[Coco] COCO Robot update.

[Steve Bjork]

I find it interesting that the idea of using distributed processing was 
against the grain.  After all, modern object-oriented programming is 
distributed processing of a program.  Be it hardware or software, I find 
that breaking down the job into small and easy to manage tasks makes for 
easy to design and build systems.  (and a lot less errors in the final 
product.)

All of may Z-80 and 6809 games used object-oriented programming.  Since 
the name "object-oriented" had NOT yet to be coined, I called it D.C.B 
for Data Control Block coding.  But this style of coding was the natural 
direction programmers were taking the art.

In my Halloween display that I do every year, the whole system is based 
on simple modules that preform their task independently.  There are 
signal lines that tell some props to fire while keeping other props 
quiet.  (just like the singals you send to a code object.)  One of the 
key signal is the "QUIET" line that keeps other props from firing when a 
prop has pulls it low to do its show.  When the line returns to the high 
state, another prop can grab it to do its show.  To keep props from 
colliding,  each device has a priority number start with 1 to 10.  (It 
waits that number of seconds before trying to grabbing the control line.)

The great benefit to this system is no Master Control Program to waste 
time on.  (Or take over the world of TRON)

On a picaxe side-note, the new 18m2+ chip can run 8 tasks at the same 
time.  The older 18m2 could only run 4 tasks at once.  All in BASIC to boot!

Steve



On 4/7/2012 10:25 PM, Frank Pittel wrote:
> Steve,
>
> My understanding was that the robot control was to be built "in parts"
> and that the OP was looking for a way to "blink" leds at random rates.
> While that can be done with "discrete" electronics I've come to the conclusion
> that these types of things are better done with microcontrollers (not microprocessors),
> pics, etc. Let's face it $3 for an 8pin DIP microcontroller is going to be able
> to do a lot more then $3 in 555 timers, resistors, caps, etc!
>
> While the larger PICs are capable of doing a lot on there own they are by definition
> intended to work under the control of a more capable processor. When I first started
> working with them a year or so ago that fact went against the grain for me. I kept trying
> to do everything with a single controller. Then it dawned on me that I'm better off using
> 2,3 chips of lower capability under the control of something more powerful then trying to
> do it all from one very powerful chip.
>
> Currently I'm working with the parallax "propeller" (an 8 "core" controller) and their discontinued
> "SX" pics. Both can be programmed in Basic as well as assembly. The propeller can also be programmed
> in forth and C!! As soon as I'm done with my current project I'm going to look into the picax. I think
> it can be used for a number projects I have in mind. Unfortunately none involve the coco. :-(
>
> The Other Frank
>