: a list of registers, drop down list idea, radio buttons. Are you looking for input to the general format? This is what I mean by a format to convey the answers. I trust you know what needs to be spit out by the wizard, I am guessing you want to know how the user will tell it?

I guess my point here is this. This really is a big project. As a community we CAN all help to complete this. Part of this may come from my desire to help, but not sure where, so I'm looking for places. From what I can tell so far, this is a forum full of many talents. Maybe someone is a graphic person, They could throw out some design ideas or provide a background graphic. We are all busy, as I'm sure Paul is also. Lets jump in here and make this a REAL community project. In the end, We will have something we will all benifit from, ultimately saving us all time on every project/job.

Please don't take this as me ranting, I am ecstatic thus far with the whole thing! I am just trying to find ways for all of us to be involved.

[harryweb]

HI,
The header wizard is a very good idea.
aesthetic is not my first choice...

DT tell us that there is already a functioning Configurator that will be available fairly soon.
One tool is better than many tools... no ?

Regards

Harry Paris

[mackrackit]

Harry,
The one Darrel spoke of wll only do the fuses.

[prstein]

Hello Everyone,

It's late and I'm tired so I apologize about not replying individually to the bug reports, comments, and suggestions. The enthusiasm and encouragement is also much appreciated.

My poor head is not thinking perfectly straight tonight so I'll just try to weigh in on some of the discussion. I've found (and fixed) the bug Alain identified. I tried to push the text around on the form so none of it interferes with other objects. I've also moved the project from Delphi 4 up to Delphi 2006 (now a part of Borland Developer Studio) to see if that has any effect on the aesthetics. I want to see what else I can implement quickly before getting another version out, so it gets taken a little further instead of just a bug fix.

Bert has made the suggestions of creating a few mock microcontrollers to test out the various features. I support instead identifying a small handful of µCs that are representative. My suggestions are the 12F683, 16F628, 16F877, 18F452, 18F1330, and 18F67J50. Naturally these are the chips with which I have the most experience.

The sky is the limit for the application BUT I don't want to be working on this the rest of my life... (I'm happy to send the source to anyone on request.) There should be defined goals for the first "release" of the application. I would have been happy with setting the configuration fuses...8^) Plan ahead for features to go in subsequent versions. To paraphrase George Patton, "A good application today is better that a perfect application later."

In volunteer software projects "later" turns into "never" all too often so let's wind up with, at minimum, something useful even if it doesn't have everything.

I suggest putting the desired function list into two or three tiers--"Very Important," "Nice to Have," and "Would be Cool but..."

I am not the best programmer/electronics guy on the planet, probably not even in the top 50% of the (incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, gentle, and patient) contributors to this list. What I do have going for me is a broad base of general knowledge and the fact that I'm not really good at giving up on projects. With all of that said, any code, pseudo-code, logic, or even flow charts helping map out how to generalize any of these functions would make it go a lot faster, as the alternative is me plowing through a dozen or so databooks. I'm not averse to that, but it is slower.

And I gotta say, DT's ALLDIGITAL.pbp is a absolute work of art.

Best Regards (and apologies for rambling--again),
Paul