, MicroGUI Virtual Controls, BASCOM Compilers, AVRO and AVR Starter Kits

Here for original MicroGUI

Overview:

The combination of special versions of two proven products, MicroGUI and AVRO, creates the most simple means of adding Virtual Controls to any AVR based Application. There is no need to write any GUI related code. The Firmware occupies the normal 1k of Boot space. And its secondary function of loading Flash memory takes only 30secs for a 256k device.

Main Features:

No changes to user Application code
Bootloader code only needs 25% of the normal 1k, but can download 256k devices in 30secs
The balance of the normal 1k code runs in the background updating the PC Virtual Controls
90% of GUI interrupts require only 2.2uSecs* - it is essentially transparent
Total GUI load is typically less than 0.2%* of the CPU time - it does not impact App. performance
Two sliders on the PC control the GUI and Scope update rates
Loader Displays and Logs both File & Chip Checksums
No AVR peripherals are used other than the UART that is already needed for a Boot Loader
The Firmware is auto customised to match user's: Device, Crystal, Baud, and selection of UART (if applicable)
User loads their custom firmware into any number of blank SM/DIP AVRs
Pre-programmed Mega168/164 DIPs are also available

* based on 20MHz clock - see Help/Technical/Performance for more details

Application Areas:

During product development to reveal the AVR's internal data in a meaningful manner
As a very fast Bootloader with Checksum tracking and History logging
In Education for faster learning, deeper understanding, and an encouraging sense of achievement
As a Human-Machine-Interface (HMI)
For experimenting with simple control system design whilst free of Real I/O and wiring (see 'All_GUI' Examples)

Custom Firmware Generator:

Select from ATMega: 16, 32, 64, 128, 164, 165, 168, 324, 328, 644, 640, 641, 1280, 1281, 2560, 2561, 3250, 3251, 6450, 6451
Crystal Frequencies: 1.84, 3.68, 4.00, 7.37, 8.00, 9.21, 11.05, 14.74, 16.00, 18.43, 20.00
Baud Rates: 19.2k, 28.8k, 38.4k, 57.6k, 115.2k
The generated file 'GUI_FmWare.hex' is then ready for loading into SM/DIP parts with the user's programmer
Pre-programmed Mega164/168s do not need this facillity

Boot Loader with Checksums & Log:

Accepts both .hex and .bin files
The use of Checksums and a Log file is very helpful especially when making and subsequently restoring code changes
When a file is re-compiled the form is automatically updated and non-matching Checksums are high lighted
If 'Notes' is checked, then with each new build, a text entry form appears for quickly adding notes into the same Log holding the before & after Checksums, Build date/time etc.

Log format:

Associating App. Variables with GUI Controls in AVR-GCC & BASCOM:

In AVR-GCC:	In BASCOM:
#include "WA_GUI.c" #define Variable1 Slider[0] #define Variable2 Meter[0] etc.	$include "BC_GUI.inc" Variable1 Alias Slider(1) Variable2 Alias Meter(1) etc.

Include files for other Compilers can easily be created from those listed above should there be any differences in the syntax. They merely spellout the Controls avaliable, and the Vector addresses for the BootLoader UART etc.

Adapting to CodeVisionAVR:

A 'How-to' Flash file and resulting conversions for the Examples 1-4, contributed by:

Professor Mariano Barron
Universidad del Pais Vasco UPV-EHU

CodeVision Conversion as SWF

Zipped SWF + the Converted Examples

To Purchase MicroGUI-CF:

Compare to the 湣/Probe where the user writes and debugs all of their MCU's required Communication & Interrupt code, in order to use the PC GUI software that they purchased for $$$ - and there is no high-speed loader.

Please note that the user needs access to an ISP/JTAG/Parallel Programmer to first load the Custom Firmware, then the Boot Loader takes over. Once installed there are 16 Examples for both AVR-GCC and BASCOM to experiment with. Regardless of GUI needs on all projects, every project will benefit from the high speed loader - it can also generate CSV files when reading from the EEPROM - total Boot Space required for GUI and Loader is just 1k words.

Below, there are Pre-Programmed Chips with a free version of MicroGUI-CF.

Works with Windows 98 thru Vista. Vista users are advised to view the ReadMe.txt available at the end of the installation.

MicroGUI-CF.chm - Included in above Demo but here available separately.

BASCOM Compiler - 21M Demo version of BASCOM Structured Basic Compiler (highly compatible with Microsoft𠏋 VB/QB) - 4k max compiled code, but no time limit.

BASCOM.chm - Included in above Demo but here available separately.

WinAVR - Official source for AVR-GCC

Pre-Programmed AVRs + MicroGUI-CFL, with Free International Shipping:

These AVRO-GUI chips include a CD including the Lite version of MicroGUI-CF with no Time-Limit
Only restriction is one of each type of Control - eg Meter, Thermometer, Digital Display, etc but 6 LEDs/Buttons
Includes 2/8 Channels of Analogue/Digital Scope
Effectively a Single-Chip Stamp - no external Crystal is needed
If destination socket includes a Crystal, it will be ignored - the 2 released pins can then be used as I/O
Includes the original AVRO capability of calibrating the Internal Oscilator using the PC Crystal as a reference
Has its own versions of the 16 each AVR-GCC & Bascom Examples