Johann,
The Arduino Nano is a small, inexpensive ($1.5 on Ebay) microcontroller board with a built-in bootloader that's supported by the GCB IDE. Its USB interface shows up as a serial COM port in Windows and (probably) LINUX. Very handy for debugging right from the IDE's terminal utility and also for GP serial communicztions. No MPLAB stuff required. I keep a small stock of them on hand and use it for many of my projects. Fastest/cheapest way to get started with GCB.
Joe
-------- Original message --------
From: JohanDenRidder hendriksx@users.sf.net
Date: 11/17/2017 1:23 AM (GMT-05:00)
To: "[gcbasic:discussion]" 579125@discussion.gcbasic.p.re.sf.net
Subject: [gcbasic:discussion] Completely new user - Obstacles
PART 2, INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE
I first installed the software from Microchip "PICkit3 Programmer Application Setup" as I read somewhere that this was an easy tool to program a pic. Again, it took me a long time to find it in the archives of Microchip only to discover later that it was also in the "Great Cow Basic IDE" download. I could have saved me the trouble.
Trouble came nevertheless. After starting C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\PICkit 3 v3\PICkit3.exe it was impossible the exit the program. I had to use the taskmanager to stop the program each time. I found the cause of it. Since Windows 7 software developers are not alowed anymore to let their program write anything in the C:\Program Files path anymore. I solved this problem by temporarely copying the complete program to my desktop. Exiting the running program from here works fine. Now you can see a file "PICkit3.ini" has been created. You need to go into the properties of this file, to the security tab. Here you give the file all rights to read and write. Copy this file to the original path in C:\programs and from now on you will be able to close the program normally.
Ok, first hurdle taken.
Now I starting PICkit3.exe with the PICkit3 programmer connected to an USB port only to find that the programmer didn't work yet. I can't remember the error code but is was something like "no operating system found". I had no idea but I tried Tools > Download PICkit Operating System anyway and chose the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\PICkit 3 v3\PK3OSV020005.hex as it was the only one starting with PK3OS... PICkit3 was now found by the software so I was getting more confident about the project.
Next, installing the downloaded "Great Cow Basic IDE". This was as easy as ticking all boxes and click Install. That's it.
After starting GCB an IDE presented itself so I needed no more worrying about that either.
Now over to the hardware...
Joe, I agree it's the easiest and probably cheapest option. Cheaper than just the mega328p chip.
It's a capable pic, large programs and 1K ram for say oled display or large arrays. Pins have socket headers for adding stuff and there's "shields" that make adding devices easy.
My intention was to use GCB with pics but I had to get a pickit. While waiting I used a uno and used xloader at first to flash a hex file but then twigged how to set up the avr tool and now just click flash hex.
I'm glad the uno is being supported as much as pics. Grudgingly ? :)
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Agreed. You can get a whole microcontroller board for less than the price of just the PicAxe or Basic Stamp chip. And no need to build peripheral boards; many popular ones are available at very low prices. It's the best of both worlds.
Jode
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Just remember that only the TX/Rx pins are available though, so it is not suitable for driving an Arduino Chip or a Tiny Bootloader PIC. They both require the DTR or RTS signals to put them in bootloader mode.
But is great for hooking a USART up to a PC terminal emulator, which is probably what an FTDI device is used for 90% of the time.
And yes you are correct, no chance of bricking the device as it has no 3rd party device drivers, it is seen as an HID.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Johan. 3 nanos arrived yesterday. Change avrtools to 57600 if like me you can't flash a program.
also change Com7 to what the nano shows up as.
REM Call AVRdude for Arduino_Uno bootloader:
REM You will have to confirm the com (communications) port - currently set for com6
"AVRdude\avrdude.exe" -c Arduino -P Com7 -b 57600 -p AT%2 -U flash:w:%1:i
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Johann,
The Arduino Nano is a small, inexpensive ($1.5 on Ebay) microcontroller board with a built-in bootloader that's supported by the GCB IDE. Its USB interface shows up as a serial COM port in Windows and (probably) LINUX. Very handy for debugging right from the IDE's terminal utility and also for GP serial communicztions. No MPLAB stuff required. I keep a small stock of them on hand and use it for many of my projects. Fastest/cheapest way to get started with GCB.
Joe
-------- Original message --------
From: JohanDenRidder hendriksx@users.sf.net
Date: 11/17/2017 1:23 AM (GMT-05:00)
To: "[gcbasic:discussion]" 579125@discussion.gcbasic.p.re.sf.net
Subject: [gcbasic:discussion] Completely new user - Obstacles
PART 2, INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE
I first installed the software from Microchip "PICkit3 Programmer Application Setup" as I read somewhere that this was an easy tool to program a pic. Again, it took me a long time to find it in the archives of Microchip only to discover later that it was also in the "Great Cow Basic IDE" download. I could have saved me the trouble.
Trouble came nevertheless. After starting C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\PICkit 3 v3\PICkit3.exe it was impossible the exit the program. I had to use the taskmanager to stop the program each time. I found the cause of it. Since Windows 7 software developers are not alowed anymore to let their program write anything in the C:\Program Files path anymore. I solved this problem by temporarely copying the complete program to my desktop. Exiting the running program from here works fine. Now you can see a file "PICkit3.ini" has been created. You need to go into the properties of this file, to the security tab. Here you give the file all rights to read and write. Copy this file to the original path in C:\programs and from now on you will be able to close the program normally.
Ok, first hurdle taken.
Now I starting PICkit3.exe with the PICkit3 programmer connected to an USB port only to find that the programmer didn't work yet. I can't remember the error code but is was something like "no operating system found". I had no idea but I tried Tools > Download PICkit Operating System anyway and chose the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\PICkit 3 v3\PK3OSV020005.hex as it was the only one starting with PK3OS... PICkit3 was now found by the software so I was getting more confident about the project.
Next, installing the downloaded "Great Cow Basic IDE". This was as easy as ticking all boxes and click Install. That's it.
After starting GCB an IDE presented itself so I needed no more worrying about that either.
Now over to the hardware...
Completely new user - Obstacles
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Last edit: joe rocci 2017-11-17
Joe, I agree it's the easiest and probably cheapest option. Cheaper than just the mega328p chip.
It's a capable pic, large programs and 1K ram for say oled display or large arrays. Pins have socket headers for adding stuff and there's "shields" that make adding devices easy.
My intention was to use GCB with pics but I had to get a pickit. While waiting I used a uno and used xloader at first to flash a hex file but then twigged how to set up the avr tool and now just click flash hex.
I'm glad the uno is being supported as much as pics. Grudgingly ? :)
Stan
Agreed. You can get a whole microcontroller board for less than the price of just the PicAxe or Basic Stamp chip. And no need to build peripheral boards; many popular ones are available at very low prices. It's the best of both worlds.
Jode
At your prices it's a cheap usb to ttl converter. The usb chip doesn't brick devices. (as some do).
And you get a free ucontrl dev board :)
Just remember that only the TX/Rx pins are available though, so it is not suitable for driving an Arduino Chip or a Tiny Bootloader PIC. They both require the DTR or RTS signals to put them in bootloader mode.
But is great for hooking a USART up to a PC terminal emulator, which is probably what an FTDI device is used for 90% of the time.
And yes you are correct, no chance of bricking the device as it has no 3rd party device drivers, it is seen as an HID.
Hi Joe,
I just ordered some of these to experiment with
Thanks
Johan. 3 nanos arrived yesterday. Change avrtools to 57600 if like me you can't flash a program.
also change Com7 to what the nano shows up as.
REM Call AVRdude for Arduino_Uno bootloader:
REM You will have to confirm the com (communications) port - currently set for com6
"AVRdude\avrdude.exe" -c Arduino -P Com7 -b 57600 -p AT%2 -U flash:w:%1:i
Designed for bread board?