Many "Commands" are greyed out?

dmccormick001

New Member
I just installed the newest Logicator software, and when I run the program, it asks me to choose the PIC type (just like the older versions), I choose 08M2, but then there are a ton of commands that are "greyed out". They can't be dragged and dropped on the flowchart, and are unavailable for use in my program. I've even tried choosing the older chips, like the 08 and 08M, but still those commands are greyed out. Anyone else have this problem, and how do you fix it? I have an older version of Logicator that I can use on a different computer, but I want to do this work on my laptop.
 

Paix

Senior Member
You fix it, by buying a different PICAXE chip I would think.

If you note down a few of the greyed out commands and then look in the PICAXE Manual #2. then you will notice that the greyed out commands coincide with the commands Basic that are not available for the 08M2 chip. I suspect that the commands may not have been greyed out in an older version of logicator, but would have given a syntax error upon checking or at compile time.

Perhaps you could give me/us a sample of three commands that are greyed out that you feel should be available for the 08M2.

Noticing your post count, @Dmccormick001, welcome to the forum. I think that the regulars must be writing their Christmas cards at the moment as your enquiry would normally be answered a few seconds before you ask . . . ( honest :) )

The PICAXE Basic language is written to cover a whole family of chips, not all of which have silicon that supports all the features. This is one reason why if you have one or two chips types in your collection, you may choose to use one over another for reasons of the number of input and output pins, PWM capabilities or support for other serial commands that allow background receipt of communicaitons into a memory buffer.

I hope that I have given you an insight into what you have perceived as a potential problem, but really it isn't.

Come back and let us know if you still believe that you are seeing a problem and give a couple of examples of commands that are greyed out that you feel should be available and someone will clear up any remaining mysteries. The folks here are very helpful and most are more than happy to give a bit of hand holding to get you on the road.
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
I choose 08M2, but then there are a ton of commands that are "greyed out". They can't be dragged and dropped on the flowchart, and are unavailable for use in my program.
This could be a licensing issue -

http://www.picaxe.com/Teaching/Logicator-Flowcharting-Software

There are three modes of operation for personal use -

Full version : License purchased, unrestricted use, no nag screens

Shareware : No license purchased, unrestricted use but with occasional nag screens

Free : No license purchased, no nag screen but with restricted commands

It sounds like you may have selected the last mode of operation.
 

dmccormick001

New Member
This could be a licensing issue -

http://www.picaxe.com/Teaching/Logicator-Flowcharting-Software

There are three modes of operation for personal use -

Full version : License purchased, unrestricted use, no nag screens

Shareware : No license purchased, unrestricted use but with occasional nag screens

Free : No license purchased, no nag screen but with restricted commands

It sounds like you may have selected the last mode of operation.
Yep, that's the problem. When the splash screen comes up asking you what version you want to use, the Shareware version has the word "Demo" in it, and that led me to believe that it might have an expiration time on it or something. I've used Logicator before, and just didn't remember that there was a limited version that omitted certain commands. I knew it wasn't a matter of using the wrong chip, since I had used the older 08 chips to do what I wanted to do a couple of years ago. In the "Free" version, ALL of the Variables commands are grayed out, you can't compare a variable, or increment or decrement it, etc. It's about useless in my view.

Anyway, thanks to everybody for your help, and stand by. I'm sure I'll need some advice now on how to make it do what I want it to do! :D
 

dmccormick001

New Member
OK, I already need some additional help. (I told you!)

Let me first tell you what I'm trying to do.....

I fly R/C airplanes, and several of the older members of my club have had accidents with their electric powered models. With a lot of the less-expensive ESCs, once you connect the battery the motor is "hot", and any accidental bump to the throttle stick, or a dropped transmitter, or even turning the transmitter off before disconnecting the battery, can result in an unexpected prop strike. My idea is to have a circuit that plugs between the ESC and the receiver that essentially "hi-jacks" the throttle output from the receiver. Once you connect the battery, the circuit assumes control and sends a LOW throttle signal (90ms) to the ESC, which keeps the motor off and allows you to check all the other servos, make trim adjustments, etc., and carry your plane out to the runway without worrying about the motor starting. A red LED is on to tell you the model is in the "safe" mode. When you're ready to fly, you depress and hold a small tactile switch, during which time the red LED flashes rapidly. If the switch is held for 3 seconds, the LED turns green, and the program goes into a loop in which it checks the pulse width from the receiver and sends it immediatley to the ESC. This simply continues until the battery is disconnected. The only other thing I'd like for it to do is to check the pulse width and if it's less than ~90ms, output a LOW pulse to the ESC, so that if you forget and turn your Tx off with the battery still in the plane, the circuit will hold the ESC at off and not allow the motor to start up via a random signal.

OK, now here's my problem. I have all the above working perfectly except for one minor thing. I'm using a normal servo to check the function of the program, instead of an ESC/motor combo, and every time the PULSIN command is executed, it seems to interfere with the sevo command, and it's causing the servo to jitter. I have the servo on it's own battery, isolated from the chip's power supply, I have a .01mfd cap across the servo's + and -, and I have a 330ohm resistor in line with the servo's signal wire. I've tried both the servo and the servopos commands, both behave the same way. And I'm pretty sure it isn't anything to do with the servo itself, because at the start of the program I have a line that sets the servo's output LOW (90ms), and it moves there and doesn't jitter at all until the program moves on to the later parts where the PULSIN command is called. It may not cause any problems with an ESC, since it doesn't actually move, it may only cause the motor speed to fluctuate slightly, but I'd like to figure it out and eliminate it if possible.

Does the PULSIN command interfere with a timer or something used by the servo/servopos commands? Is there any way around it, or some other technique I can use? Thanks again!
 

eclectic

Moderator
dmc

Please could you insert some
carriage returns and spaces?

Large blocks of text are very difficult to read.

Potential responders may indeed give up the task,
even before they've read your question.

Please could you insert some carriage returns and spaces? Large blocks of text are very difficult to read. Potential responders may indeed give up the task, even before they've read your question.

And that's only one line. :)

e
 

nick12ab

Senior Member
Does the PULSIN command interfere with a timer or something used by the servo/servopos commands? Is there any way around it, or some other technique I can use? Thanks again!
Try it and find out, make a simple program involving pulsin and see if the timer slows down.
 

dmccormick001

New Member
I have.

Here's what I have so far.

Once you get to the latter part of the program, the PULSIN command seems to cause the servo to jitter.

Code:
'BASIC converted from Logicator for PICAXE flowsheet:
'C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\Flowsheet2.plf
'Converted on 16/12/2012 at 21:12:13

symbol varA = b0
symbol varB = b1
symbol varC = b2
symbol varD = b3
symbol varE = b4
symbol varF = b5
symbol varG = b6
symbol varH = b7
symbol varI = b14
symbol varJ = b15
symbol varK = b16
symbol varL = b17
symbol varM = b18
symbol varN = b19
symbol varO = b20
symbol varP = b21
symbol varQ = b22
symbol varR = b23
symbol varS = b24
symbol varT = b25
symbol timer = time


let dirs = %00010101


main:
label_14:	high 0
		servo 2,90
label_18:
		if pinC.1 = 0 then label_62	'Decision command
		pause 1000	'Wait command
		goto label_18

label_62:	gosub prc_BLINK	'Do Procedure 
		if pinC.1 = 0 then label_72	'Decision command
		goto label_14

label_72:	gosub prc_BLINK	'Do Procedure 
		if pinC.1 = 0 then label_75	'Decision command
		goto label_14

label_75:	gosub prc_BLINK	'Do Procedure 
		if pinC.1 = 0 then label_97	'Decision command
		goto label_14

label_97:	high 4
		low 0
label_99:	pulsin C.3,1,varA
		if varA < 75 then label_115	'Compare command
		if varB = varA then label_99	'Compare command
		let varB = varA  	'Expression command
		servo 2,varB
		pause 100	'Wait command
		goto label_99

label_115:
		let varA = 100  	'Expression command
		servopos 2,varA
		goto label_117

prc_BLINK:
		low 0
		pause 250	'Wait command
		high 0
		pause 150	'Wait command
		low 0
		pause 250	'Wait command
		high 0
		pause 150	'Wait command
		low 0
		pause 250	'Wait command
		high 0
		pause 150	'Wait command
		return		'Return 

label_117:	let pins = 0
		stop
 
Top