 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Firmware Wish List
  Page 10 of 14   |
|||||
| Author | Message | ||||
Xiongmao Regular Member  Joined: 25/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 48 |
I'd like to see the ability to put a special 'system' directory on the SD card. Files within this directory would be treated as part of the OS (much like 'internal' and 'external' commands in DOS. Three immediate advantages: 1. Allows new features or changes to be beta-tested by the community without the risk of reloading the whole system each time. 2. The modularization allows users to 'roll-their-own distro' to suit particular uses. 3. Effectively removes the 512k footprint limit for the OS+MMBasic. The most obvious use for this would be an extensive Help system. Speaking of which, a simple help system would appreciated. (I spend more time looking up allowable command switches in the manual than I do using them.) Either HELP <command> or <command>/? Better yet, the first gives a description of what the command does/is used for, the second lists the valid switches/parameters for that command. |
||||
Bryan1 Guru  Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1344 |
A good way for that help system would use something similiar to the terminal in linux. One wants to know what a command does just type man (command) and it comes up in the terminal. I reckon the easiest way to do this would be write a program, store it on the SD card then only a small snippet of code in the maximite firmware needs to be written to enable it. This would make for a neat open source project where members can write the help file for each command then each file can be seen and approved before it is made the right one to use. With SD cards having heaps of data a small file of this nature could sit in everyones SD card and open the maximite for new users to that higher level. Regards Bryan |
||||
| Xiongmao Regular Member Joined: 25/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 48 |
It could be MAN or USE or HELP or whatever people prefer (aliased ?). It's the ease-of-use that's important. |
||||
donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Not sure if the first one is even do-able. May be a wish too far away. Comments? I'm sure we have covered similar ground in the past. Have added: Wish 36: Either HELP "command" or HELP "command"/? http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/wish-list-priority-level- poll/ I think everyone could make good use of this if it can be implemented easily. Cheers Don... [code]My poll system didn't like the use of "<>" in the question line, so I used quotes.[/code] https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
Dinosaur Guru Joined: 12/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 311 |
Hi all New wish. Allow software flags to unload/free-up vga & Kbd. Reloads at bootup. This is a speed related request for applications where (once installed) the vga and kbd are not needed or used. Regards Regards Hervey Bay Qld. |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Done! Wish 37: Allow software flags to unload/free-up vga & Kbd. Reloads at bootup. http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/wish-list-priority-level- poll/ I know having these not connected on power up, allows MM-Basic to run regardless, but I don't know about CPU overhead during this phase. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
Muttley Snicker Newbie  Joined: 26/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 18 |
GDay Don, Is the maximite able to read TTL level rotary encoders and display on a 16 x 2 LCD similar to a mill, lathe or CNC DRO. Regards Pete. Muttley Snickers |
||||
| simon.gillespie Newbie Joined: 28/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1 |
Not sure if this is the right place.. the maximite is really good...my 11 year old son has spent hours on it learning basic. I'm a bit of an energy scrooge and would like the possibility of a hibernate / sleep and wake from interrupt kind of thing... so that it can run on batteries, wake up... measure and write some data and go back to sleep to reduce power .... I'm sure there are many more important things than that though!! thanks simon |
||||
bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Gday Muttley, the Maxi is definately capable of doing what you want but you will need code for it. I have written a `demo' for Don's DonDuino Cross with accompanying LCD panel. as to the TTl level.. The Maximite is only able to read input voltages between 0-3.3v but it is 5V tollerant so you could feed an input with your TTL and read it as a O or 1 (if I/O pin rogrammed as digital) or 0-3.3v (max, after 3.3 it would just read 3.3) if programmed as an analog pin. Of course you would need to write the basic program to do that but it isnt that hard to program it for what you want. regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
||||
| Muttley Snicker Newbie Joined: 26/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 18 |
Gday Mick, As previously posted, I have an SM1, DonDuino Cross and Dons Arduino LCD Shield, I beleive from some photos I downloaded that the IDC connector pins on the SM1 are completely different on the DonDuino Cross and this is when it all get a bit tricky, Keeping track of all those pins (parden the pun) I have downloaded the LCD.BAS from the library but that seems to relate to a stand alone 16 x 2 LCD without the cross. I would very much appreciate a look at your demo and Don has my email address, also when connecting an LCD how would the I/Os be programmed eg: Digital Output on pin? Digital Input on pin?. Regards & Many Thanks...Peter Muttley Snickers |
||||
| Muttley Snicker Newbie Joined: 26/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 18 |
PS, I am still recovering from yesterday's program, Never Again. (Going to fit an E Stop) Muttley Snickers |
||||
| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
From the page that the Arduino LCD shield is on: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/arduino-shield-lcd.html Data and Schematics and all other relevant files are available from: http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/max/Programs/ Then Select Hardware, then Dontronics, then LCD You will find the details there to be able to convert this LCD to operate on 3.3V A/D for the press button switches, so that it can be used on a Maximite Computer System. This conversion and code, was done by my good friend Mick Gulovsen. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
||||
| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Hi Muttley, The pins on the SM1 and DonDuino Cross are electrically identical to the original Maximite that was sent out by Altronics. The problem stems from a minor design glitch when Geoff made the Maximite design in the first place. it was `probably' intended to have a straight (vertical) 26 pin header in the PCB but Altronics provided a Right Angle header instead. Don has used the R/A concept in his boards but to do this means the R/A is inserted 180deg around from pin1 - pin1 alignment (ie pin 26 goes in pin 1 hole on PCB). Don was extremely uncomfortable with this but wanted to maintain copatibility with the original so, with approval from Geoff, simply changed the pin numbering on both the cct and his PCBs, so Don's information, PCBs and ccts all conform to correct pinouts and standards, The bottom line is that looking into any of the male sockets on Dons PCBs will be exactly the same as original maximite when fitted with a R/A header, The real difference is that Dons PCBs are designed to be exactly the same as the MM (atronics version) but his cct schematic will be correct for HIS PCBs (the Atronics will have pin 1 in the pin 26 position) I hope that clears that up, it has been a bone of contention for some time and I have to admit I was on Don's consultation committee and agree 100% with what he has decided to do. Regards, Mick PS. The LCD prog I wrote/modified is here Dontronics LCD Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
||||
| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Hi Muttley, I re-read this in your post and it suddenly dawned on me. I believe you think the DonDuino Cross is some sort of crossover?  
NO it ISNT... it is a cross SHAPE.. 
Plug a female into a MM and you have 2 male MM output busses (and 1 female) to plug in other hardware devices (exactly the same footprint as the MM output) It is basically a daisy chain bus expander, it also has an Arduino type bus to suit some Arduino plug in cards... Applications are limitted as there is a lack of code to support them but it is there in as best a footprint as we could get given the 20 available I/O pins. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
||||
BobDevries Senior Member  Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
Hi all, Hmm, now that we have serial comms, I think my next wish would be a file transfer protocol such as XMODEM, YMODEM, or ZMODEM. XMODEM is easy to implement (source is available in various places), YMODEM is a better protocol, and while ZMODEM is really good, it is also unreasonably large. Envisaged command(s): OPEN "COM1:9600" AS #1 XMODEM("SEND"|"RECV",FILENAME$,#NBR) CLOSE #1 In the above example #NBR would be 1, you would use EITHER "SEND" OR "RECV" Comments? Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
||||
| BobDevries Senior Member Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
Hi all, Actually, XMODEM could be implemented in BASIC. I'll look into that. There's even sample code for it. Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
||||
| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Hi Bob, Details of Y modem and Z modem can be found here Modem Some TurboBasic code here Turbo if you want to try to convert it. Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
||||
Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
You know, I'm going to jump in before anyone else and tell you where this is heading. Serial Coms, Termminal, and X/Y/ZModem = Maximite BBS 
I used to run a BBS back in the early 90's. Fun stuff back then. The X/Y/Z modem could be handy for a remote Maximite, for retrieving log files. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
||||
VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Let me jump in as well, Serial comms, Terminal, display, transceiver= Maximite APRS and packet Digipeater, Maximite ARPS WX display, Maximite APRS tracker.... And so on Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
||||
| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
OT but ... which BBS? My brother ran Andys BBS back then Fido/net days. Mick Ok On Topic now, Who uses Dialup anymore (besides Sparkey) Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
||||
| Page 10 of 14 |
|||||
 Print this page |
