Ray Russell wrote:
>
> David,
> Thanks for your very quick reply!
> While I understand the theory, putting what you are saying to use has left me
> out in the cold!
> Do you have a program that would do all this that you could add notes to that
> tell me what each line is doing? This way I could go to the data sheet and
> actually figure out what is going on? This way I am not burning up hours
> beating my head against the wall.
> I have gotten several posts from this list but they all figure I know how to
> use the compiler and know how to write code. I am so lost I wanna dump the
> whole thing but everyone keeps telling me it is so simple! I am wondering if
> I am getting old or just to dumb to understand this!
> I hope you can see where I am and throw me a rope!
> Ray Russell
> General Contractor
> Norfolk & Western Railroad


Russell, sounds like techno-shock rearing it's
ugly head. There is a steep learning curve with
PICs (or any micros) it all seems impossible at
first, then after a few weeks most of it makes
sense.

David was right about starting small. Get a simple
easy to program PIC like the 16F84. Then attach
the two opto sensors to it's two input pins. Then
set two other pins to outputs, and just "mirror"
the ins to outs. So when the train passes opto 1
you light led 1. When it passes opto 2 you light
led 2. The circuit and code for that would both be
pretty simple and easy for mentors to help with. :o)

By the time you get that happening with software
and hardware you are really most of the way there.
I also expect by the time that is working you
will have gotten the PIC bug bad enough to be
itching to attack bigger and better things, like
connecting the 7-seg displays and doing some timing
calcs.

Don't ever think you're too old or dumb! I'm sure
you have knowlege and skills that other people here
will never have. Would you think that we're dumb
because of that? Give yourself the same credit. :o)
-Roman

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