Thank you very much Mike, I'm happy to get all the advice I can, and don't worry at all about offending me. I really hate trying to unlearn bad habits so I would like to learn this stuff the right way, first. I'm still disappointed in the 2 java courses I've taken, all they focused on was syntax and a little on OO programming methods, nothing on correct style at all. I'm currently an EE student and expect to take a micro controller course next fall, so I'm looking to get a head start on this now, might as well learn it right the first time.
If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions about the code you posted.
First off, can you tell me how to post it in a neat little box like that? It makes it much easier to read
. I also like the column at the end of each comment that shows what bank your in at all times, I can see that being a useful thing to add.
So the first few lines are comments detailing the file info.
How is software usually dated? As in, do you date it from the day you started on it? Compiled it? Finished it? Also, I assume the December date represents a revision of some kind, how it that usually handled?
I'm not sure what info this line is trying to convey:
line 6 ;* Test 'bit-banged' 9600 baud serial I/O Routines
MPLab and MPAsm I assume are the programs used to write and compile the program. Speaking of which, I've downloaded MPLAB IDE 7.11 and have it installed. Is this an all in one program? will I need anything else (other then the programmer, chip, and cable) to write a program, compile the program, and then install it on the chip?
I didn't know anything about the #include statement until you mentioned it, so when I use it, it will automatically create a constant called TRISA and PORTA (or whatever the official names are) with the correct addresses of the registers? Where can I get the information that's contained in the p12f683.inc file?
What are the config commands for? I have not actually written and compiled a program yet so I don't know what they would be used for.
I did take a look at Nigel Goodwin's tutorial, but it looked like it assumed you already knew assembly and concepts, I'll take another look at it to see if I was mistaken on that point.
Thanks a lot for any more help you can give Mike.
Keith