Thread: BASIC Stamp question

Originally Posted by kiltjim

BasicX24!

I have not had any personal experience with it, but I've been wanting one to replace my Stamp 2!

It is much more powerful, but you're right they don't give you much write up. It takes practically the same programming as the Stamp.

And if you get something working, I would gladly take a look at your source code...

Yeah, I'm considering the BasicX24 as my primary choice right now. I found out the Stamp 2p doesn't let you store program code outside of the onboard EEPROM, and I don't know if that'll be enough space. And the BasicX24 is faster, too.

I'm still considering the Economy Tiger though.. http://www.wilke-technology.com

But it's a) ugly, b) not really a stamp, and c) very little documentation/user support


Edit: The BasicX24 actually has very good documentation and a Yahoo! Support Group. I liiike..

Hmm, Im wanting to get a programmable chip, going to research the X24, it sounds pretty good. Does any one have the Chip & programmer and have anything good / bad to say about it?

Originally Posted by owenjh

Hmm, Im wanting to get a programmable chip, going to research the X24, it sounds pretty good. Does any one have the Chip & programmer and have anything good / bad to say about it?

You can download the documentation and code editor off of www.basicx.com and go http://basicx.com/custapps/custapps.htm to see some of the uses this chip's been put to.

You program it in VB syntax, so that should simplify things for most people. No C/Assembler knowledge required.

Here's some old code I run on my BX24 Startup code. Im still working on it, so you'll obviously notice some discrepencies, and that fact that i am not a programmer!

'
' BasicX-24 Chip
' ________________
' | |
' COM1 TX | 1 24 | V+ Regulator in 5.5-15v
' COM1 RX | 2 23 | GND
' ATN | 3 22 | Reset (Active Low)
' GND | 4 21 | V+ Regulator out 4.8 - 5.5v
' - | 5 ADC 20 | - Ign
' - | 6 ADC 19 | - SW1
' - | 7 ADC 18 | - SW2
' - | 8 ADC 17 | - NA
' - | 9 ADC 16 | - Dimmer In
' - | 10 ADC 15 | - LCD Brightness
' - | 11 ADC 14 | - LCD SSR
' - | 12 ADC 13 | - CPU SSR
' |________________|
'
' LIMITS
' Output:
'
' Input:
'
' Total: < 70mA
'
Option Explicit


'--------------------------------------------------------
' Pin definitions for the basicX chip
'--------------------------------------------------------
Public Const null_pin As Byte = 0 ' Null pin for serial exchange
Public Const cpu_power_switch_pin As Byte = 7 ' CPU Switch Pin (digital out - active low)
Public Const cpu_ssr_pin As Byte = 14 ' CPU SSR Pin (digital out)
Public Const lcd_ssr_pin As Byte = 13 ' Amplifier/LCD SSR Pin (digital out)
Public Const not_used As Byte = 17 ' Not used
Public Const dimmer_in_pin As Byte = 16 ' Dimmer in (analog in)
Public Const switch_input_2 As Byte = 19 ' Switch Input 2 (analog in)
Public Const switch_input_1 As Byte = 18 ' Switch Input 1 (analog in)
Public Const ignition_in_pin As Byte = 20 ' IgnitionIn (analong in)
Public Const red_led_pin As Byte = 25 ' red led
Public Const green_led_pin As Byte = 26 ' green led
Public Const temperature_in_pin As Byte = 27 ' Temperature in pin (analog in)

'--------------------------------------------------------
' Some global variables
'--------------------------------------------------------
Public current_mode As Byte ' Mode that dash switch is in
'Public previous_mode As Byte ' mode 0 off, mode 1 on
Public switch_mode As Byte

Public debug_mode As Byte

Public switch_1_status As Integer
Public switch_2_status As Integer
Public ignition_status As Byte
Public ignition_value As Integer
Public computer_status As Integer
Public previous_state As Integer
Public temperature_value As Integer
Public dimmer_value As Integer


Public Const InputBufferSize As Integer = 17 ' 8-byte buffer.
Public Const OutputBufferSize As Integer = 20 ' 11-byte buffer.
Public InputBuffer(1 To InputBufferSize) As Byte
Public OutputBuffer(1 To OutputBufferSize) As Byte




Public error_flag As Byte
' Error Code Explanation
' 91 - Switch input error (unused mode- both input high)
' 92
' 93
' 94
' 95
' 96
' 97
' 98
' 99


'================================================= =====
' MAIN
'================================================= =====

Public Sub Main()


' USE DEBUG MODE FOR VERBOSE LOGS
debug_mode = 0 ' 0 = OFF, 1 = ON

' Initialize serial ports and IO
Call initialize()

Do
'Call find_switch_mode()
'Call find_ignition_mode()
'Call set_power()
''Call output_data()
'Call heartbeat()
'Call Delay(1.0)
'Call PutStr("SHUTDOWN")

Call Delay(10.0)
Call PutPin(6,1)
Call PutPin(5,0)

Call Delay(10.0)
Call PutPin(6,0)
Call PutPin(5,0)


Loop


End Sub









'================================================= =====
' CUSTOM FUNCTIONS
'================================================= =====

Sub initialize()
' Initial state of computer is off
computer_status = 0
' CPU switch initially high (off)
Call PutPin(cpu_power_switch_pin,1)


Call OpenQueue(InputBuffer, InputBufferSize)
Call OpenQueue(OutputBuffer, OutputBufferSize)
Call OpenCom(1, 19200, InputBuffer, OutputBuffer)


previous_state = 0
End Sub
'------------------------------------------------------

Public Sub PutStr( _
ByVal Tx As String)

' Outputs a String type to the serial port.

Dim Length As Integer, Ch As String * 1, bCh As Byte
Dim I As Integer

Length = Len(Tx)

For I = 1 To Length
Ch = Mid(Tx, I, 1)
bCh = Asc(Ch)
Call PutByte(bCh)
Next

End Sub
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public Sub PutByte( _
ByVal Value As Byte)

' Sends one byte of binary data to the serial port. The byte is sent
' directly without translating it to a string.

Call PutQueue(OutputBuffer, Value, 1)

End Sub

'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sub find_switch_mode()

switch_1_status = GetADC(switch_input_1)
switch_2_status = GetADC(switch_input_2)

' sw mode 1 2 function
'-------------------------------
' 91 1 1 Error mode - switch malfunction
' 2 0 1 On all the time
' 1 1 0 Off all the time
' 0 0 0 Auto mode

' On all the time & Auto mode
If(switch_1_status < 100 ) Then
If(switch_2_status > 500) Then
switch_mode = 2
'Debug.Print " On all the time"
else
switch_mode = 0
'Debug.Print " Auto Mode"
End if

' Off all the time
Else
If(switch_2_status < 100) Then
switch_mode = 1
'Debug.Print " Off all the time"
else
switch_mode = 5
error_flag = 1
End If
End If

If(debug_mode = 1) Then
debug.print "Sw1 status: " & Cstr(switch_1_status) &" Sw2 Status: " & CStr(switch_2_status) & " Mode: "& Cstr(switch_mode)
End if

End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub find_temperature()
temperature_value = GetADC(temperature_in_pin)
' Debug.Print CStr(temperature_value)
End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub find_ignition_mode()
ignition_value = GetADC(ignition_in_pin)
If(ignition_value > 1000) Then
ignition_status = 1
Else
ignition_status = 0
End If

If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Ignition Value: " & CStr(ignition_value)
End if
End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub set_power()

' sw mode 1 2 function
'-------------------------------
' 91 1 1 Error mode - switch malfunction
' 2 0 1 On all the time
' 1 1 0 Off all the time
' 0 0 0 Auto mode

' Previous mode
'---------------
' 0 - previously off
' 1 - previously on


' Auto Mode - SW mode 0
If(switch_mode = 0) Then
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "IN Auto Mode"
End If

' If car is on
If(ignition_status = 1) Then
If(previous_state=1) Then
' Ignition On - Was on - leave on
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Is ON, Was ON ->Leave ON"
End if
Else
' Ignition On - Was off - turn on
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Is ON, Was OFF -> Call Startup"
End if
Call startup()
End If
Else
If(previous_state=1) Then
' Ignition Off - Was on - turn off
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Is OFF, Was ON -> Call Shutdown"
End If
Call shutdown()
Else
' Ignition OFF - Was off - leave off
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Is OFF, was OFF -> Leave OFF"
End If
End If
End If


' On all the time - SW mode 2
ElseIf(switch_mode = 2) Then
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "IN Mode 2"
Debug.Print "On all the time"
'Debug.Print CStr(previous_state)
End If

If(previous_state=0) Then
Call startup()
' Was off - turn on
Else
' Was on - leave on
Call PutPin(lcd_ssr_pin,1)
End If


' Off all the time - SW mode 1
Else

If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "IN Mode 1"
Debug.Print "Off all the time"
'Debug.Print CStr(previous_state)
End if

If(previous_state=1) Then
' Was on - turn off
Call shutdown()
Else
' Was off - leave off
End If
End If


End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub heartbeat()
' Just a little pulse to say it's alive
Call PutPin(green_led_pin,0)
Call Delay(1.0)
Call PutPin(green_led_pin,1)
Call Delay(1.0)
End Sub


'------------------------------------------------------

Sub output_data()
' Send helpful information to the computer

If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "MODE=" & CStr(switch_mode)
Debug.print "SW1=" & CStr(switch_1_status)
Debug.print "SW2=" & CStr(switch_2_status)
Debug.print "IGN=" & CStr(ignition_value)
'Debug.Print "shutdown"
End If
End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub startup()
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Entering startup mode..."
End if
' Power on Inverter and PS
Call PutPin(cpu_ssr_pin,1)
Call delay(1.0)

' Toggle cpu switch pin low to start cpu
Call PutPin(cpu_power_switch_pin,0)
Call delay(1.0)
Call PutPin(cpu_power_switch_pin,1)

' Wait for computer to start
Call Delay(5.0)

' Turn on LCD/Audio Amplifier
Call PutPin(lcd_ssr_pin,1)

' State is ON
previous_state = 1
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Finished startup mode..."
End If

End Sub

'------------------------------------------------------

Sub shutdown()
If(debug_mode = 1) Then
Debug.Print "Entering shutdown mode..."
End If

' Shutdown amplifier and LCD screen
'Call PutPin(lcd_ssr_pin,0)

' Issue shutdown computer command via serial port
Call PutStr("SHUTDOWN")

' PUTBYTE(<shutdown Byte>)
' Wait for computer to shut down
Call Delay(30.0)

' Toggle the cpu switch to turn off computer
Call PutPin(cpu_power_switch_pin,0)
Call delay(0.5)
Call PutPin(cpu_power_switch_pin,1)

' Power off inverter and PS
Call PutPin(lcd_ssr_pin,0)
Call delay(1.0)
Call PutPin(cpu_ssr_pin,0)

' State is OFF
previous_state = 0

End Sub

Beautiful! A perfect example of what I'm talking about. Though, what I've got in mind is a far more complex. =D

Right now, I'm thinking of using a few cheap tiny microcontrollers for specialized functions with their own small subprograms, with a good powerful microcontroller (StampX24, I guess) to interface them with the PC and the wireless network, and to rewrite their code as needed if I choose to update them.

So far I'm thinking of using small individual microcontrollers for:

- Power Driver Seat
- Power Passenger Seat
- L/R Side Mirrors
- Windows and Sunroof
- Headlights and LCD brightness control
- Servo control
- Various I/O


The main thing I'm lacking on the BX24/35 is I/O pins. So maybe I'll just wire it to an I/O expander via I2C.. or SPI. I dunno... haven't figured it all out yet. But at the moment, a BX24 controlling a bunch of individual microcontrollers dedicated to their specific tasks seems easiest to do.

HVWTech has a good selection of easy to use microcontrollers.

Check it out at: http://www.hvwtech.com/pages/products1.asp?CatID=7

I like the Stamp Stacks they make because they provide the whole platform to run the Stamp in a nice package. Plus they give you instructions on how to override the download channel as a second COM channel. See it at: http://www.hvwtech.com/pages/product...p?ProductID=13

Originally Posted by archimense

HVWTech has a good selection of easy to use microcontrollers.

Check it out at: http://www.hvwtech.com/pages/products1.asp?CatID=7

I like the Stamp Stacks they make because they provide the whole platform to run the Stamp in a nice package. Plus they give you instructions on how to override the download channel as a second COM channel. See it at: http://www.hvwtech.com/pages/product...p?ProductID=13

You're right, they have a really nice selection there. Unfortunately, all of them only run as SPI masters, not slaves. =\

Damn.


Edit: I guess I can run things on the I2C bus.. less wires = better.

Banderon,

I remember using a couple versions of the BASIC Stamp in high school for some simple applications. Also, I have used various microcontrollers since then.... the microcontrollers are way more flexible and powerful.

I prefer programming in assembly language for these microcontrollers rather than using a higher level language such as BASIC, VB, or C/C++. This way you have more control over the functions that the microcontroller performs.

As for EEPROM storage.... I personally would use a Flash storage (if possible) because EEPROM is sometimes a pain in the ***, especially erasing with a UV light box.

If you need any help with programming, soldering circuit boards, ideas, algorithms, etc, let me know! I would love to help, and anything I could do for you help me out too.

WIth that said, I know it's a lot to ask, but can you open up a thread, website, etc to document your progress through this project (pics, diagrams, explanations)? This is something that I would like to follow. I have had interests in doing similar things with my car.

Thanks!