Need some help from a VB expert – 23 days old

[johngb]

I have just downloaded Visual Studio 2019 in order to try and modify the PPS Tool app for PDS.
It's a long, long time since I dabbled in the VB world and it has changed dramatically.
I tried to do a build but it threw up errors because it was trying to save to the original authors path.
The error is being thrown in the Microsoft.common.CurrentVersion.Targets which is an XML document.
It seems to be an xml snippet associate with PostBuildEvent
The line concerned is:
Exec WorkingDirectory="$(OutDir)" Command="$(PostBuildEvent)"
and I am guessing WorkingDirectory must be a parameter holding the author's path.
I don't know my way around this VB IDE so can someone suggest where I might find this setting. .

[top204]

I could'nt find the source for that tool John. Where did you find it?

Visual BASIC is, IMO, a dreadful language because it is so bloated and they extended it so much it became virtually unreadable and unfollowable with all the uses of the Windows APIs and DLLs etc... Why not try one of the VB to Delphi converters.

In Delphi, as you know, it is a good structured language that has some querks with all the begin/ends required, but it makes code very small and fast.

Here's a VB to Delphi converter you can try:

https://www.planet-source-code.com/v...xtCodeId=47654

[johngb]

I'll give it a go. I agree it is horrendously complicated. I have managed to get the app working now and made the changes to make it support PDS syntax.
Question, is it necessary to configure TX and RX port direction, I seem to remember the compiler does all that?

If the tool works I think I will move it to Delphi

[johngb]

Just has a quick look, the code was written in 2003 before .net. I don't think it has a chance in hell to manage that conversion.

[Stephen Moss]

Hi John,
I don't think you have to specify RX and TX direction is it handled by the read/write commands. I don't know how much help this well be but this this a serial setup for Arduino communication (sends about 40 bytes to PC on a timer roughly every 200mS) so might give you idea of how to configure it...

  '===== Configure Com Port ===== OK 15/03/20 (Called from From1 Load event)
    Public Sub Configure_ComPorts()

        Try
            'Clear ComPort Listbox
            Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Items.Clear()  'Belt & Braces as should be clear anyway

            'Populate Comport Combobox with active comports
            For Each sp As String In My.Computer.Ports.SerialPortNames
                Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Items.Add(sp)
            Next

            'Set Defualt comport - NOTE COM1 is usually PC internal so default is to last Comport found
            If Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Items.Count > 1 Then
                Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.SelectedIndex = (Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Items.Count - 1)     'Display Name of Last Comport Found
            Else
                Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Text = Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.Items.Item(0)                  'Display Name of only Comport Found
            End If

            'Configure Comport with Arduino compatible settings 
                Form1.SerialPort1.PortName = Form1.ComPort_ComboBox.SelectedItem    'Set Comport to Open - Default last Active ComPort in list
                Form1.SerialPort1.BaudRate = 19200                                  'Set Baud Rate
                Form1.SerialPort1.DataBits = 8                                      'Set Number of Fata Bits
                Form1.SerialPort1.Parity = IO.Ports.Parity.None                     'Set Parity used
                Form1.SerialPort1.StopBits = IO.Ports.StopBits.One                  'Set Stop bits used
                Form1.SerialPort1.Handshake = IO.Ports.Handshake.None               'Set Handshaking used
                Form1.SerialPort1.Encoding = Text.Encoding.Default                  'Set text encoding used
                Form1.SerialPort1.ReadTimeout = 10000                               'Set Timeout in Milliseconds - 10 seconds recommended            
                Form1.SerialPort1.NewLine = vbCr                                    'Set Newline identifier - Arduino specified
                Form1.SerialPort1.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 38                       'Set minimum number of Bytes to recieve before Recieved Event is Triggered - 38 in minimum that should be sent
                Tx_Data = "e"                                                       'Set default Tx data value to the stop value in case sent before full control established 
            End If

        Catch ex As Exception
            If Serial_Errors < 3 Then
                MsgBox(ex.Message, Title:="Configure Com Ports Error")    'Display error Message
                Serial_Errors = Serial_Errors + 1
            End If

        End Try

    End Sub

To read data from the port my code is

 Thread.Sleep(4)                     'Wait to ensure all data is recieved
Rx_Data = SerialPort1.ReadLine

Which is running in a background worker (multi-threading), you do not need to do that. For my code the read is triggered by the RecievedBytesThreshold in the initial setup above and can be handled as you see fit within

    '=== Serial Port Data Recieved Interrupt Handler === OK 25/06/2018
    Private Sub Serial_Data_Recieved() Handles SerialPort1.DataReceived

    End Sub

which is automatically called (like an interrupt) one the receive threshold is met. In my case it starts the the data parsing background worker although use of the RecievedBytesThreshold may not be applicable the PPS application.
To send data to the serial port my code is

SerialPort1.Write(Tx_Data)

This may not be the best serial code but was written last year so should be compatible with the current version of VB.

As for the other issue I am not sure how you would solve that, VB tries to update to the current version but I think code written pre 2003 is to far removed for it to cope.
You could try a find (entire solution) to see what makes use of/setting for the "Working Directory", "Command", "OutDir" and "PostBuildEvent" as that may give a clue as to what it is for and thus how to re-write it to be compatible with VB2019.

From this is looks like it may be trying to start and pass commands to the command prompt which you may be able to do with something like

Process.Start("someApp.exe", "arg1 arg2")

.
you could also just try setting the Working directory to a known folder, i.e

WorkingDirectory = CurDir     'Set to the current (project) directory) or the now preferred
WorkingDirectory =  My.Computer.FileSystem.CurrentDirectory = "Drive:\FolderName"

[towlerg]

Just has a quick look, the code was written in 2003 before .net. I don't think it has a chance in hell to manage that conversion.

From a position of blissful ignorance I would have thought the added complication of .net could only make the task easier.

[tumbleweed]

I think JohnB was asking about having to set RX/TX port pin directions for the PIC uart... nothing to do with the VB code per say.

From what I recall the PPS Tool code generator doesn't set any directions (except for a patch for the K42???)

[top204]

Sorry for the delay in replying John, but my PC is now only lasting a few hours before overheating and dying on me, so I'm busy saving up for one.

The 8-bit Proton compiler sets the PPS automatically for the devices that have PPS when the commands that use the peripherals are issued in a BASIC listing. I'm busy working on the same for Proton24, but because of all the devices supported it is a logistical task. However, Proton24 has the built in PPS_Inpt and PPS_Output commands, and your excellent IDE plugin.

[keytapper]

before overheating and dying on me

You need to clean the cooling system. Whoever will do it, will have to stop your computer. If it's made by you, then you may save time and money. In case of laptop the issue is rather laborious, many screw and hooks to disengage (depending the making and model).

Remembering the PPI, I had a bad time when I started with proton. I was trying to configure a 12F675 for internal clock, the statement was incorrect but the compilation was flawless. The result was that was writing the data protection and any verification was failing. In result of that I bought two programmers without resolving.
I recall it was something around version 3.4.x.x . So I invite to keep an eye about the configuration bits.

[top204]

It's not the fan or the cooling system on the PC, it is the CPU starting to die, or the motherboard has a problem and is causing the CPU to overheat. The OS is also crashing intermittently because there is an issue somewhere on the motherboard. I place ice packs over the motherboard and it helps it stay alive a bit longer. It is about 10 years old and has been used, virtually, every hour of the day for most of those years. :-)

The config fuses for a microcontroller is not something the compiler can cantrol or even monitor for correctlness because each PIC family has a differerent set of fuses. The compiler will give an error message from the assembler if a fuse name is not found, but it cannot control the way they are set up. Sometimes, it is up to the user to learn and understand what the microcontroller they are using requires, which is reading the datasheet.

I tried with the Amicus board setup to start using a single, powerful, device that the compiler had full control of because it knew virtually everythihng about that single device, but a lot of PIC users seem to be obsessed with "lets use the latest device" LOL. Yet Arduino users are using an 8-bit microcontroller that is about 10 years out of date!

I'm busy adding the dsPIC33CK devices to Proton24 and develop a board that uses them with a micro USB socket for bootloading, but funding is a problem for now. The dsPIC33CK devices work at 200MHz, so operate at 100 MIPs (Million Instructions per Second), which is extremely fast and they have a few 10s of K bytes or RAM, as well as the hardware multiply and divide and barrel shifting, and DSP operations. They also have a fast 12-bit ADC and a 12-bit DAC on board, so operations on them are extremely fast and very simple to use with Proton24. I have created a new SID chip player on one that actually reads a .SID file and emulates a 6502 microprocessor running on a Commodore 64 computer, and there is so much time left on the processor to do other things, it is crazy! I've also created a Ray casting 3D maze on a graphic LCD that operates so fast I had to add delays to slow it down. Maybe I'll create a game machine so users can program there own games on it, and I mean real games!

[normnet]

...I'm busy adding the dsPIC33CK devices to Proton24 and develop a board that uses them with a micro USB socket for bootloading, but funding is a problem for now. The dsPIC33CK devices work at 200MHz, so operate at 100 MIPs (Million Instructions per Second), which is extremely fast and they have a few 10s of K bytes or RAM, as well as the hardware multiply and divide and barrel shifting, and DSP operations. They also have a fast 12-bit ADC and a 12-bit DAC on board, so operations on them are extremely fast and very simple to use with Proton24. I have created a new SID chip player on one that actually reads a .SID file and emulates a 6502 microprocessor running on a Commodore 64 computer, and there is so much time left on the processor to do other things, it is crazy! I've also created a Ray casting 3D maze on a graphic LCD that operates so fast I had to add delays to slow it down. Maybe I'll create a game machine so users can program there own games on it, and I mean real games!

Sounds cool!