Embedded systems programming

[Kurupt]

Hey all, I just finished my final exams this week and now I have about 2 months of sitting around time until school starts again.

I was just wondering if anyone knew of any good books for programming embedded systems using the C/C++ language. I'm taking a course next semester, C++ for Embedded Systems, and wanted to get a feel of what i'm getting myself into because I heard the course is pretty hard.

I've looked at a couple of books, 1. Programming Embedded Systems in C and C ++, and 2. An Embedded Software Primer. Has anyone ever read or heard of these books. Are they any good.

If anyone knows of any good books or some stuff on the internet, it'd be great if you could let me know.

Thanks

 

[panic mode]

check www.zilog.com for development kits. they are cheap, powerfull and come loaded with everything including software. so far i have three kits but way to little time to play with it (i'm trying ...).

 

[Oznog]

PIC is easy to work with and is widely accepted in the industry. It does not work at all well with C++ due to its archtecture, but there are very effective C compilers for it.

 

[StupidDum]

That actually depend which microcontroller you want to use.
Most of the Embedded C books in market are compiler-specified. Why not you first find out what microcontroller your lecturer use in lecture and then only look for suitable book??

"Embedded C" is a good book on 8051, it uses Keil C compiler.

 

[Kurupt]

I read the course description that they have online for the course, it doesn't say what microcontroller we're gonna use.

Here's the description

C++ for Embedded Systems: Using networked embedded PC modules as the vehicle, this course introduces students to object-oriented programming with C++, data acquisition and signal conditioning, TCP/IP network programming, and web-based user interface design.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I read the course description that they have online for the course, it doesn't say what microcontroller we're gonna use.

Here's the description

C++ for Embedded Systems: Using networked embedded PC modules as the vehicle, this course introduces students to object-oriented programming with C++, data acquisition and signal conditioning, TCP/IP network programming, and web-based user interface design.

As it says "Using networked embedded PC modules", presumably it's using small PC boards?, no microcontrollers at all.

If so, you need to find the I/O spec of the modules, and buy similar I/O boards for your PC.

 

[bmcculla]

It sounds like the course is just using standard x86 PC. In this case embedded just means that the system is dedicated to a specific task. Your standard windows PC will probably be fairly close to the system you will be working with. You might want to look into Real-Time Linux. The embedded computer will definately have an OS - maybe windows but more likely a real-time OS. If you learn C++ you should be prepared enough to deal with whatever system type they throw at you.

 

[StupidDum]

This sounds like it will microprocessor instead of microcontroller.
In this case.. I would suggest you to read on networking, TCP/IP instead of programming. Networking itself alone is a big subject.

 

[cubdh23]

Who is the author of the book that you are going to use for that class?
Just curious. That way you will have a better idea of what kind of Controller you are dealing with.

 

[Kurupt]

I'm not sure what book we're gonna use, I just wanted get an idea of what we'll be doing in that class and get kind of a feel for programming embedded systems.

 

[checkmate]

From the description, it sounds like a module on interfaces. You may or may not work with a single-board computer, and if you do, you would probably be working with a real-time OS. You have got to enquire on these stuffs with your module administator. Doubt there is any one-size-fits-all reference.

 

[cubdh23]

"You might want to look into Real-Time Linux. The embedded computer will definately have an OS - maybe windows but more likely a real-time OS."

Could you explain more about this? An embedded system with Linux on it??? Sounds interesting, but i have no idea what you are talking about.
When you say embedded computer, do you mean like a Evaluation Board? Or something much different. This Real - Time Linux, is it like a smalll part of the Linux code for PC's? Thanks