How do you learn to program mcu's? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Dylon124
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:14:27 am
content: In general how do you guys learn to program anything. What steps do you take to learn how to program mcu's?

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:19:55 am
content: So, how many more meaningless threads are you planning to start today?

author: Mr Smiley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:24:47 am
content: He's gone past his required 5Not that anybody's noticed

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:35:32 am
content: Quote from: Dylon124 on October 07, 2013, 01:14:27 ami generally begin by applying power to the chip ... the rest follows afterwards.

author: Mr Smiley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:39:50 am
content: A data sheet might help

author: adam1213
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 01:57:19 am
content: Try listening to suggestions when you last asked a similar questionhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/do-you-guys-know-where-i-learn-to-write-c/msg254381/

author: Maximus64
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 02:09:37 am
content: Maybe start with Arduino? It very simple and easy to learn.

author: RMS95
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 06:32:56 pm
content: I don't know about your skills.If you are completely new, I would recommendArduino.If you have a little more experience/skills, usethe AVR controller range without Arduino.The reason I am recommending AVR isn't because they're good, but they have LOADS of community support.PIC is also an option, it's generally the same as AVR in the eye of a starter. Still, they do not have as much community support.If you know a little about electric stuff, I would recommendPSoC.If you want or need power, go for better arms, probably a Raspberry or Beaglebone.Arduino-http://www.arduino.cc/- Everything is extremely easyThe AVR controller range without Arduino-http://www.atmel.com/products/microcontrollers/avr/default.aspx- You'll have to look up the datasheets and know how to googlePSoC-http://www.cypress.com/psoc/- If you want to have real MCU fun =)

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 06:43:08 pm
content: I learned by practicing.

author: V3r50n
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 07:08:42 pm
content: http://bit.ly/19vPsJO

author: Rellum
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2013, 07:31:44 pm
content: Quote from: V3r50n on October 07, 2013, 07:08:42 pmCool....

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2013, 12:24:47 am
content: More seriously, there are about two schools of thought:First School (education-centric):1) Learn to program.2) Learn how MCUs differ from the computer you learned to program.3) Learn the new tools (different programming language, probably. C instead of Java, for instance) that are appropriate to MCUs.4) Learn the specifics of how the particular MCU you want to use is different from MCUs in general.5) Learn how to use the tools specific you that particular MCU (IDEs, device programmers, etc)6) Practice.Second School (experimentation-centric):1) get an "easy" platform like Arduino (or Basic Stamp, or BASIC52 system.)2) Run the examples and follow the tutorials.3) Find and modify code from the WWW that is close your application.4) Ask for help, as needed. Try not to be annoying.Frankly, the idea of people trying to write programs of any complexity without SOME formal training in programming or computer science is a bit scary. But it's a time-honored tradition, and the fact is that there are LOTS of "problems" that people want to solve that really don't require much (or any) CS, beyond using the tools that have been developed by other people. That's why the "easy" systems succeed.Old-timers will remember when "computer scientists", "programmers", "systems programmers" and "coders" were three distinct groups of people. Computer scientists would develop some event scheduling algorithm. And then a programmer would figure out how to apply that to a problem like the scheduling of maintenance at an Oil Refinery. And then a coder would fix up the details of the progammer's framework so that it worked for a particular compiler, and handle all those annoying details like correct syntax. The Systems Programer would provide the tools and instructions for compiling and running the program. And did I mention the keypunch operator? ("typist" was a separate job, too.) It was not unusual (it's STILL not unusual) to find people in one area that really sucked at some other area. Computer scientists that could develop lovely theoretical algorithms, but had trouble applying them to real-world situations, and "couldn't code their way out of a paper bag."

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2013, 03:14:18 am
content: Has anybody else figured out that the O/P's post was likely to get the post count up a bit to win a contest somewhere?

author: Fab6657
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 12:03:20 pm
content: Hello,to complete the Datasheet, i suggest you to learn with free lecture from the IIT Delhi University.You will found free course at :http://freevideolectures.com/Course/2341/Embedded-Systems/1I am go thru this to complete my skill, realy helpfull i think !Best regards from FranceFabrice

author: cloudscapes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 01:35:03 pm
content: Quote from: Mr Smiley on October 07, 2013, 01:24:47 amunnghhh, right out in the open.

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 01:46:10 pm
content: Read the datasheet and User Guide for the MCU that you're programming. Read it cover to cover!

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 02:14:10 pm
content: Quote from: olsenn on October 12, 2013, 01:46:10 pmIn principle I am all for the RTFM advice, and more people should do that. For the IT field possibly even more so (as compared to EE). That said, have you seen those 1000+ page documents for a modern Arm mcu?I will readibly admit I haven't read those cover to cover.

author: perfect_disturbance
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 02:24:48 pm
content: If you've never written any C I would consider starting on a desktop maybe with something like hello world.

author: npnlamp
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 04:44:07 pm
content: I personally started with Arduino. Normal ones was to expensive for me, so i found something called arduino severino. I built it myself.One-sided PCB, no SMD parts, exactly for beginnerhttp://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/ArduinoSeverinoManual2.pdfOf course you should have old PC with COM port, or COM port adapter, which I already had. And you need a friend who will write bootloader to the atmega8

author: JTR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 06:53:31 pm
content: Busted!1Contests / Re: EEVblog Oct 2013 Contest Giveaway« on: October 07, 2013, 12:16:27 PM »I'm participating!2Contests / Re: EEVblog Oct 2013 Contest Giveaway« on: October 07, 2013, 12:15:57 PM »I'm in I need a new multimeter. It a piece of shit!

author: MacAttak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 12, 2013, 07:25:38 pm
content: Hah. So much effort just to screw it up with a double-post to the contest thread

author: Circlotron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2013, 01:11:49 am
content: Quote from: westfw on October 08, 2013, 12:24:47 amAh yeah. Like an electronics design engineer doing a pcb layout. They are related but entirely different disciplines.

author: geraldjhg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2013, 03:50:07 pm
content: hiyo go toavrfreaks.netwww.mcselec.comlear very little basicget an pc with parallel porthave fun

author: igeorge
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2013, 11:11:30 am
content: Mikroelectronika has a good on line tutorial on Chttp://www.mikroe.com/products/view/285/book-pic-microcontrollers-programming-in-c/

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2013, 11:37:51 am
content: QuoteLike those professors who would include .c files,