PicaxeCloud and android tablets

[steliosm]

Hello all.
I am experimenting lately with WebSerial and WebUSB APIs in order to get a Picaxe chip to communicate with a web application. My main target was to get a Picaxe talking over a usb-serial cable to the web application (running on an android mobile phone/tablet using chrome browser) without having to build a custom android application to handle the usb-serial part. Turns out it works great!

My question is, wouldn't it make sense to support those APIs, especially the WebUSB, in order to be able to use the Picaxe Cloud editor to write the code and then download directly to the Picaxe chip from a tablet?

 

[steliosm]

Apparently, this is a proposal for Rev Ed and it would be great to have their feedback.

Additionally, the same concept, using the WebUSB API, could be used for Win/Linux machines removing the need to install any drivers, which lately are the source of many headaches especially since the release of win10 & win11.

 

[hippy]

I guess the issue would be whether there is a business case for doing it, enough to justify putting the effort in to implement and debug such a feature.

I don't know much about WebUSB but I am not convinced it's going to be easy or would alleviate the need for device drivers. It's also perhaps worth noting that you are the first person who has suggested having it.

 

[steliosm]

Hello hippy.
Yes, you could see it that way. If it solves your problem with the ftdi driver installation then definitely there is a business case for it.
I don't know much about it either, I just used both APIs (WebSerial & WebAPI) for a project and it worked brilliantly. I remember seeing MS MakeCode platform for micro:bit using this same technology for downloading firmware to micro:bit.

Someone will have to be the first to suggest an idea.