language iseu

[rjvh]

Hi
I know there are several program languages availible and it's like religion for some people
i don't need to know why it is for sombody easyer/better (web sites ful of them and therefore confusing)
I need something that works for me

the situation is this
i just bought some PIC's 16F877a and 16F628

these are the devices that i will use as other ones are very hard to get where i am located

my only programming experiance is PLC (ladder programming) and according to the teachers i did pick it up quickly (i don't know if any language is related to it)

i do have some friends that are experianced in asembly and C language but they are all computer programmers and don't have a cleu about electronics so I asume they can help me out on some iseus but I am not 100% sure

I don't have a programer yet and still shop around for one I have a Figure of $200 in my head that I am willing to spend for as much as i can get as long it will work for me
So is it realistic to say that I can have a programmer and a lcd for that money delivered in cambodia?????

I will be using a laptop with USB ports and build self aditional power supplies
(did download MPLAb already )

It's not my intention to swich from set up and/or language next year or so
I just need something simple that works for the conditions I am in

Thanks in advance

Robert-Jan

 

[ericgibbs]

hi Robert_Jan,
Look at www.oshonsoft.com

The PIC16F and 18F are covered, its got a Basic compiler and Assembler as well as Simulation.

It a free 30 day trial [ or 30 start up's]

There a some open source prommers on the site.

Its low cost.

 

[richard.c]

Hi,

Its often suggested you start Pic programming with Assembler as this give you a better understanding of the hardware.

There are many good Pic Assembler tutorials for the 16F chips out there - one of the good ones being Nigels ( a moderator of this site) : -

There are many programmers and development boards out there to choose from, but if as you say you are into the hardware, then building your own simple development board should be possible - its just continuation of Nigels hardware examples - for a programmer $35 + carriage buys the Microchip Pickit2 - which no one has bettered yet.

The little picture shows my humble dev board effort - its just got 5 switches, 8 leds and lcd - more than enough for me, and the pic chips are on their own plug in boards so you don't have to rewire everything when you change from one project to another.

hth

Richard

 

[bananasiong]

Hi,
I agree with richard.c, go for assembly language for better understanding of the hardware. Check Nigel's site for all the working examples, with schematic provided too.
As for the programmer, **broken link removed** is what you want. No additional power supply required.

 

[qratman]

Hi,
There's an open source ladder locgic compiler available for PIC and AVR controllers called LDmicro at: https://cq.cx/ladder.pl .

Its suported PIC list is not great but your mentioned 16f628 and 16f877 are supported.

You can even use it to learn assembler by examining which ladder element generates what code. Although it seems to be unable to generate .asm file directly, you can use some disassmbler (oshonsoft pic simulator has it) to generate asm file from hex.

LDmicro about dialog says:
LDmicro is a ladder logic editor, simulator and compiler for 8-bit
microcontrollers. It can generate native code for Atmel AVR and Microchip
PIC16 CPUs from a ladder diagram.