Making a displayless 24h timer for an alarm. - Page 2 - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

**3v0** · 21st June 2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varkunus

well the picaxe program uses BASIC. But would you say pic chip is the way to go?

Based on that answer I am guessing that you have no programming skills. It would be much easier if you had answered the questions.

We still need to know how long you have to complete the project.

varkunus · 21st June 2008, 12:21 PM

right well the deadline is the 11th of March and that include making time. I will need to have done the programming but the end of the school year (september). I was also talking to my teacher, and he said I can use a PIC chip. Bear in mind (dont want to sound cocky) but I am proberly the top student in my class so I am looking for something very close to full marks. By the way, the exam board we are on is quite harsh on marks. I was reading through the PicAxe instruction manual and using a flowchart (which can then be converted to basic, a easier way I know) it didnt seem to complicated. So its not like I have to learn to right basic, but i just have to be able to use a flow chart, which can then be coverted into basic and stored on the PIC chip.

**3v0** · 21st June 2008, 01:08 PM

It is very good news that you are starting now and have enough time.

The process of making a flow chart and converting it to basic is programming. Yes you will be learning to program. The key is that you do not expect great things the first time you touch a keyboard. First you learn to turn on a LED. Next you make it blink. Then you make several blink. Then you blink them in fun patterns. If you can turn on a LED you can start a motor or open a solenoid. After a while you can control most anything. Anyone here who programs can tell you it is FUN. Even getting that first LED to turn on is a rush.

I have helped several people your age to learn programming. My oldest student just finished his first year of computer science at the undergraduate level.

Rather then think of this as a one time project you may want to think of it as the first step. It can be a very interesting hobby, for some it develops into a career as an electrical engineer or computer scientist.

There are a number of people here who are expert programmers and provide programming help to people on a regular basis.

You can go with a PIC or a PICAXE. I do not know if anyone here is using the PICAXE. PICS are much less expensive and more powerful. Some people here program in Swordfish Basic (free student version) which runs on the 18F family of PICS. Another member has a kit called the junebug. It is a combo programmer/tutor board and would be a great place to start with the project. The tutor part uses the PIC18F1320 which could work as the PIC to control you project. I use it in my class. You can get them as a kit or assembled. You can find them at blueroomelectronics - Smart Kits Build Smart People

varkunus · 21st June 2008, 06:26 PM

well i think the school can only use PicAxe (software). And they have all the adapters and stuff for it. So basically i need to make a 24 hour countdown, which then goes to a reset pin and does the sequence again. But I was the user to be able to program the chip, so they press it once when there working hours finish, and once when there working hours start. And then the chip will remember this and continue to repeat to arm the alarm between these times. Also I have had past experiance with html, and some dos programming. Although it was nothing sophisticated just some basic stuff. So could someone point in me in the right directions of what steps I would need in my program in order to allow the user to choose the times the alarm is armed by.

**3v0** · 21st June 2008, 08:45 PM

The download link from PICAXE is
Programming Editor v5.2.0 (full version, approx. 32MB)

Download it. You will find 3 manuals. Open the first manual. Start reading where it says Quick Start.

It will teach you what you need to know.

Let us know if you have questions.

varkunus · 21st June 2008, 09:40 PM

thanks alot guys, ill get back to you when i start failing!!!

**3v0** · 21st June 2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varkunus

thanks alot guys, ill get back to you when i start failing!!!

It is not hard if you take it a step at a time. You need to build and work with the simple project first prior to doing yours.

varkunus · 21st June 2008, 10:39 PM

well could someone tell me how to make a clock using a flow chart. I know its kinda asking for help, but Ive been reading the manual over atleast 2 times and its still not sinking in, maybe if someone could give me an example then i can build around it.

Will a 1000 second clock be something like that?

main:
label_10: high 0
pause 1000
low 0
goto label_10

**3v0** · 21st June 2008, 10:52 PM

It is asking for us to do your work and it will not do you any good. You wanted to use the PICAXE. They have a good manual. etc etc.

What is it you do not understand in which manual ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by varkunus

well could someone tell me how to make a clock using a flow chart. I know its kinda asking for help, but Ive been reading the manual over atleast 2 times and its still not sinking in, maybe if someone could give me an example then i can build around it.

Will a 1000 second clock be something like that?

main:
label_10: high 0
pause 1000
low 0
goto label_10

That code will almost blink an LED on gpio 0(if that is what they call it). By adding another delay it will.

Code:

main:
label_10:	high 0                       // turn led on
		pause 1000                // wait with led on
		low 0                        // turn led off
		pause 1000                // wait with led off
		goto label_10[

I am not sure what PICAXE uses for a comment indicator could be ; instead of // or maybe even REM.
To make a clock you will need to use variables to keep the time in. Wait add time to clock variable, do it again.

varkunus · 21st June 2008, 10:58 PM

so would i need to have it count to decade counter? Im just a bit confused on how to go about making a clock, could you tell me what I actually need to include bearing in mind im a complete BASIC noob

btw how do you change the values in the pause and pin numbers? You must convert to BASIC?

**3v0** · 22nd June 2008, 12:43 AM

Please take the following as a friendly suggestion. This project requires that you learn to program. If you do not want to learn to program you should think about another project.

Quote:

Originally Posted by varkunus

so would i need to have it count to decade counter? Im just a bit confused on how to go about making a clock, could you tell me what I actually need to include bearing in mind im a complete BASIC noob

btw how do you change the values in the pause and pin numbers? You must convert to BASIC?

I opened the manual and started to work out some examples for you but changed my mind. I do not want to invest (waste) any time in PICAXE basic. I see no valid reason to work with this ugly language.

If you can afford a programmer for real PICS I and others would be glad to help.

Unless you are willing to switch over to a real PIC I can not help you any further.
There must be a good PICAXE tutorials on the web ?

varkunus · 22nd June 2008, 10:08 AM

no, there are no good tutorials . Anyway what programs would you recommend. THe school has a USB into pic (looks like a 1/8 stereo plug). So any ideas?

Torben · 22nd June 2008, 11:43 AM

What's wrong with the tutorial from the picaxe site?

"There are no good tutorials" seems a little unlikely. What research have you done in trying to find them?

Torben

**3v0** · 22nd June 2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varkunus

no, there are no good tutorials . Anyway what programs would you recommend. THe school has a USB into pic (looks like a 1/8 stereo plug). So any ideas?

If you are willing to switch go with Swordfish Basic for a language and the Junebug programmer from the link in my signature. Or a PICkit2 directly from Microchip.

varkunus · 22nd June 2008, 02:19 PM

well how would i even go about make a clock which sends an output during desired times ? eg 6pm to 5am. Like i seriously have no idea, even if i knew all the commands how do you actually go about making a clock. And how do you edit the times, and pin numbers on PicAxe? And we have just found out our teacher is retiring end of the school year, so i need to have everything flawless by then.

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21st June 2008, 12:21 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	right well the deadline is the 11th of March and that include making time. I will need to have done the programming but the end of the school year (september). I was also talking to my teacher, and he said I can use a PIC chip. Bear in mind (dont want to sound cocky) but I am proberly the top student in my class so I am looking for something very close to full marks. By the way, the exam board we are on is quite harsh on marks. I was reading through the PicAxe instruction manual and using a flowchart (which can then be converted to basic, a easier way I know) it didnt seem to complicated. So its not like I have to learn to right basic, but i just have to be able to use a flow chart, which can then be coverted into basic and stored on the PIC chip.

21st June 2008, 01:08 PM	(permalink)
3v0	It is very good news that you are starting now and have enough time. The process of making a flow chart and converting it to basic is programming. Yes you will be learning to program. The key is that you do not expect great things the first time you touch a keyboard. First you learn to turn on a LED. Next you make it blink. Then you make several blink. Then you blink them in fun patterns. If you can turn on a LED you can start a motor or open a solenoid. After a while you can control most anything. Anyone here who programs can tell you it is FUN. Even getting that first LED to turn on is a rush. I have helped several people your age to learn programming. My oldest student just finished his first year of computer science at the undergraduate level. Rather then think of this as a one time project you may want to think of it as the first step. It can be a very interesting hobby, for some it develops into a career as an electrical engineer or computer scientist. There are a number of people here who are expert programmers and provide programming help to people on a regular basis. You can go with a PIC or a PICAXE. I do not know if anyone here is using the PICAXE. PICS are much less expensive and more powerful. Some people here program in Swordfish Basic (free student version) which runs on the 18F family of PICS. Another member has a kit called the junebug. It is a combo programmer/tutor board and would be a great place to start with the project. The tutor part uses the PIC18F1320 which could work as the PIC to control you project. I use it in my class. You can get them as a kit or assembled. You can find them at blueroomelectronics - Smart Kits Build Smart People __________________ search engine for electronic parts Junebug USB PIC programmer kit., USB Bit Wacker, 3v0's Homepage The 15 Minute Printed Circuit Board! (+drill time)

21st June 2008, 06:26 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	well i think the school can only use PicAxe (software). And they have all the adapters and stuff for it. So basically i need to make a 24 hour countdown, which then goes to a reset pin and does the sequence again. But I was the user to be able to program the chip, so they press it once when there working hours finish, and once when there working hours start. And then the chip will remember this and continue to repeat to arm the alarm between these times. Also I have had past experiance with html, and some dos programming. Although it was nothing sophisticated just some basic stuff. So could someone point in me in the right directions of what steps I would need in my program in order to allow the user to choose the times the alarm is armed by.

21st June 2008, 08:45 PM	(permalink)
3v0	The download link from PICAXE is Programming Editor v5.2.0 (full version, approx. 32MB) Download it. You will find 3 manuals. Open the first manual. Start reading where it says Quick Start. It will teach you what you need to know. Let us know if you have questions. __________________ search engine for electronic parts Junebug USB PIC programmer kit., USB Bit Wacker, 3v0's Homepage The 15 Minute Printed Circuit Board! (+drill time)

21st June 2008, 09:40 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	thanks alot guys, ill get back to you when i start failing!!!

21st June 2008, 10:39 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	well could someone tell me how to make a clock using a flow chart. I know its kinda asking for help, but Ive been reading the manual over atleast 2 times and its still not sinking in, maybe if someone could give me an example then i can build around it. Will a 1000 second clock be something like that? main: label_10: high 0 pause 1000 low 0 goto label_10 Last edited by varkunus; 21st June 2008 at 10:42 PM.

21st June 2008, 10:58 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	so would i need to have it count to decade counter? Im just a bit confused on how to go about making a clock, could you tell me what I actually need to include bearing in mind im a complete BASIC noob btw how do you change the values in the pause and pin numbers? You must convert to BASIC? Last edited by varkunus; 21st June 2008 at 11:03 PM.

22nd June 2008, 10:08 AM	(permalink)
varkunus	no, there are no good tutorials . Anyway what programs would you recommend. THe school has a USB into pic (looks like a 1/8 stereo plug). So any ideas?

22nd June 2008, 11:43 AM	(permalink)
Torben	What's wrong with the tutorial from the picaxe site? "There are no good tutorials" seems a little unlikely. What research have you done in trying to find them? Torben __________________ Curiosity was framed. Ignorance killed the cat.

22nd June 2008, 02:19 PM	(permalink)
varkunus	well how would i even go about make a clock which sends an output during desired times ? eg 6pm to 5am. Like i seriously have no idea, even if i knew all the commands how do you actually go about making a clock. And how do you edit the times, and pin numbers on PicAxe? And we have just found out our teacher is retiring end of the school year, so i need to have everything flawless by then.