Beggining with programing microcontrollers

[boschow]

Hi all,
the situation at the company that i work is like this, we have a programmer that is programing a application for about a year and a half, since he is on contract the boss decided to start looking for another programmer and
asked me if i am in the mood to try. I accepted the challenge but the problem suddenly emerged in my mind, i have a little experience with programming PLCs, I wrote programs in SCL language that is similar to Turbo Pascal, but i have no experience with programing micro controllers, that is why i have to ask you guys for some type of advises:
1. What should i know about the micro controller before starting to program?
2. Which book to you suggest to get familiar with the programing?
3. What programing language should i choose for programing ?
4. Please write any type of advice that you think i might found useful.

Thanks a lot for your answers and for your help,
best regards,
BoSCHoW.

 

[Sceadwian]

It's a very big field, to begin with you should probably tell us a little more about what you're going to be using the micro controllers for. Spend several hours at least on google looking up 'micro controller basics'

 

[Brevor]

"Please write any type of advice that you think i might found useful."

Hire someone that already knows how to do it.

 

[Gayan Soyza]

Hi boschow welcome to the forum. As earlier mate said it’s a vas subject. There is no end in microcontrollers. In future (even now) most applications coming with built in microcontrollers. If you get a good knowledge in this subject you will make what ever coming to your mind.

So why do we use microcontrollers. You can do multiple tasks from a single chip not like earlier PLC’ systems & CMOS families. But some times need to connect CMOS as well. But it’s for output drivers & for inputs but the brain is a microcontroller.

I would prefer ASSEMBLY language for programming. bcuz its easier to program. Most tutorials, application notes done with this language. It’s easier to find a fault in a program.& most forum friends know ASSEMBLY. If you like to do it with a high level language its better. It’s upto you. In what ever language you do your program the final output will be the same.

Here are some links which will help you for study.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC_microcontroller
https://www.cq-tv.com/articles/picprog.htm

After you get descent knowledge about PIC’s You can decide what microcontroller to start on. It depends on the output.

 

[giaosucan]

starting up with microcontroller ,you should begin with 8051 .Because it is easy to learn ,so many documents to read ,and its price is cheap .

 

[3v0]

the situation at the company that i work is like this, we have a programmer that is programing a application for about a year and a half, since he is on contract the boss decided to start looking for another programmer and asked me if i am in the mood to try.

I wish you the best and hope this goes well for you but:
Let me play the devils advocate for a minute.

It is important to know why the boss is looking for a new programmer. If the current programmer is competent and the boss is looking to save money this could be a problem for you.

In additional to learning the basics you also have to figure out how the existing code works.

Maybe you have some insight into the project that will help. Maybe the current project is not 18 months old.

On the upside, if the boss is willing to pay while you learn so he can have a programmer who understands what you do at your shop, then this is a good thing.

 

[boschow]

Sorry for the lack of informations, so i will have to do a controller made out of an motorola micro controller and the biggest problem is that i dont know how to start. The controller will have 10 DI and 10DO, 5 NTC sensors, and 3 AI and 3 AO. Do you guys have any more suggestions ?

Thanks for your time and help.
Best regards,
BoSCHoW