Windows 7

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SilentScreamer

Senior Member
I'm about to upgrade to the release candidate of Windows 7 and I was wondering if anyone knew if the USB010 driver and Programming Editor itself work correctly? I'll be doing a Dual (well technically Quad :eek:) Boot so its not important if they don't. If no one knows I'll install them both and find out for myself :).
 
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hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
I haven't heard of anyone testing on Windows 7 so I don't know either way. It will be interesting to hear what your experience is. As both work on Vista there should be little reason they will not work on Windows 7.

If your PC has physical serial ports I would suggest installing Programming Editor first and checking that behaves as expected, then install USB010 drivers.

You may also wish to try installing WinAXEpad.

Obviously Rev-Ed will at some point be testing the Programming Editor, WinAXEpad and USB drivers against Windows 7.
 
S

SilentScreamer

Senior Member
Thanks for the post, I'll test them later on today all being well. I might as well test WinAXEpad aswell while I'm testing all my software, I'll aim to post back with my findings either later today or tomorrow.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
Of course, "should" and "will" are two very different things :)

Most VB6 Apps which I wrote for Windows 98SE worked on XP but there were annoyances / new "bugs" which had to be worked round by updating the original code. Two notable issues were that desktop theme support has to be explicitly implemented unless Classic Theme only is used and then, when a theme was selected, radio buttons had black backgrounds which should not have been there requiring them to be placed within a Canvas, not directly on a Form. Even then, 'mouse over' still causes undesirable flickering of controls which isn't present when run on 95/98. Some simple Windows Menu Bar handling code that worked flawlessly on 95/98 failed spectacularly on XP ( corrupting menu items and so forth ) and required a complete re-think, re-design and major alteration of source code.

Despite Microsoft's efforts the onus often falls to developers to work round what Windows changes or 'breaks', and it's not easy for developers to predict what may not work in the future. What works now should work later, but there are often unexpected surprises in store. Hopefully there should be no issues but one never can tell.
 
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SilentScreamer

Senior Member
I've installed Windows 7, its actually very impressive up to yet, running everything faster than Vista and XP, even when taking into account that its a clean install. I've had fewer driver problems that with any other OS (even my illusive wireless card was working DURING the install :eek:) though it isn't quite perfect (that wonderful "unknown device", its not just windows 7 that can't work it out :D).

Anyway onto PICAXE, I've done a few tests on the Programming Editor and everything appears to be working including simulation across every chip I've tried, though my tests are hardly conclusive. The USB010 driver is working with an 08M on a breadboard, I'll test a 28X2 and WinAXEpad shortly.

Any other tests that you'd be interested in the results of?

EDIT: The only code that I have tested is below (I have also tested versions ported to X2s in the simulator), feel free to post any code containing potentially problematic commands for me to test.

Code: 
#PICAXE 08M
setfreq m8

symbol LED = 2

do
toggle LED
pause 1000
loop
 
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S

SilentScreamer

Senior Member
Further Tests:

WinAXEpad
  • Firmware check with 08M
  • Download with the above code to an 08M
  • Download with the below code to an 08M
  • Serial terminal with 08M running at 8Mhz and sending data using sertxd (uses the below code)
  • I assume that #PICAXE 08M does not work with WinAXEpad on any OS for changing the chip in the options?

Programming Editor:
  • Firmware check with 08M
  • Download with the below code to an 08M
  • Serial terminal with 08M running at 8Mhz and sending data using sertxd (uses the below code)

Code: 
#PICAXE 08M
setfreq m8

symbol LED = 2

do
inc b1
toggle LED
pause 1000
sertxd("The value of b1 is ",#b1,13,10)
loop
I am yet to find any problems.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
PICAXE party at SilentScreamer's house

Well that is good news and thanks for letting everyone know.

Was that an install of the Rev-Ed supplied USB010 drivers or did Windows 7 automatically pick a driver for itself ? Did you ever have problems yourself with USB010 and Vista ?

Yes, AXEpad is slightly different to Programming Editor, #Picaxe doesn't change the compiler setting, that has to be set via View->Options, just checks the code matches the settings.

The only tests which I don't think you've covered are Debug, and using the X2 Wizard to convert a program ( any code will do, doesn't have to work as a program or need an X2, just proving the conversion wizard is being called and giving a result ). Remote downloading via TCP/IP between PC's should work but can understand if you want to give that a miss.

Beyond that, I think you can put your feet up and bask in 'job well done'. Thanks.
 
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SilentScreamer

Senior Member
So...when is this party???

Windows 7 was unable to find a driver for USB010 however it did recognise it as being a USB to serial converter. The XP driver on the rev-ed website worked immediately without any complaints. I have never experienced any issues with USB010 and Vista.

Debug works for both 4Mhz and 8Mhz on both WinAXEpad and the programming editor (same code as the 08M sertxd but with debug instead).

Both X2 conversion wizards converted the first piece of code into the second (slightly different comments of course) which does as expected. Both successfully downloaded the program onto a 28X2 and debugged the data back.

Code: 
#PICAXE 28x1
setfreq m8

symbol LED = 7

do
inc b1
toggle LED
high portc 3
pause 1000
low portc 3
pause 1000
debug
loop
Code: 
#picaxe 28x2

' Converted by X2 Conversion Wizard Version 0.1.10

let dirsB = %11111111
let adcsetup = 0

setfreq m8

symbol LED = B.7

do
inc b1
toggle LED
high C.3
pause 500
low C.3
pause 500
debug
loop

Its impractical for me to do the remote downloading via TCP/IP so I'll give it a miss. Let me know if you think of anything else potentially problematic.

EDIT: Just checked opening/saving (ironic if everything else worked but that :p) but it works on both WinAXEpad and the Programming editor as does the recent documents.
 
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hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
Hmm, conversion halved the PAUSE times, but that's something I have to worry about not you :)

Once again, many thanks.
 
S

SilentScreamer

Senior Member
Shouldn't that be expected? The X1 was set to run at 8Mhz therefore the pause times are actually 500ms while running rather than 1000ms.
 
hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
The X2's run by default at 8MHz and to keep the pause times simple, PAUSE 1000 is 1 second on an X2 at 8MHz, same as a non-X2 at 4MHz.

But, D'oh ! Your Post #12 does explain it. It is converting properly. Phew !
 
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