On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 12:43:45PM +0200, Chris Roper wrote: > Looks interesting but I don't see anywhere to just download and try it o= n > an existing PIC32. It's not too terribly interesting. Embedded tokenized BASIC interpreters have existed in various forms since the birth of microcomputers. Even on the PIC the Basic Stamp was floating around 15 years ago. I've implemented a couple of systems in this format. What I finally learned is that it can be greatly simplified by changing the language. Specifically using the FORTH language actually makes such systems doable in embedded systems environments. > Pity as I am busy researching ways of introducing the PIC32 into educatio= n > in an easy and affordable way for 3rd world countries that don't have lar= ge > budgets. It depends quite a bit on the existing infrastructure as to how this can be done. The biggest problem is that embedded systems simply do not have screens, keyboards, and mice to facilitate interfacing for development. Bootloaders makes it pretty simple to dismiss the programming hardware on a per student basis, as long as the student has another machine to serve as the interface. But there can be challenges if those machines are much older and are unable to support current development environments, even if those environments are free to use. So for the sake of argument, I'm going to presume that the interface hardware can serve as a dumb terminal and nothing else. Think along the lines of a throwaway (to us) PC with 1G of RAM running a pentium level CPU.= =20 A FORTH environment is completely self hosted on the target. The interface hardware serves nothing more than a dumb terminal with possible external file storage. A serial interface is used for development. A sample FORTH that could be thrown on a PIC32 in short order is pFORTH: http://www.softsynth.com/pforth/ Written in C, pFORTH can be easily adapted to embedded systems that have no more library support than send/receive a character. No filesystem, or dynamic memory support is required. It's written in standard C, and supports ANSI standard FORTH.=20 I haven't tried it, but from the look of the reference manual it can be compiled for a PIC32 after setting some compilation paramters, dropped onto a chip, connected to a interface machine via a serial interface, and serve as a self hosted development target. Just my two cents. Quick Note: I'm on vacation and I have my vacation e-mail on. Please remove my E-mail from any replies. I'd hate to have my vacation program spam the list. Thanks. BAJ >=20 > Cheers > Chris >=20 >=20 >=20 > On 29 July 2013 11:04, cdb wrote: >=20 > > Resend - as it didn't seem to get through the first time. > > > > I've just been looking at the website www.byvac.com. In a similar way > > that > > > > > > Muvium Java environment for Pic works, this is a an Interpreted > > Basic/Compiled Function using a PIC32 called ByPic. The BASIC program > > language being installed on the PIC itself. > > > > The Basic is held in RAM where via an editor it can be written and comp= iled > > > > > > to Flash RAM on the fly. They state that the PIC can run each instruct= ion > > in 2.5us. > > > > Communication with the PIC is via a serial connection > > > > This means there is no writing code, simulate, program cycle. Most hard= ware > > > > > > functions are precompiled, so to access for example the ADC, you just = type > > > > > > > > adc_init(channel_number) > > x=3Dadc_get(channel_number) > > > > And your done, whilst in RAM you can make as many alterations to your c= ode > > and test it out in PIC, once all is OK you then flash it to flash memor= y. > > > > It is aimed at beginners and naturally they have their own Arduino styl= e > > development boards. > > > > Looks interesting. > > > > Colin > > > > -- > > cdb, on 28/07/2013 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > > View/change your membership options at > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > > > --=20 > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 Byron A. Jeff Chair: Department of Computer Science and Information Technology College of Information and Mathematical Sciences Clayton State University http://faculty.clayton.edu/bjeff --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .