On Jan 11, 4:32 am, Mimewar <mime...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm pretty familiar with BASIC, and I know it has it's limitations. I > know C is VERY popular, and very useful as well. For the programmers > in here, as far as microcontrollers go, what language do you prefer, > and can you suggest a good way to start learning said language? > > Thanks > Shane
Hello Shane, I started out learning assembler about 10 years ago on a limited instruction set device, the pic micro, which had only 33 key words to remember. I've since moved to picBasic (pro version) as my sketchpad for drawing up the program structure, for expression evaluation, and because you get immediate access to data structures which you can move around and add to freely. I still use a lot of assembly code in the timing critical sections mainly, and where I need to run concurrent hardware tasks, such as serial data reception with ADC reads and PWM output control, because assembly access to interrupts gives you absolute control, which a higher level language can't always give you. I learned C at university about 5 years ago. I used it once for an assignment to build a fuzzy logic environment controller with 4 variables and haven't touched it since, having to end each line with a semi colon felt like a step backwards.(I recall only a couple of exceptions to that rule). I wouldn't class C as a low level language, I have seen teh term 'mid level' used to describe it in engineering journals and I tend to agree with that. anyway, there are plenty of online tutorials for most languages so you are not short of resources. There is sometimes a feeling that basic spoils the mind when it comes to programming, but I would only agree completely with that if the person doing the programming has no idea about what, or how, the language is doing with respect to the internal registers of the device. If I know what I would like to do in assembler but prefer the ease of use of a higher level language all I have done is save myself some time in typing out the instructions. My knowledge of what I am doing remains the same. I appreciate that this limits me too, because C is supposed to be portable and therefore if I write C routines for Atmel, Motorola or Microchip pics I don't need to rewrite it for each version. i do need a different compiler and possibly programmer too though. As far as preference goes, a clock is a simple thing, it probably doesn't matter a great deal. Yoiu might be better just starting with what you have and working until you find the limitations and then work to see if you can negate them. the mental excercise is the same and the programming lessons you will learn will definitely transpose to other languages too. Chris C used to be considered high level but nowadays it is more like a mid level language. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
