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Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
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Posted: 04:14pm 21 Jan 2016

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I have updated the Micromite firmware to Ver 5.1 and it can be downloaded from:
http://geoffg.net/micromite.html#Downloads

This is a minor upgrade for the MX170 version but it also takes the Micromite Plus version out of beta. There are further improvements that need to be made to the Micromite Plus version (especially more controls) and I hope to incrementally add these in following versions as the need becomes apparent.

For both versions there are a few minor changes plus some bug fixes:
- The way that VAR SAVE works has changed slightly, it can now be used repeatedly adding to the list of saved variables. Also, arrays can now be saved.
- Implemented the TRACE command which partially replaces TRON and TROFF but also allows a listing of the lines executed before a break.
- A new command OPTION RTC allows the I/O pins for the RTC command to be specified for the Micromite Plus.

I have updated my website to cater for the Micromite plus and also added a page for the Micromite LCD Backpack which will feature in the next issue of Silicon Chip magazine. It is a PCB carrying a 28-pin Micromite designed to fit on the back of a 2.4" or 2.8" LCD display.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

RonnS
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Joined: 16/07/2015
Location: Germany
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Posted: 07:41pm 21 Jan 2016

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great News ! Thank you Geoff !

Ron

OA47

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Joined: 11/04/2012
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Posted: 07:45pm 21 Jan 2016

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Thank you Geoff again for all of your efforts.

paceman
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Joined: 07/10/2011
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Posted: 08:01pm 21 Jan 2016

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I've just had a quick look at all you've done here Geoff and once again I'm amazed how you manage to get everything done. The designing, coding, debugging, documentation (a huge job in itself), liaison with Peter Mather's clever input (and others no doubt) updating your website, following the TBS forum, the SC articles - and all in such a short time. I'm tired just thinking about it and I've probably missed heaps!

My thanks also, again, for all your efforts.

Greg

atmega8

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Joined: 19/11/2013
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Posted: 08:35pm 21 Jan 2016

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Thank you Geoff,

hope to find Time on The weekend for testing😄

Atmega8

Lou

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Joined: 01/02/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 229

Posted: 08:52pm 21 Jan 2016

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Geoff,

Thanks for all your hard work and great new features.
And thank you VERY MUCH for the new VAR SAVE command, just what I needed!!

Lou

Microcontrollers - the other white meat

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3282

Posted: 10:44pm 21 Jan 2016

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Thanks guys.

There are two points that I forgot to mention:

There appears to be a strange fault that can occur on the Micromite Plus. It does not happen often but sometimes when MMBasic accesses an SD card the touch controller on a SSD1962 display panel can become unresponsive - the only way to recover is to cycle the power on the display panel. This fault only occurs with some SD cards so the workaround is to try a different card.

Why reading from a SD card will cause the touch controller to hang is a mystery that I am still trying to figure out.

The second point is that I have updated the source on mmbasic.com, so if you want to look at it you can. Note that you need to use the full (paid) XC32 compiler if you wish to recompile the MX170 source as that makes extensive use of optimisations to fit everything into the chip.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

disco4now

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Joined: 18/12/2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 1000

Posted: 10:46pm 21 Jan 2016

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Thanks Geoff,

A nice little package.

Gerry

Latest F4 Latest H7 FotS

cdeagle
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Joined: 22/06/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 265

Posted: 01:59am 22 Jan 2016

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Thanks Geoff

mindrobots
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Joined: 21/05/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 32

Posted: 04:31am 22 Jan 2016

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Thanks Geoff!!

Guys, I know how to trigger updates from Geoff now - once I get all my Micromites re-flashed with the "latest", Geoff releases a new "latest"...so I start my upgrade process again!!

PicFan
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Joined: 18/03/2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 133

Posted: 05:16am 22 Jan 2016

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Thanks Geoff !

viscomjim
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Joined: 08/01/2014
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Posted: 05:31am 22 Jan 2016

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Can't thank you enough Geoff! This just keeps getting better! That backpack is totally awesome and should really get more people into this great project!!!!

kiiid

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Joined: 11/05/2013
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Posts: 671

Posted: 05:35am 22 Jan 2016

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Great work as always Geoff!

I wonder, are we close to seeing self-updating MM/MM+ soon...Edited by kiiid 2016-01-23

http://rittle.org

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hitsware
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Joined: 23/11/2012
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Posted: 06:58am 22 Jan 2016

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kiiid said Great work as always Geoff!

I wonder, are we close to seeing self-updating MM/MM+ soon...

Only if you use a MM/MM account#

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
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Posted: 04:04pm 22 Jan 2016

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kiiid said I wonder, are we close to seeing self-updating MM/MM+ soon...

No, I have given up on that. The bootloader has to be programmed into the chip in the first place... so if you must purchase a programmer for that, you do not need the bootloader. Besides, there are many cheap ways of programming a PIC32.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
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Posted: 05:12pm 22 Jan 2016

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Lou said Geoff,

Thanks for all your hard work and great new features.
And thank you VERY MUCH for the new VAR SAVE command, just what I needed!!

Lou

Indeed.

VAR SAVE is so much easier then using an I2C EEPROM(well, just from a coding point of view, as the VAR SAVE command does it all for you in one go), but in my stereo project, my code-helper-bee(jman) was creating an impressive VAR SAVE line.

There was no way you could ever edit it in the native editor - 'Line too long' error. Now we can seperate the VAR SAVE commands onto two or three lines, and there is now no need for the EEPROM.

This is a good thing, as the 1B version of the stereo project(which uses the MM+ and parallel LCD), I forgot to add the EEPROM chip before I got the boards made. When I realised that, it was too late, the boards were in production, and it was something of a 'Mother

!!!' moment. Now I don't really have to worry at all.

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

isochronic
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Joined: 21/01/2012
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Posted: 07:21pm 22 Jan 2016

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Re the LCD backpack, I guess that programming it via a PC requires a
serial-usb converter (?) or is there a lcd-based screen editor ?
How does it compare with mik's similar LCD backpack ?Edited by chronic 2016-01-24

Geoffg

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Posted: 09:50pm 22 Jan 2016

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chronic said I guess that programming it via a PC requires a serial-usb converter (?)

That is correct, it is just a standard 28-pin Micromite. Very similar to Mick's.

I (and the magazine) believe that this will be very popular.

I am planning a follow on series of articles using the Micromite LCD Backpack:
- Garage parking assistant (March edition)
- Nautical Digital Speedometer
- 0-3MHz synthesised function generator
- Car Computer
- Simple Weather Monitor
- etc

The main aim is to show what you can do with a Micromite and an LCD display.

GeoffEdited by Geoffg 2016-01-24

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

kiiid

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Joined: 11/05/2013
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Posts: 671

Posted: 09:12am 23 Jan 2016

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Geoffg said

kiiid said I wonder, are we close to seeing self-updating MM/MM+ soon...

I understand your point, but disagree. It is true that you would need to have a programmer for the first flashing, but that is done in the lab anyway. If you are not the intended user, or the device is used on the field, it is completely possible that you might want to upgrade without having a programmer around. Of course I am only stating out possible situations.

Edited by kiiid 2016-01-24

http://rittle.org

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MicroBlocks

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Joined: 12/05/2012
Location: Thailand
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Posted: 08:30pm 23 Jan 2016

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kiiid,

Your scenario is exactly the reason why i made a usb-serial/programmer. It is just a small pic16f1455 that can be added to a pcb design.
It works similar as if you have a bootloader.
It works with the pic332prog. Tassyjim also has a UI wrapper for it.
Might be a solution for your situation.

Microblocks. Build with logic.

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