Mark Rages wrote:
> And use
> the default 9600 baud, too, if that's fast enough for your
> application.

There is no such thing as a default baud rate.  I use 115.2Kbaud unless
there is a good reason not to, which is unusual.

> Popping open a terminal is a lot easier than writing a host library,

This is a invalid comparison.  It's not a terminal versus a library, but
what processor to write the ASCII string parsing code for.  Something
someplace will have to do it.  Writing that code on a PC is going to be
easier than on a PIC, plus the protocol won't then be burdened with verbose
ASCII.

> especially easier than debugging both end simultaneously.

It's pretty hard to screw up a binary protocol.  Usually I use my TEST_SIO
program initially.  That gives you a simple command interface to sending and
receiving binary bytes.  You can use it to debug either end.

After you do this once, you'll have a template program that is even easier
to adapt to different opcodes and new projects.  I often include a switch
(in other words I don't delete it from the template) to show raw bytes on
the host for low level debugging.


********************************************************************
Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, http://www.embedinc.com/products
(978) 742-9014.  Gold level PIC consultants since 2000.
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist