Programming book

[Clad In Shadows]

Hey Jon ,

I remember you talking about writing a book to learn how to program.
Did you ever get the time to start writing or did you decide not to do it?

Just checking.

Sam

[JonnyMac]

It's still in progress (very beginning stages).  I'm currently writing a book for Parallax on programming the SX (the chip we use in the Prop-SX) and I have to finish that first.

[Clad In Shadows]

cool , thanks.

[JonnyMac]

Since I'm doing the book for you, our friends and customers, what would you like to see in it?

[zeenon]

I know most of these topics now, but it would have been handy in the beginning:

- ULN explained (When to use a the ULN2003 and when to use ULN2803 (and when to clip pins)

- Handling multiple voltages on the Prop-1

- The obvious, interfacing with the AP-8, RC-4, etc (EFX products)

- Interfacing with non-efx products (uMP3, HB-25) (wiring harness, sample code)

- Triggers - How to trigger the prop-1 with a pressure mat, PIR sensor, etc.

- A ton of programming examples. I never write a program from scratch, but I love taking ideas from different programs posted and merging them into one.

- Not really a Prop-1, but a little primer on how to wire 120V to the RC-4. Seems a lot of people have problems with this. (Actually I get a lot of question on how to wire 120V with the KIT74 but this is the same)

- Servos (nothing too advanced) programming a side to side movement

- LEDS (lots of people switching to LED lighting)

- A good write up on the front end of the programming (I/O Defs,Variables, inits) that section always takes a little bit of troubleshooting by me.

Z

[Clad In Shadows]

Well , it could be a beginner's guide to programming for haunted/holiday applications.

Example code to drive pneumatics , lights , relays ,... with visual examples of how to hook it up to the prop controllers.
I think a lot of people have problems of how to hook things up to the controllers.

Just like zeenon , I take exisiting examples and put them together because I don't know anything about programming besides HIGH , LOW and PAUSE.

You could write three books ,each book with the same examples , one for each prop controller ( prop-1,prop-2,prop-sx).
That way , each person can choose which book would best fit their needs.

[JonnyMac]

You could write three books ,each book with the same examples , one for each prop controller ( prop-1,prop-2,prop-sx).
That way , each person can choose which book would best fit their needs.

That is my intention.

[michilson]

Getting things together and doing research and I'm vary much interested in this is there any further developments on these books?

From a programing stand point maybe start with a basic time function and as you progress threw some of the capabilities of the controllers you add more Programing code and Additional Controllers and Options to the Setup.

kinda covering novice and advanced users at every level.

[JonnyMac]

There is continual work but we will not announce a released date for two reasons:

1) If it slips, we'll be hammered
2) The promise of a book invariably delays customers experimenting on their own

My feeling is this: If a goofy guy like me (remember, I'm an actor and you don't see a lot of brain surgeons on the red carpet) can become a programming expert without this magic book, you can, too.  The truth is you can't learn to program from a book -- just like you can't learn to swim from a book.  If you want to swim you have to get wet; if you want to be a programmer you have to crack open a compiler and dive in.  Direct experience is a far better teacher than any book.

Of course, I really want this book finished as a guide to help the timid do more experimenting and learn from the 28+ years of small-scale programming that I've been doing for myself and others.

[BigRez]

I think there are two different topics at play here; Hardware User Guide and Programming.  Yes, the hardware does have documentation that comes with it, but for someone like me that has little to zero knowledge in this area, it left me with with several questions.  Again though, that's probably because I didn't understand some concepts from the start.

Parallax has a nice BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual found at http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/stamps/web-BSM-v2.2.pdf or you can buy the hardcopy at their site as well.  I found this very useful - and I've been a business programmer for 20-some-odd years.

What I would like to see is concise collection of how to apply and use different portions of the controllers.  I've gained a ton of info from this forum in the last month, but it wasn't easy to find it, particularly because I didn't quite know what to search for.  I'm not an electrical dude, so what often seems to be written for people who understand electrical circuitry, takes me some time to understand. 

So I think a book would be nice, but perhaps it's all here in the forums and creating a new area detailing specific items would help. In other words, a moderated collection of the best examples with details for specific connections and programming in a single User Manual area. [Added 1/12/08 @ 09:47 PST] I believe this would be the Library section of these boards.

I agree with Jon though - experimentation is a great aid to learning. (I've done a lot of that lately and learned how several things work.)  Having an understanding of the concepts allows for greater experimentation.