Category: Programming

ASM is a specific language also referred as low level programming language. It is a mnemonics to a machine codes. It usually takes long time to develop embedded programs in ASM language. Today even modern 8 bit microcontrollers are powerful and complex as they were long time ago. The program memory of tiny chips are reaching megabytes, they pack lots of peripherals and interfaces. Hardware code is becoming more complex, functionality grows up. This is one of the main reasons of using higher level programming languages like C. By using C language you do not have to go into details how processor works at hardware level. You don’t have to think about hardware logic how bytes are shifted between registers. It is better to leave t Another advantage of C language against ASM is portability. If you work with embedded system architecture and decide to move to other, and your previous program were written in ASM, then you are stuck to rewriting this code from scratch. Using C written programs you can re-compile code for different microcontrollers without significant modifications of code. This way your new project code upgrade becomes easy task. C or other high level programming language makes…

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Basically Structures are nothing more than collection of variables so called members. Structures allows to reference all members by single name. Variables within a structure doesn’t have to be the same type. General structure declaration: struct structure_tag_name{ type member1; type member2; … type memberX }; or struct structure_tag_name{ type member1; type member2; … type memberX } structure_variable_name; in second example we declared the variable name. Otherwise variables can be declared this way: struct structure_tag_name var1, var2,var3[3]; Members of structure can be accessed by using member operator (.). The member operator connects the member name to the structure. Lets take an example: struct position{ int x; int y; }robot; we can set robot position by using following sentence: robot.x=10; robot.y=15; or simply robot={10,15}; Structures can be nested: struct status{ int power; struct position coordinates; } robotstatus; to access robot x coordinate we have to write: x=robotstatus.coordinates.x; Actions can be taken with structures: Copy; Assign; Take its address with &; Access members. Of course you can treat a structure like a variable type. So you can create an array of structures like: struct status{ int power; struct position coordinates; } robotstatus[100]; Accessing 15th robot power would be like this: pow=robotstatus[15].power;

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Nowadays, many big and small companies prefer using Ruby on Rails when creating applications that are to be delivered on the web. It is not surprising, as Ruby on Rails offers lots of advantages over other web development frameworks. Lets have a closer look at the benefits of Ruby on Rails or Ruby, as it is usually called. This framework’s main advantage is that it makes the life of a web developer easier by allowing writing less code, which is achievable due to a leaner code base. Ruby on Rails is very easy to use. Besides, it gives speed and flexibility that no other scripting language or framework can give. Creating websites with Ruby on Rails is a lot faster and easier than with other web developing solutions. Generally, to develop and launch a website, the developer needs about twelve weeks. While using Ruby on Rails, a web developer needs six weeks to complete a similar project. The modular design of Ruby on Rails allows reusing earlier created elements rather than creating new ones. Making changes and adjustments is also a lot easier if a site is created with Ruby on Rails.

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Another way of controlling the LPT port under Windows 2000 and XP is using the Delphi language. In this case, library, inpout32.dll, is used, which allows controlling LPT port registers. And now how to do this from the beginning. Start Borland Delphi 7.0 and make a simple form where you can enter Data to be sent to the port, Port Address, buttons for writing to and reading from a port. If you are familiar with building forms this should be ease task. Okay, now let’s start programming; first of all wee need to include inpout32.dll in the project. For this, Delphi has several ways, but let’s stay to the easiest one when the library is in the same directory, where the project is. The header in section uses we have to place function prototypes Out32 and Inp32 with special compiler directive external, saying where to find this function.

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There are a lot of Radio amateurs that want to control external devices using computer standard ports. One of them is the COM port. Everybody wants things to be easy as people doing electronics are more hardware people, not software. COM port is more often used than LPT because COM port is more resistive to bigger loads, and there are fewer chances of failing. So if you know Visual Basic a little bit, then this shouldn’t be tough to use the MSComm Control component, located in Project->Components. You should check box MSComm Control. Later you have to add this control to the form and write some code for it.

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This is a simple routine of sending and reading a byte from the LPT1 port under Windows XP. LPT port has four types of pins: 8 output pins accessed via the DATA Port 5 input pins (one inverted) accessed via the STATUS Port 4 output pins (three inverted) accessed via the CONTROL Port The remaining 8 pins are grounded Now we are interested in Data pins.

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