PEBBLE - Picaxe Electronic Bread Board Layout Emulator

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westaust55

Moderator
Dr_Acula said:
Ah, yes mycroft and slurp, I see what you mean. A paper based printout of the breadboard layout that you then stick on a real breadboard and then just copy the wires. Nifty.

Have we decided on a location for this yet? Somewhere easy to find ?? the completed projects section. Maybe a link to it from the next version of the manual? I'm thinking there needs to be the source code, but also maybe a folder for completed projects. Somewhere where anyone can upload a completed project (the text file and also ? the jpg screen capture). So people could either grab a screenshot of a circuit. But also get the text for one that is almost what they want and then they can edit it a bit for themselves. I'm thinking of generic circuits with battery, download resistors, picaxe. Maybe even switch, led, ldr, as it might be easier to remove components than to add them?
Click to expand...

Once it is bedded down a bit more, Rev Ed are happy to host on their website.

Yes a separate section for PEBBLE projects to be placed would be good.

Albeit a little rough, the mechanism to save a project is to use the SAVE/LOAD/ button at the bottom of the menu and cut or paste a file into the pop-up window. These can be pasted into and saved as text (notepad) files for storing in the relevant completed projects section.

I tried the printwindow() command to print as a form of screen capture but found it did not capture/print all on thescreen. Just text, wire abre end images and the breadboard border. Using the printscreen key and pasting into a paint package is what I have been doing to date.
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE - done and to do . . .

The attached sheet will give a better idea on what I have put into PEBBLE to date and the remaining items I aim to include for a next release.

At that point I will give it a break for a while (wish lists will go on forever . . .) and I have another PICAXE project I wish to get onto.
 

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SilentScreamer

Senior Member
Great work, it doesn't seem to stop getting better :D I have just one suggestion that I think will be fairly simple to implement, as this is partly for schools I think a 555 timer and a 4017B decade counter would be useful?
 
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ValueAdd

Senior Member
I can understand the 4017B counter in conjuction with a display etc,
but is not the intent of the PICAXE itself to be the modern 555?
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Yes-back in 2002 I recall billing the 08 as the new millenium's 555. Surely it's easy enough with PEEBLE to just grab a DIP8 outline?
 
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moxhamj

New Member
Indeed it is. Grab a generic DIP part, right click on it, name it something, and set it to the right number of pins. This really did take 30 seconds to do. Pebble is cool!
 

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rbond9

New Member
Well done for developing this resource, I am going to run it by the IT guys at work tomorrow and see if they can put it onto the school network.
I have followed the development for a while and if you are not careful then it will become a monster and become too difficult (for school kids) to use so I might try the earlier version.
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE

rbond9 said:
Well done for developing this resource, I am going to run it by the IT guys at work tomorrow and see if they can put it onto the school network.
I have followed the development for a while and if you are not careful then it will become a monster and become too difficult (for school kids) to use so I might try the earlier version.
Click to expand...
Size and complexity is one reason why I do not intend to automate functions and add rules for component placement. Not that it cannot be done – it just adds too much bloatware to a project intended to be manually driven to give a visual presentation of breadboard component layouts.

The current aim is just to add some additional components and allow for selection of various breadboards then issue a new update soon.

Ultimately, with a few instructions, others can create the own IC and component images and add these to existing menus tentatively by adding text only to one file. Depending upon how Rev Ed set up hosting, people could post their new components for all to see and add if they desire.
 
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moxhamj

New Member
I think it is flexible enough to do all sorts of things. Need a LP2950 low power 5v regulator? Just use the transistor package and relabel it.

Printing is an issue I can see. I'm doing screen captures in PaintshopPro. A bit messy though. Can it save as a .jpg? I know how to do that in vb.net but not using this sort of script.
 
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BCJKiwi

Senior Member
For a quick and easy printscreen utility have found Gadwin Printscreen to be very useful

Just download and install the Freeware one from the bottom of this page; http://www.gadwin.com/download/
It also supports a command line interface (which I've not used) which might help in the interim.
 
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kollinsb

Member
Is version 1.2 from 6/14 the latest version? This is killer by the way. I use this to lay out schematics now. It does help me know where to place things from the start so I don't have to move stuff around. Saves frustration and wear and tear. Thank you for all the hard work!
 
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westaust55

Moderator
Hi kollinsb,

Yes V1.2 is still currently the released version.

I have in the background been working on a significant upgrade.
This will include 24 pin DIP IC's, the offset wire capability I set up in the last week, and extra components including a selection of breadboards, batteries motors and more.
 
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Wrenow

Senior Member
Sounds great, Westy. Thanks again for all the hard work.

Once it is done, would you mind others mirroring it as well? Though not strictly on topic, might be a nice addition to the NTXBG knowledgebase (ntxbg.org, howto). Not only ship stuff there - even an article about insulating your garage dorrs, as I recall (the other word for garage in the club is shipyard).:)

Cheers,

Wreno
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE - still advancing (albeit slowly at the moment)

Wrenow said:
Sounds great, Westy. Thanks again for all the hard work.

Once it is done, would you mind others mirroring it as well? Though not strictly on topic, might be a nice addition to the NTXBG knowledgebase (ntxbg.org, howto). Not only ship stuff there - even an article about insulating your garage dorrs, as I recall (the other word for garage in the club is shipyard).:)

Cheers,

Wreno
Click to expand...
Personally I don't have a problems with others hosting the program.

It may be worth waiting briefly to see exactly how far Rev Ed may be willing to go with taking up the package. That is whether they just want to host on my behalf or maybe take on “ownership”. Even as freeware, undoubtedly Rev Ed have employees skilled in Javascript who may be able/willing to polish the product further.

I have just compiled another roughly 30 component images and just need to work on the label text placement a bit then create some extra breadboard backgrounds before releasing a much expanded version.
 
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pilko

Senior Member
Offset wire

First of all Great Job Westaust.Have you released the offset wire update as mentioned on page 11?
 
Technical

Technical

Technical Support
Staff member
westaust55 said:
Personally I don't have a problems with others hosting the program.

It may be worth waiting briefly to see exactly how far Rev Ed may be willing to go with taking up the package. That is whether they just want to host on my behalf or maybe take on “ownership”. Even as freeware, undoubtedly Rev Ed have employees skilled in Javascript who may be able/willing to polish the product further.
Click to expand...
We are quite willing to host, and if you so wish, take over 'maintainance' at some point. Up to you - as you've done all the hard work!
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE - Version 2 is closing in . . . .

After a few recent nights work, have got much of the text placement improved for new and some past components (eg vertical orientated tant caps).

Starting to look at adding various breadboard options and playing with the
component "off-board" area below the breadboard.

While still some days away before I make a new release, here is something to drool over (with BB polarity markers for manuka :D )

I have been in communications with P&G who make the Duracell batteries over using a close representation of their batteries.
P&G seek a copyright notice incorporated if I go live with a Duracell clone.
Options are to add a small notice in the bottom left corner or change the copper top to another colour.
 

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slurp

Senior Member
Sponsorship!

westaust55 said:
I have been in communications with P&G who make the Duracell batteries over using a close representation of their batteries.
P&G seek a copyright notice incorporated if I go live with a Duracell clone.
Options are to add a small notice in the bottom left corner or change the copper top to another colour.
Click to expand...
Is there a sponsorship deal in the offing? A life time supply for your efforts?

best regards,
Colin
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE - batteries

slurp said:
Is there a sponsorship deal in the offing? A life time supply for your efforts?

best regards,
Colin
Click to expand...
Unfortunately not. :rolleyes:
I thought they might have appreciated a form of free advertising but received the following after an email to following my initial phone calls:
Thankyou for sending your request through. To answer your query on usage of our batteries on your URL, this is ok provided that you place the following disclaimer when using any of the images.


‘Duracell is a registered mark of The Gillette Company and all copyright of this mark is owned by The Gillette Company’
Click to expand...
 
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BeanieBots

Moderator
SilentScreamer said:
Is it possible to copyright a black and orange cylinder? I really need to meet their lawyers.
Click to expand...
YES, it is. (providing nobody has beaten you to it.).
You can copyright just about anything but maintaining it and chasing after people who breach it is another matter. You need to prove it's association with you or your product.
How about "Orange" or "O2" as another few examples.
 
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moxhamj

New Member
That is one nice looking breadboard! The copyright notice seems reasonable. Or you could always change the batteries to "Acme" brand. You know, the people who made the explosives that the Road Runner had to keep dodging. Maybe there are some other creative names out there for battery brands?
 
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westaust55

Moderator
Dr_Acula said:
That is one nice looking breadboard! The copyright notice seems reasonable. Or you could always change the batteries to "Acme" brand. You know, the people who made the explosives that the Road Runner had to keep dodging. Maybe there are some other creative names out there for battery brands?
Click to expand...
Yes, maybe brands like:
- Assault or A-Salt (aka battery)
- Everlasting ( a type of local WA native wild flower AND EVEREADY takeoff)
- BUNNY (DUracell/Energizer takeoff)
- PEBBLE or
- PICAMPS or even
- WestAust :rolleyes:

bedtime here . . others may be more novel :)
 

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eclectic

Moderator
This is not meant to be flippant.

A two-minute stir of the Toybox produced
NINE different AA cells.
And, these have Latin characters, and in English.
There must be thousands of variations out there!

Assuming:
1.The principal users may be naive students, and
2.The principle of: if it can go wrong, then it will.......

then someone, sometime, will insert a cell by
wrong colour pattern.

Possibility?
Just use the two major characteristics of all common AA's.

Pointy top +
Flat base. –

The yellow version,
from a Swedish-owned furniture store,
illustrates this very well

e
 

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BeanieBots

Moderator
I agree with Eclectic.
For something like this and bearing in mind the target audience,
" + Battery - " or something VERY similar, would seem to be the most sensible marking to use.
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Avoiding all the classic +ve, Anode,A, 0V. GND,cathode, K,-ve issues, the impressionable target audience should at least be told the correct multiple device terminology. A battery of course is strictly a group of cells, with similar gun/battery relationships used in the artillery. Yeah we all mix the terms- although DON'T try that in the artillery-but universally the bumpy top +ve end is shown RED.

Hence how about a generic AA with just a decent +ve shown inside a red band? Mmm- the red will be lost with photocopy/laser print outs of course- see below. Certainly have some pun fun however- kids will respond to it! I recall once using "Never-ready" in fact. How about RevEdready.

There's strictly no reason to insist on alkalines for simple schools level PICAXE work -kids recognise their potential & WILL pinch them - even boring C-Zn can last months. As always leakage issues however may threaten to ruin equipment. Given the wide supply ranges now accepted by ICs, a further point is that a bunch of rechargeable NiCd/NiMH cells may be used
 

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westaust55

Moderator
I think that possibly many got wrapped up in the issue of colour of batteries and did not look at the concepts of an off-board parking area for miscellaneous components. Certainly no comments raised. See:
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=104547

Last night I started creation of breadboards with both blue and white colours (retaining some in blue as white wires do not show up against a white background) and providing both single and double rails with and without the polarity (red and black markers). Will take a couple of days to get a full range of breadboard images ready. Much of the javascript logic/maths is already working.
 

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moxhamj

New Member
The off-board area is fantastic. Real circuits always have some off-board components. So you can now show the circuit in its entirity with batteries, switches, motors etc. I'm looking forward to seeing this hosted.
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Westy: Now you're cooking! How about Dr_A's "aged cream" for a BB colour too- many fade to that hue of course anyway. The parking is magnificent- it reminds me of "Free Parking" in Monopoly. Mmm-this may allow circuitry quests whereby students have to use only those parked components in a design.
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE Breadboards - part 1

pilko said:
The original Ray Wilson version has a few breadboard options,are they of any use to you?
Click to expand...
Yes and being utilised with mods as necessary.

Ray made his 38 row boards 1106 pixels wide but I find that results in the right hand edge not visible without scrolling in 1280 x 1024 resolution so I am keeping 38row boards to 1095 pixels wide as per my original 38 row wide blue board.

Right now I have 20 permutations in 23, 30 and 38 row BB's and will add some wider variants soon for those with 1400/1660 wide resolution (okay I have both here :) ).
 
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westaust55

Moderator
PEBBLE Breadboards - Part 2

As of tonight. now up to 20 permutations of BB's

attached is a screen shot of a manuka favourite :) and a list of current types available. Maths working to use all holes AND only those rows that are shown.

Have spotted a bug . . . :eek:
components can be placed in the off-board area.
then if a component/wire dataset is reloaded using the LOAD/SAVE option,
then while swithes and some components go back to the correct locations,
the miscellaneous items such as LRD, batteries, motors all get placed in the top left corner and cannot be moved :confused:

more to work on before I release a new revision. . . .
 

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skyv

New Member
Hi westaust55
First, thanks for all the effort you have put into this, it is a very useful tool.

One minor problem I'm having is selecting the shortest link (black). When I select it I get the header instead. I'm using version 1.2

skyv
 
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