PEBBLE - Picaxe Electronic Bread Board Layout Emulator

tiscando

Senior Member
New records

This week and last week, I have used PEBBLE to record a circuit and it's many resistor values that I've been fiddling with. It was brilliant!
Obviously a lot neater and colourful than sketching on paper.

Thank you very much westaust for PEBBLE, and well done for breaking the record for: The number of replies and the number of views in one post started by WestAust55 (this one) (superseding 'pulsin then servo' for no. of replies); number of posts per day for a non-moderator senior member; total number of posts for a non-moderator senior member (superseding Jeremy leach) - that is a lot of records! And still counting/breaking further.......

There could be another forum section for PEBBLE...

There are a couple of extra breadboards that I have and could be added onto PEBBLE in the attachments. First one is the protobloc 2A, and has 64 rows of 5 + 5 holes, with 4 pairs of power rails - each rail has 5 dashes of 5 holes, as in the picture.
Second one is the protobloc 2B, and has details illustrated in the picture (be case sensitive). Both pictures and breadboards are from Rapidonline.com, and the pictures are modified for posting here.

Thank you once again.

Four hundred and first post here, and exactly 14 000 views when I last looked.
 

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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE

Thanks tiscando.

At the moment I am concentrating on another project but once that is complete I will look into and add some of the subsequent recommendations and ideas into PEBBLE.
Myself, I am currently using the HOPERF HP03 pressure sensor for my project and could for example add that the the SIL module selection.
 

moxhamj

New Member
Just to add another voice of congratulations to westy. Pebble continues to get better and better. I do like the online version too. It might take a little while longer to boot up, but you don't have to install anything and it is always there, no matter what computer you might be working on. It is a real pleasure to use and I like all the myriad of options that have appeared over the last few months. Cheers, James Moxham
 

westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE and PICAXE in the Press

PEBBLE has an article (written by yours truly) in the September 2009 issue of Silicon Chip magazine.

This is followed by further article which uses PEBBLE to create a PICAXE 08M project on a Kiwi Patch proto-board by none other than Stan Swan (aka manuka).

Amongst this, there is also an advertisement for the PICAXE microcontrollers by MicroZed here in Australia who are the primary Australian distributors for PICAXE.

This should give a good boost to the PEBBLE and the PICAXE community in general. Hopefully a new wave a PICAXE users and likely more forum participation.
 

manuka

Senior Member
Modest blush -I really did little more than toss around a few adjectives & add a spot of colouring in. Stan
 

pilko

Senior Member
Thanks for Pebble westaust --- having great fun with it. I would appreciate if you could add a couple or stripboards. The ones attached are at Futurlec.The upper one is shown with the strips vertical and the lower one with the strips horizontal.
Thanks pilko
 

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Andrew Cowan

Senior Member
But would you have to place the components on the copper side? Otherwise, you would need a silkscreen type thing to show which way the tracks would go. How would you break tracks under an IC?

I'm struggling to see how stripboard would work with PEBBLE.

A
 

pilko

Senior Member
You would place the components on the non copper side.The board would be colored with horizontal lines to represent strips.A break indicator could be used, for example an X.
 

pilko

Senior Member
There are several stripboard programs out there, but none of them are as good as Pebble for component manipulation.
 

westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE

Yes,
I can add the requested strip boards and a "miscellaneous" item be it an "X" or other image to depict a track cut point. Final placement of the cut symbol would need to be after other components are positioned as the last placed item is dispayed over previous components.

I have already about a week ago added an extra breadboard layout for a reader of Silicon Chip magazine.

Have also added a 2-pin bridging link/jumper in vertical and horizontal variants to work with the header pins.

I am also in communication with 4D Systems in Sydney to add their Devboad-G1 and their range of modules including OLED displays, sound module, USB modules etc. 4D Systems seek their modules in PEBBLE for their own use but also happy for the information to be available to the general public - which means that I can stay with a single version rather than starting to work with multiple versions which would become a management issue (for something done at a hobby level).

Started on this 4D work over the weekend and have the Devboard-G1 and the first of several OLED displays added.
 

tarzan

Senior Member
Hi Westaust55

I hope that 4D are sending you some free samples for your efforts.

I was also thinking that the AXE200 should be added as well.

Thanks once again.
 

westaust55

Moderator
Certainly potentially to add an AXE200 and or some other Rev Ed boards.

But first I need a large good clear colour image of a board or a sample to work from.

No datasheet available on the Rev Ed website even available to date :eek: .

I guess no reason why I could not add some Rev Ed modules such as the SRF005, AXE021, etc
Ultimately it is all a case of time along with work and my other (own) projects.
 
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westaust55

Moderator
This is as good as it gets. If not enough detail let me Know.
I have "AXE200 600 dpi.bmp" as well.
Thanks Tarzan,


That image should/will suffice. I will add to PEBBLE under the IC category for consistency, albeit that it is more a module. Likely not tonight as will be out for the evening but later in the week. . . . .
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE -adding additional items

Last night I produced an AXE200 (28X2 module) from the photo that Tarzan posted. See attached image.

Will look towards adding the 74LVC245 octal bidirectional transceiver with 5V tolerant inputs (when powered at 3 or 3.3V) in SOIC format on a 0.6” DIP adapter this evening. This is one I am using and believe Dr_Acula will also be using shortly.

Also this week will add the Futurlec strip boards suggested by Pilko with an image to represent a cut track position.

Will then tentatively upload a new interim version of PEBBLE with some new components and boards over the coming weekend. Maybe just as a zip containing the extra and amended files to keep the file size down until ready to make a more major update a little later.
 

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westaust55

Moderator
Thanks for Pebble westaust --- having great fun with it. I would appreciate if you could add a couple or stripboards. The ones attached are at Futurlec.The upper one is shown with the strips vertical and the lower one with the strips horizontal.
Thanks pilko
pilko,
are you able to post some better (largers/clearer) photos of the two boards.
Even the Futurlec images are no particularly good.
I can scale and do some fix-up work but easier from a good image than trying to create from scratch.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Just a miinor comment on the SOIC carrier which may have already been fixed; the board's legs sit mid-hole.
 

westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE - adding Futurlec protoboards

Is this image of smaller board Okay?. Don't have a larger board at the moment.
Yes, that size and straight on image is great. I can work from that.

Edit: A further thought, since the image is effectively of the non-track side of these boards, what does the non-track side look like? Are there any row and column indications (A,B,C,D . . . 1,2,3,4 . . .)
 
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westaust55

Moderator
Just a miinor comment on the SOIC carrier which may have already been fixed; the board's legs sit mid-hole.
Hi hippy.

very observant. It was working okay in the program. Just I forgot to click on the image to snap it to the holes :eek: before taking the screen capture. :eek:
 

pilko

Senior Member
A further thought, since the image is effectively of the non-track side of these boards, what does the non-track side look like? Are there any row and column indications (A,B,C,D . . . 1,2,3,4 . . .)
Hi westaust,
There are no markings on the non-track side.
Q1 Do you need a picture of the non-track side?
Q2 Can you extrapolate for the larger board if you have the dimensions, number of strips, and number of holes?
May be silly questions, but I don't know your process.
 

westaust55

Moderator
Hi westaust,
There are no markings on the non-track side.
Q1 Do you need a picture of the non-track side?
Q2 Can you extrapolate for the larger board if you have the dimensions, number of strips, and number of holes?
May be silly questions, but I don't know your process.
Yes, I could come up with a good representation knowing the dimensions, and number of holes in each direction.

Board image generation is generally a process of:
- scaling available image to match the PEBBLE hole centres used for breadboards,
- tidy up the image as images/photos often have lines/edges that are not parallel to the image edge
- tidy up any text (often blurred around the edges)

The other work within the program involves defining:
-the margins from edge of image to first hole at each side (in pixels),
- which rows/columns on the "standard hole spacing" have holes, and
- setting up selection on the menu, defining the image dimensions etc

All relatively straight forward, but a couple of hours work per board/module.
 
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pilko

Senior Member
The large Futurlec board has 41 strips and 34 holes per strip. 4 holes at each corner (2x2) are taken up for the mounting holes.-- not sure from your reply if you need photo of non-strip side of small board.
 

westaust55

Moderator
The large Futurlec board has 41 strips and 34 holes per strip. 4 holes at each corner (2x2) are taken up for the mounting holes.-- not sure from your reply if you need photo of non-strip side of small board.
thank Pilko.
I would presume that the non track side is the same colour as the baord in the corner regions on the trace side. In which case no need for a photo.
In the absence on any silk screening, I will provide ghosted lighter coloured zones to represent the track direction in my top (non track) side view.

Progressing well with some other bits and pieces for PEBBLE, so will do the Futurlec boards over the weekend. Maybe an interim incremental post for those interested on Sunday/Monday evening West Aust time (long weekend here so other things to do as well . . . :eek: ).
 

adub

New Member
Will add more later in this weekend . . . .
I haven't seen one of these yet. (Never attached a picture here before. That was strange.)

These are the only pcb's I ever use. My projects usually don't make it off the breadboard! (of which I have 7!) Two have been in use on the same project for over a year! Time to do some soldering?

Really like the strip board. May actually try one of those now.
 

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westaust55

Moderator
I haven't seen one of these yet. (Never attached a picture here before. That was strange.)

These are the only pcb's I ever use.

Really like the strip board. May actually try one of those now.
May see how time pans out over the weekend. Have added a few more boards on Sat. Should wrap up the boards I was considering on Sun. If that is managed will add your board as well.


Edit: Arvin, do you have some further details for that protoboard?
Seller, manufacturer, calatogue number, some or all of the above
 
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adub

New Member
Actually it's from Radio Shack part #276-150.

Would you mind taking the time to write up a user's guide for adding your own boards?

I have a non-picaxe board I use regularly that I would love to be able to add to pebble.
 
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westaust55

Moderator
Actually it's from Radio Shack part #276-150.

Would you mind taking the time to write up a user's guide for adding your own boards?

I have a non-picaxe board I use regularly that I would love to be able to add to pebble.
Thanks Arvin.

I added it this morning prior to looking at the forum and now ready to upload an incremental update (V2.4c). You will find it in the list as:
"25R 0Pwr rail as DSE H5608"

It is really one and the same item.
sold by Dick Smith cat No H5608 and Datac item 21-113
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/4ac01bbf07d4abc62740c0a87e0106ed/Product/View/H5608




here is Australia, Tandy were the Radio Shack resellers.
However Woolworths bougth both Tandy and Dick Smith so we see the same items under both brands (usually same catalogue No and same price).

Writing a User Guide - if only there were time . . . .

So many projects, so little time . . . . . :rolleyes:


Note that it would need the users to add a graphic, then add code into 1 html file and 3 javascript files. A single typo can stop the entire program working. :eek:
Not sure I am into long distance javascript code repairs at this time.

Short term, take a good clean high resolution photo and post it. Maybe even a link to the source of the board. Then I will consider adding it in a next update (soon)

I have had the idea in my mind to write such a guide some day, but when ? :confused:
 

westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE V2.4c - incremental update

Attached is a file that will provide an incremental update from V2.4a to V2.4c

Steps to install are:
1. change the filename extension from .txt to .zip

2. As part of an earlier suggestion I have removed the revision number from the filename and folder, so suggest you change the PEBBLE main directory to PEBBLE.

3. unzip to the same location where you currently have PEBBLE installed.

3. The new main file is now called PEBBLE without a version number and there are new shortcut icons to reflect this. Shortcuts are set up for C:/PEBBLE/PEBBLE.html.

Below is an extract from the Revision History file (stored in the Support sub directory)


2.4c 28 September 2009
Added 74LVC245A i SOIC format on SOIP to DIP adapter baord
Added Rev Ed AXE200 28X2 module
Added Rev Ed AXE021 PICAXE-08 Proto Board
Added Datak 12-611 Proto Board
Added Dick Smith Electronics H5608 Proto Board (Datac 21-113) = Radio Shack part #276-150
Added Futurlec STPBRD1 Large Strip Board
Added Futurlec STPBRD2 Small Strip Board
Added Protobloc 1A Breadboard (as available from Rapidonline)
Added Protobloc 2A 64 row Breadboard (as available from Rapidonline)
Added Horizontal and vertical 2-pin jumpers to match with header pins
Added "X" icon as track cut for strip boards

2.4b 12 September 2009
Added HopeRF HP03D Barometric Pressure Sensor (SIL version)
Added HopeRF HP03S Barometric Pressure Sensor (SMD version)
Added the 29 row breadboard from the rev Ed AXE091 Evaluation kit


EDIT:
In the words of Mr Toyota . . . BUGGER!
Although the forum supposedly allows text files up to 1.9MB is size, my 1.0MB filed cannot be uploaded by the forum system :eek:
Had this same trouble before some moths back :(

Will see if I can upload in a different manner. :rolleyes:


EDIT2:

Okay split into two parts and they can be uploaded to the forum.
Download unzip and install both as per the notes above.
 

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Peterlen

New Member
Wire Editing

The wire menu vertical height has "bugged" me as a high percentage of the time a wire is edited, it was necessary to shift the menu up to get to the okay button.
I have just finished my first Pebble project. It's a wonderful product, I cannot see how I got by without all these years.

I too, found editing the wires a mite tedious and have two suggestions:

1. I have always used bought pre-cut wires for my breadboarding and these are always
colour-coded in the same way resistors are - brown-1 hole length, red-2, orange-3, etc.
By selecting the colour you could select the length in one mouse click and no
searching the pull-down list. Not many users would not know the resistor colour code by
heart.

2. Is it possible to be able to set user preferences for options like "On the line", "1/3 space
above/left", etc.

Thanks for a great product.
 

westaust55

Moderator
I have just finished my first Pebble project. It's a wonderful product, I cannot see how I got by without all these years.

I too, found editing the wires a mite tedious and have two suggestions:

1. I have always used bought pre-cut wires for my breadboarding and these are always
colour-coded in the same way resistors are - brown-1 hole length, red-2, orange-3, etc.
By selecting the colour you could select the length in one mouse click and no
searching the pull-down list.
That is exactly what exists for the 5 horizontal wires at the left side menu.
Don't know about others, but I tend to stay with red for the +v supply, black for 0V and other colours as required (eg I use yellow and orange cosistently for my i2c comms wiring and avoid elsewhere.).


Not many users would not know the resistor colour code by heart.
:eek:
You may want to be careful with such casual statements. I am sure a great many here know the resistor code by hear. In my case for arounf the past 40 years. :)


2. Is it possible to be able to set user preferences for options like "On the line", "1/3 space above/left", etc.

Thanks for a great product.[/QUOTE]

Maybe something for the future. :confused:
Have not considered User Prefs - htlm and javascript do have some limitations
but does save me having to write a program in machine code.

I have tried to keep the code used simple so it should run on older versions of IE and Mozilla etc. There are newer instruction but would limit users and some instututions (eg schools) and companies do not permit employees to just install new software as they wish - must all be approved etc

and

thanks for the feedback :)
 

westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE gaining more components

Still adding bits and pieces to PEBBLE.

The 4D systems modules are now almost ready so a new upload shortly.

In addition have emailed Gerry at Devantech last night and obtained his approval/blessing to add various Devantech modules including those sold by Rev Ed. Includes the SRF005, SRF008, SPE030 and CMPS03

Did the two Ultrasonic modules this morning.
Went for the angled reverse side image so view is from the rear to show board and components but also partly shows the U/S tx and Rx transducers.
Most fun was getting images of both boards aligned for effectively a view form the same angle on both and showing the differnet board layouts.
 

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