Current Wish List

[zristic]

These are the wishes we've gathered so far:

• -- Code folding feature in Code Editor
  -- MIDI support
  -- I2c slave mode
  -- Symbols visible from modules
  -- Overloading routines
  -- Bit variable + bit operations
  -- Build utility (compile all units in project)
  -- Possibility to rotate fonts on GLCD
  -- Support for 16F505
  -- Smart card library
  -- Support for 10Fxxx PICs
  -- DTMF library
  -- BANKSEL command for assembly
  -- Table with common register setup for most used chips.
  -- ORG directive to work with library routines
  -- Regular (slower) mode for I2C
  -- PS2_Write routine
  -- Selection ident with TAB key (Editor)
  -- Indicators in IDE for compiled/programmed project
  -- File transfer in terminal tool
  -- Recompile if needed during simulation
  -- Option to switch off animated menus- sets as default in windows
  -- Editor: TAB as spaces
  -- Sound routine
  -- PORT.Variable = ...
  -- USB routines
  -- Pulse_In/Out routine (done as sound routine)
  -- Show procedures stack depth in Statistics
  -- Programming chips from IDE
  -- Software protocols: uart, spi, i2c
  -- Flexibile LCD configuration
  -- Driver for 8-bit LCD
  -- 5ms delay in LCD library is not needed
  -- FAT16 read file function
  -- Floating point support
  -- LCD_Out to write at current position
  -- User defined tools
  -- IRDA driver+example
  -- Reading and writing program flash
  -- BMP editor for graphic LCD
  -- Variable delays
  -- Constant declarations with constant expressions
  -- Comments in assembly
  -- Auto save option in IDE
  -- Inverted soft_uart output

Italics mark what has been resolved.

Can't wait....

[jdfan]

Given that I should receive my Easypic 2 any day now, some of these may seem redundant, but here goes:

- A simulator a la the Oshon Software one: http://www.oshonsoft.com/pic.html
- some math functions? SIN maybe? A simple table-lookup SIN would be fine

[ben]

A fast square root function would be nice

[Rubens M. Luciano]

An option to inverted Soft_Uart, so we can connect a PIC directly to a rs232 pc serial port., without a MAX232.

[Rubens M. Luciano]

I don´t know if it´s possible, but a CP function that gives the Cursor Position in a LCD will be nice.

[bimbla]

This is indirectly related....But looking at the development mikroElektronika has made, you have to do this one too:

SPI/ I2C bit bang interface: A hardware/ software combo which will allow rapid evaluation of target (application) IC's. The gui should be generic and should allow read and write to the devices.

Once the behaviour of the target is clear, control using Microcontroller becomes that much easy.

bimbla.

[andrei_pic16]

didn't anyone knew? the buttons are getting confused when for example there are two counters. when one counts on the press of a button...it afeects the other one....what is going on???? please check...ill give a sample code for you to see:program ct1

dim zz as byte
dim j as byte
dim v as byte

dim min as word
dim hr as word
dim t1 as word
dim t2 as word

dim por as byte[4]


sub function mask(dim num as byte) as byte ' this function returns masks

select case num ' for common cathode 7-seg. display
case 0 result = $3F
case 1 result = $06
case 2 result = $5B
case 3 result = $4F
case 4 result = $66
case 5 result = $6D
case 6 result = $7D
case 7 result = $07
case 8 result = $7F
case 9 result = $6F
end select 'case end
end sub

sub procedure interrupt
porta = zz ' turn on appropriate 7seg. display
portb = por[v]
v = v+1
zz = zz << 1
if zz > 8 then
zz = 1 ' prepare mask for digit
end if
if v > 3 then
v = 0 ' turn on 1st, turn off 2nd 7seg.
end if

TMR0 = 0
INTCON = $20
end sub

sub procedure set_up

trisb=3
if button(portb,0,0,0)=true then
't1=t1+1
'else
't1=0
'end if
'if t1=20 then
min=min+1
end if
if t1>100 then
t1=0
end if

if button(portb,1,0,0)=true then
't2=t2+1
'else
't2=0
'end if
'if t2=20 then
hr=hr+1
end if
if t2>100 then
t2=0
end if
trisb=0
end sub

main:
OPTION_REG = $80
j = 0
v = 0
zz = 1
TMR0 = 0
INTCON = $A0 ' Disable PEIE,INTE,RBIE,T0IE
trisa = 0
trisb = 0
portb = 0
porta = 0
min=30
hr=22
t1=0
t2=0
do
j = hr div 10 mod 10
POR[3] = Mask(j)
j = hr mod 10
POR[2] = Mask(j)
j = min div 10 mod 10
POR[1] = Mask(j)
j = min mod 10
POR[0] = Mask(j)

set_up

loop until false

end.
the minute counter affects the hour and the hour counter the minute counter....can this be fixed??? please let me know!!!

[Niki]

A global user modules directory (in the main mikrobasic folder) would be nice.

Having to add paths to custom modules can be a pain.

Niki

[LGR]

SPI/ I2C bit bang interface: A hardware/ software combo which will allow rapid evaluation of target (application) IC's. The gui should be generic and should allow read and write to the devices.

I think that this one came up before, but I'll second it. It woud really be nice to have an IDE tool for all serial interfaces, to allow interactive dialog with a new device, just to verify the interface. For example, you type in $80, and it sends that to the device, or you type $66 and $24 into data and address boxes for i2c, and it shows the response back in another box.

You could use a PIC with a monitor program working through the USART, and use the MSSP module, or any pin for 1-wire. This could also be done with a GLCD and a keypad, and no computer. Just a canned program to allow testing of serial interfaces.

A lot of grief could be averted if the interface could be debugged seperately from the program with a visual display of what data comes and goes.

[powerfinger]

Hi!

Just thought I'd post a couple of "annoyances" with the editor, no big deal.


1) It seems you can't use CTRL-C and CTRL-V (Copy Paste) when using the Qconvertor (at the bottom) , either TO or FROM the QConvertor. (Once this is fixed, it would be nice that when copying FROM the BINARY textbox that the text be reformatted in the clipboard to remove the SPACE every 4 bits) (In both directions). If you right-click with the mouse, it works though.

2) When pressing TAB in the editor, the cursor seems to have no consistant amount that it "jumps". When I want to indent, I often have to go back and manually edit the indents to get them even. (I realize this might be a "feature" rather than a bug, but it would be nice to have the "option" of a FIXED TAB amount) (like most text editors).

3) RND function (Random Number) (looks like the keyword is already reserved! )

Thanks again!!
PowerFinger

[Craig]

Adding a fill option to GLCD_Rectangle would be nice, where the fill of the rectangle can be a selection of patterns (ASCII codes?) including blank and transparent, and the line could be either ON or OFF

This would greatly speed partial screen clears, as compared to using GLCD_Clear_Dot in nested X,Y loops.

Craig

[LGR]

Adding a fill option to GLCD_Rectangle would be nice, where the fill of the rectangle can be a selection of patterns (ASCII codes?) including blank and transparent, and the line could be either ON or OFF

This would greatly speed partial screen clears, as compared to using GLCD_Clear_Dot in nested X,Y loops.

Let's modify that concept a little, and have dynamic fill objects (like bars) where a rectangle can be initialized as an outline, and then have a numerical value determine the amount of fill. These would fill from left to right, or from bottom to top. With a series of these (bottom up), for example, you could plot a histogram, like what they use to indicate frequency response of an equalizer.

A raw byte would be adaquate as an argument; if the rectangle was 32x16 (highxwide), for example, the argument for bottom up would be in the range of 0-31.

[LGR]

Referring a few posts back to the serial communication testing, I think that something like what is described is valuable enough to some people to be a stand-alone product with its' own price tag. Few things are more frustrating than initially establishing communication with a new device. Given that the alternative is to buy an oscilliscope, a serial communication debugger would be worth money to a lot of people.

[zristic]

Referring a few posts back to the serial communication testing, I think that something like what is described is valuable enough to some people to be a stand-alone product with its' own price tag.

If you speak about the communication terminal as a separate product, then we might give it for free, as an independent application. As for something more complicated, such as "serial oscilloscope" we are planning to release such software too, but not for free, since many people worked hard on it. It has been successfully used in some of our instruments for medicine.

Another idea is that we make USB based "oscilloscope", but we are delayed again by Microchip and their delivery of chip samples and accompanying documentation (which both have arrived this week, btw).

[LGR]

As for something more complicated, such as "serial oscilloscope" we are planning to release such software too, but not for free, since many people worked hard on it. It has been successfully used in some of our instruments for medicine.

Another idea is that we make USB based "oscilloscope", but we are delayed again by Microchip and their delivery of chip samples and accompanying documentation (which both have arrived this week, btw).

An oscilloscope auxilliary function would be good, but what I was talking about, and I think that what bimbla was referring to, is a tool for establishing serial communication with a new, unknown device. The device could be UART based, or I2C, SPI, or even 1-wire, but the function of the tool would be to establish communication with it, independentely of the programming environment, and allow the programmer to observe messeges going to, and coming from the device.

For example, assume that there is a new I2C chip that you just recieved. You read the data sheet, and think that you understand it, but it isn't very clear (that never happens!). It isn't even clear how the pins connect (that never happens!). So when you go to test it with a test program, you get no response. The problem could be with the PIC I2C module setup, it could be that the dialog is wrong, it could be that the hardware is wrong, maybe the chip isn't true I2C, but a proprietary variant, maybe the chip is defective, etc. When you get no response, or uninteligible response, it's hard to know what to try next. Some devices appear to be communicating, when they are simply seeing pullup resistors!

What would be useful, is a tool which allows you to watch messages going and coming, and isolate problems, and misunderstandings regarding how the devices work. This is somewhat similar to a 'scope, but much more specific. And it could be a purely software product for anyone with a development board.