Yes, you can set a pin to ground. You can set a pin to high. You can even set it to 'high impedance' which is similar to being disconnected and is what the pin looks like when it's being used as an input. Not only that, but it can handle more current grounding something than it can by bringing something high. There are several PIC tutorials on the internet which go through the simple steps of how to deal with these beasts... http://www.google.com/search?q=pic%20tutorial is a good search to start with - these next few seem to offer some good starting material: http://www.mstracey.btinternet.co.uk/pictutorial/picmain.htm Here's a brief overview of the 16f87x chips (most other tutorials still only cover the 16f84 - largely the same basic material, but a few gotchas) http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/pictutorial.pdf A simple starter page written by Myke Predko can be found on rentron here: http://www.rentron.com/Myke3.htm There are dozens others. I hope this helps! -Adam Kieren Johnstone wrote: >Already burnt my first PIC (am I official now?).. hooked up +13V to pin 2 >rather than 1 by mistake..won't be doing THAT again. >Anyway, I have a 2-digit 7-segment LED thing lying around, but it's common >cathode (assuming cathode is +ve!).. anyway, I can't figure out how I can >use it with a PIC - you can't set a pin to groun can you? :( > >-Kieren > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Brendan Moran" >To: >Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 9:56 PM >Subject: Re: [OT]: It works! > > > > >>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >>Hash: SHA1 >> >> >> >>>There is no magic in electronics. Just bad contacts. >>> >>> >>Sure there is. All electronics run on magic smoke. If you let the >>smoke out, the electronics cease to function. >> >>- --Brendan >> >>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >>Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.8 for non-commercial use >> >>iQA/AwUBPVwViAVk8xtQuK+BEQLAHgCfVmUc5oZbwfWVQn9LgrC53ClmDIQAoN3j >>5I2nLwINHjHXxNPzd4cdhgy2 >>=aYy8 >>-----END PGP SIGNATURE----- >> >>-- >>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: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: >[PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads > > > > > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads