On Mon, 17 Jun 2002, Joe Farr wrote:

>You've still got to get your 'original' code onto the PIC. I suppose you
>could attach a couple of switches to the programming pins and wiggle them
>up and down really fast to load in a program but it feels a bit of a step
>back to me.
>
>In the good old days, we use to write a monitor program for say a Z80 or
>6502. The monitor prog, supported a HEX keypad and multiplexed LED
>display for example. Using these, you entered your program into memory
>and then ran it. When it crashed, you hit the reset button and your
>monitor prog sprang back into life so you could edit your program.

Know those ;-). Except they often hosed their own programs when crashing
(I used CMOS ram for program storage also on 8051 and Z80).

>I suppose you could do the same with a PIC ?

Hmm. A 18F could do that.

>The real pain in those days was you had to do all the assembly by hand.

I built two microsystems on breadboards using soldered wirewrap wires. One
is still on my table (80C51 + EEPROM + RAM). I hate wirewrap and I timed
myself, soldering is faster.

I was thinking along the lines of inputs, outputs, and a 'carrot/stick'
input. Every time the pic does something bad with its outputs push the
stick button. Eventually it should start to do what you want it to do. A
stick push would have the program alter the production that led to the bad
state using a random generator.

You could take this to the next level using an analysis layer that would
add state spaces to the state machine when there is too little success.
Such an algorythm should develop a 'brain' just smart enough to solve most
of the problems as desired by the teacher.

I have posted some ideas on this some time ago in this mailing list,
involving a small robot. I will try to find the thread if you are
interested.

Peter

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter L. Peres [mailto:plp@ACTCOM.CO.IL]
>Sent: 16 June 2002 20:23
>To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
>Subject: Re: [OT]: My new car MP3 controller
>
>
>On Sun, 16 Jun 2002, Joe Farr wrote:
>
>>Actually, until there's an assembler that runs on a pic to make pic .HEX
>>files it's never going to happen
>
>Do interpreted languages that can self-modify count ? How about 18Fxxx
>which can do this to itself. Genetic code anyone ? Who knows what a PIC
>could teach itself ;-).
>
>Peter
>
>--
>http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic:
>[PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads
>
>--
>http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics
>(like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics
>
>
>

--
http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us!
email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body