What additional targets should Flowcode support?

[DavidA]

Use this topic to discuss what additional targets Flowcode should support. With version 8 in development, what additional target devices do you believe Flowcode should target?

[Docara]

Hi David,

I've recently been investigating the 4D Systems intelligent displays. Whilst their displays do have their issues they have a system which I believe would fundamentally work well with FC - and perhaps offer a revenue stream to Matrix. They seem to be the only company I can find that gives me everything I need in a display, a really useable piece of software (professional £40) to compliment their displays, produces near professional grade graphics (albeit it somewhat limited in graphic widgets) and has its own development language system for expansion, has its own processor on-board with user available pins and lastly, they offer a panel bezel to finish your project off (for about £10)

Their (free) "Workshop 4 IDE" gives you 4 distinct areas to work with

1) Designer - Native programming language for coders
2) ViSi Genie - drag and drop no coding
3) ViSi - Combination of 1 & 2
4) Serial - Slave display

I'm sure if FC could be expanded to fully use these boards, if not, then to offer component macros to use the widgets we design would be a very close alternative

To round up they seem to be able to offer the full circle of ticking the boxes to non programmers allowing them to produce stunning display with our own code coupled with a professional finished project.

I'm working on a boat display panel and these allow me to achieve my aim as a non programmer without serious grief or specialised knowledge.

Matt

[viki2000]

The new families of PIC24 and dsPIC33 produced lately by Microchip and are supported by their XC compilers, especially those with integrated DAC.

[Benj]

Hi Matt,

I believe we currently support options 2,3 and 4 for the 4D displays. We have components specifically for option 4 under displays and another VISI component available under comms for options 2 and 3. You can even use the VISI in simulation to control the real world display before you go near a micro. Nextion displays are not currently very well supported but are on my radar.

http://www.matrixtsl.com/mmforums/viewt ... 26&t=15212

Hi Viki,

Do you have specific chips in those families you want to see added? It's normally not a massive job so let me know which ones you want to see and I'll get them in for you.

[Docara]

HI Ben,

Thanks for the update, I think you've slightly missed my point!

I appreciate you have a level of support for the 4D kit but I was suggesting that you could support and program their intelligent boards natively within FC. It seems to me to get the most out of their (updated) Diablo's based boards one needs to program them with there own IDE and near C based syntax etc. Yes the Visi Genie application within their Workshop program is drag and drop but the boards also come with lots of IOs, ADC etc it might be a nice little board to use (like the Dicovery's) so it might be a nice earner for you chaps to support them.

As originally stated they seem to be the only company which seems to offer the full package of hardware, software and finishing bits (bezel) which are well within the price range of hobbyists to achieve a really nice professional looking finished project.

Matt

[viki2000]

Hi Benj,
For example next:
dsPIC33EP128GS702
dsPIC33EP64GS502
dsPIC33EP32GS502
dsPIC33EP16GS502

I am interested in the internal DAC usage from these chips.

[Jay Dee]

Hi,
The new(ish) 8 bit small pin count devices from microchip...
PIC16F15313 - 8 Pins !
PIC16(L)F184xx http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/D ... 01894B.pdf

These devices pack a lot of functionality into small packages, they offer great solutions for the simple problems in electronics, rather than dropping in an all-singing-an-dancing large pin count device. Many be they are not as generalist as the bigger IC's that pack many many features but for single tasks they can compete on performance due to the Core Independent Peripherals, they also feature PPS, so you can use many different pins for some functions.

[stefan.erni]

Hi Jay

Thanks for the information. I think that would be a pic for me too.

8-Pin PDIP and SOIC > I can solder myself, is certainly an advantage.

but I'm looking for xlp types. Which will support FlowCode XLP types I do not know yet
but this pic is one of them

eXtreme Low Power (XLP)

PIC16F15313.PNG

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[stefan.erni]

and a little extra information ...

On this page you can search for all PIC with 8Pin or whatever for an option.

But unfortunately you can not yet choose "programmable with flowcode"

http://www.microchip.com/maps/Microcontroller.aspx

[stefan.erni]

Hi David

Medical, Healthcare & Fitness with Flowcode8 ?

How about a new group of component medical device?
For example heartrate and pulse oximeter

http://www.ti.com/solution/ecg_electroc ... Everything
http://www.ti.com/solution/pulse-oximetry-diagram

If interest is present I can write more accurately

[stefan.erni]

Hi David

The STM controller are simple to progam with the USB. Microchip not. It's need a Bootloader. Somethimes with a little bit luck You can find one.

I guess for (or with) Flowcode8 would be an elegant solution. Just drag a symbol to the screen and then the bootloader for the right PIC is there ... Perhaps you have to specify a few pin's. Compile it to the chip and from now
you can also program the PIC via USB.

bootloader for PIC ?

[Benj]

Hello Stefan,

You're right about bootloaders being a pain for PIC. The Bootloader for ARM is built into the silicone so it will work even when you erase the device. PICs require program memory space to store the bootloader and some PICs will also require offsets for the main program making it even more messy.

My advise would be to avoid bootloaders with PIC unless absolutely necessary. The PICkit3 can get around most problems. Apart from easy USB based field upgrades.

Might be a good suggestion for Microchip to finally sort out their bootloaders so they are available just to download rather than having to compile them yourself based on their near impossible to read code. They would need to be programmed via a single piece of PC software to work correctly, something like our mLoader tool or their IPE tool would be ideal so you can use it in GUI and command line modes.

[stefan.erni]

Hi Ben

Unfortunately, mloader info tell me it's support a lot of PIC but not the PIC32. Of course I need the PIC32MZ2048EFG100
http://www.matrixtsl.com/wiki/index.php?title=MLoader
I will look at the IPE of Microchip ...
and maybe later in another forum post to ask you for help, if necessary

[Benj]

Unfortunately, mloader info tell me it's support a lot of PIC but not the PIC32. Of course I need the PIC32MZ2048EFG100

mLoader just works with the various bootloaders we have on the Matrix hardware boards (E-blocks / ECIO / MIAC / etc).

I will look at the IPE of Microchip

It comes packaged with the installer for MPLABX, I don't think you can download it on its own. However it's a great bit of software which I now use often to program PIC devices with a PICkit3.

[stefan.erni]

Hi David

SAML21/22, SAMD5x ,SAMD1/2x, SAM4L, SAMG5x, PIC32MX XLP.

For a portable device with battery it's often importend to have a low power device.
Microchip’s ultra-low power SAM 32-bit ARM®-based and PIC32 eXtreme Low Power (XLP) MCU are in this group.

35 μA/MHz to 250 μA/MHz active current.
here some infos
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/D ... 01496A.pdf

It would be nice if procesor and predefined boards with FC8 become possible to program

[stefan.erni]

Calliope !

Can Flowcode 8 support programming Calliope for schoolchildren?
Just look what it is and see the list of partners .....

https://calliope.cc/en/ueber-mini

https://calliope.cc/en/partner

Calliope_hand.PNG

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http://www.matrixtsl.com/mmforums/posti ... 73&t=19033#