Matrix user forums

Hi,
Just looking at / playing with the new ECIO ds pic, two questions, is there os is there going to be an ECIO chip select option in the "new project" start, I can only find the raw chip version which doesn't give the related DIL pin outs...
The other question is "Why cant I select a pin to connect my PWM to?" See code attached, the pin select is grayed out as un-connected...
Errr OK, 3 questions.... any chance of a USING FLOWCODE CONTROL online tutorial or training course
Regards,
Chris

Hello Chris,

Yes we have added a new specific FCD into the new Misc section of the PIC16 target in Flowcode which is due to be released very shortly. The FCD acts to tailor the chip view and also to lock down things like the config settings and clock speed.

For the PWM there is a feature called remapping, if you look through the properties there should be a remap pin allowing you to set the pin you want to use for PWM. Note you cannot use all pins but you should be able to choose from quite a few.

We do want to get more online tutorials and training available to help our users. I'll see if I can get this into the scheme of work. Is there anything specific you would like to see?

FCD is attached here if you want to start using it. Needs to be placed here "C:\Program Files (x86)\Flowcode 6\FCD\PIC16" before starting Flowcode.

Thanks for your help, that's great, I be ordering some ds ECIO asap for a real play with the control stuff!
Regards,
Chris

To reply to your question about tutorials on line, It would be very nice to have a You Tube tutorial on how to set up and simulate a PID controller using the ECIO ds pic!
Regards,
Chris

Cheers Chris,

Yes, I think that can be arranged. I'll try and find half an hour this weekend to sit down and record a video.

That's great
Please let me know when its available!
Thanks
Chris

Did you get a chance to do the video?
Regards,

Chris

I ordered a ECIO40P16 last week and it hasn't arrived yet. Any ideas on when it will show up? Very eager to try it!

Hello,

We were waiting for some square pin SIL sockets to arrive to allow the new ECIO to work with the EB061 turned pin sockets. These arrived on Tuesday and I think orders without the EB061 board went out on Monday so hopefully you should receive the item any time now.

Still scheduled in to create a video for you Chris but so far been struggling with a cold this week so a bit croaky.

For reference this forum topic might be very useful when working with the new ECIO and very large RAM arrays, think I used this method to store the working buffer for my LED cube and infinity table.
http://www.matrixtsl.com/mmforums/viewt ... 54&t=14278

My next project with this ECIO is probably going to be something like this as my current home made CNC is massive, slow, noisy and somewhat unreliable.
http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-printed-CNC-mill/

Hi Benj
Just received my ECIO dsPIC today.
Just tried a simple counter flowchart to test it out. The hardware works fine, but found a strange bug in FC6.1
The first file compiles loads and runs fine.
The second file, with the led matrix will simulate , but wont compile.

Launching the compiler...
C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Multimedia\Flowcode V6\compilers\pic16\batchfiles\pic16_C30_comp.bat "Counter_PORT_D_LEDs" "C:\Users\JOHNCR~1\Desktop\" "33EP256MU806"
Launching compiler...
C:\Users\JOHNCR~1\Desktop>pic30-gcc -c -mcpu="33EP256MU806" -funsigned-char -fno-short-double -Os -I"C:\PROGRA~2\MATRIX~1\FL7431~1\COMPIL~1\pic16\BATCHF~1\..\support\h" -I"C:\PROGRA~2\MATRIX~1\FL7431~1\COMPIL~1\pic16\BATCHF~1\..\MX_support" -Wall -std=gnu99 "Counter_PORT_D_LEDs".c -o "Counter_PORT_D_LEDs".o
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c: In function 'FCD_03d92_led_base1__TurnOn':
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:306: error: 'TRISA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:306: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:306: error: for each function it appears in.)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:306: error: 'PORTA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:306: error: 'LATA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c: In function 'FCD_03d92_led_base1__TurnOff':
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:316: error: 'TRISA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:316: error: 'PORTA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:316: error: 'LATA' undeclared (first use in this function)
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c: In function 'FCD_0e1e1_led_array1__AllOn':
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:773: warning: unused variable 'FCL_INDEX'
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c: In function 'FCD_0e1e1_led_array1__WriteValue':
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:964: warning: unused variable 'FCL_MASK'
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:963: warning: unused variable 'FCL_TEMPVALUE'
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c: In function 'FCD_0e1e1_led_array1__AllOff':
Counter_PORT_D_LEDs.c:996: warning: unused variable 'FCL_INDEX'

Error returned from [pic30-gcc.exe]
Completed compilation, return = 1
C:\Program Files (x86)\Matrix Multimedia\Flowcode V6\compilers\pic16\batchfiles\pic16_C30_comp.bat reported error code 1

FINISHED

If I delete the LEDs it works fine again?

Tried the same files with a 16F877A and they both work as expected.

Hi John,

Thanks for the spot.

There must be a reference in the file somewhere to PortA which the new ECIO doesn't have so this explains the compile error.

I believe I have now tracked down and fixed the bug by copying the pin property value from pin 0 to the hidden cloned LED component.

Any progress on the PID you tube video?
Regards,
Chris

Hi Chris,

As promised here is a video on PID control. Seems I'm in an erming mood today plus have a croaky voice so sorry about the audio.

[/youtube]

Any missing info that you need to know then please ask away.

That's great, thanks again for your trouble!
Regards,
Chris

Hi Benj

Just tried the new LED component and it woks fine
Thanks

Did notice its a lot smaller than the original in FC6.1?

Hi Ben,

I have just taken delivery of (2) the ECIO40p16 devices.

looking at an earlier post, I too have run into the EB-061 round pin vs square pin problem... The new pin implementation is not compatible with the EB-061 boards..

I have a work around... soldered a zip socket on the EB-61, however possibly not a good long term solution..

Does MM have a solution?

best

Pete

Hi Pete,

We now supply two of these ( http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-conne ... ch-19-0088 ) with every EB061 board to make them compatible. They then plug into the turned pin sockets on the EB061. Again it's not a perfect solution but it works while we make the transition to square pins on all ECIO devices.

I take it you already had an EB061 board which is why you didn't receive the sockets.

The ZIF socket approach should work ok so I would probably recommend sticking with this for now if that's acceptable.

Hi

I've used the ZIF approach for a few years. I had both the PIC and ARM ECIO and 1 EB061. I found swopping the modules needed a bit of care as they could be easily damaged, (as could the sockets on the EB061). Now I have the 16bit one and a second EB061, so still have to swop.
Anyway, they have never given problems using the ZIFs. Only thing against it is the 40 pin ZIF sockets are expensive if you go for a quality one.

Benj
I suppose the problem if you change to square pins for them all, and the a year or so down the line someone with an older ECIO orders a EB061, it wont fit.

One suggestion, supply the EB016 boards without the sockets soldered and then the user can solder what they need, an extra pair of SIL headers would not make a lot of difference to the cost.

Hi John,

Thanks for the suggestion. The only problem with no-fitting the sockets is that a user will have to solder in the sockets they need and this will invalidate their warranty. Not that there's a lot to go wrong on the board but you never know. Maybe we need to try and think up a better way, e.g. change the CAD so there are two socket types on the board as standard?