18f4580 and 4D systems 2.4PTU circuit

[acestu]

Hi,
I was wondering if somebody could help me with a Flowcode circuit please for learning how the display can be used to interact with the microcontroller, I just want to connect the rs232 serial ports on the display to the 18f4580 and read out the info on an lcd...

thanks in advance
Acestu

[dazz]

Hi Acestu
Looking at yours and the one matrix supply i think they are common(different sizes but share code etc)
Have a look through the datasheets (links below)and if you decide the parameters are the same then load a flowchart and add a glcd in ext properties select EB076, theres some test files on the main eblock site

http://www.4dsystems.com.au/downloads/m ... REV1.5.pdf
http://www.4dsystems.com.au/downloads/m ... REV1.3.pdf

Regards
Dazz

[acestu]

Hi Dazz,

I know nothing about RS232 communication, all I know is that the 4D display has RS232 Tx and Rx on it, so when I operated the controls on the 4D I wanted to see what information it sent in order to learn, I thought that all RS232 ports used a standard, are you saying that Flowcodes RS232 and 4D's RS232 might be different ?.

I will enclose a chart but I haven't really done anything because I don't know how to use the RS232 module...

thanks
Acestu

rs232_displayed.fcf

(8 KiB) Downloaded 205 times

[dazz]

Hi Acestu
Give me a few mins and i will answer i'm a bit tied up atm, in the meantime have a look at the 2 datasheeets one relates to your display and the other relates to the display supplied by matrix(eb076), to me they are identical in operation so in theory you could load the EB076 demo code connect your display and it should work. one thing to do is to add a glcd component, select ext properties select eb076 , click on help in the properties window (right side of screen if enabled) and have a read through the macro help files) that should get you semi up to speed, im an rs232 newb myself but will try to explain the basics and how they relate in a bit
Regards
Dazz

[acestu]

I have had a look at the datasheets Dazz and had a mess with the EB076 on a chart but it seems like it only works 1 way as in all the Flowcode commands are to make the display do something, where as the display I have is all programmed in a graphical gui where you add switches and gauges etc and when you use them on the touch screen the output is sent to the microcontroller via RS232.

cheers
Acestu

[dazz]

HI Acestu
Heres a couple more links( you probably have already seen them) these go inot the actuals coms a bit better

http://www.4dsystems.com.au/downloads/S ... EV6.10.pdf
http://www.4dsystems.com.au/downloads/S ... REV5.2.pdf
Ive noticed that they have a free ide
Use that as it has a mode called genie which generates code for you.
also look at the demo files provided as these have serial programs etc
I wrote a quick intro to serial comms a while ago link http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... azz#p36816 theres an fcf down the bottom of that thread open it and theres a basic serial comms chart
Regards
Dazz

[dazz]

Hi
Forgot to say johncrow
has done a few threads on the 4d screen
heres one http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... lit=+eb076
search picaso on the forum for others

Regards
Dazz

[acestu]

Hi Dazz,

Yes that is what I was saying above, there is a GUI called Visi Genie in Workshop 4 that lets you drag and drop all of your buttons, leds, meters etc onto the Form and all of the programming is done fore you, all I want to do is print the output rs232 info on an LCD in Flowcode so that I can see what is going on and try to interact with the display.

thanks
Acestu

[acestu]

Hi Dazz,

Looking at the posts on the forum it looks as if this was an older way of doing things and the displays have moved on a bit, also it seems that programming libraries have been made for Arduino and Raspberry Pi, but nothing in Flowcode, the display side of things is easy to work because it is all drag and drop, I suppose I will just have to wait and see if anything new turns up in Flowcode.

thanks
Acestu

[brandonb]

was curious, what if you download this personality file into the 2.4" display https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/103 ... C-R22.PmmC then use flowcode to command to it, what you would be doing it telling the picaso that you have 32pt display, this might give you flowcode control over the display, if this doesnt work pop in the latest file for the 2.4", i have these at hand if you get in a bind