Picaxe books
- Thread starter fathom
- Start date
1968neil
Senior Member
A quick google =
http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/html/0071457658.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PICAXE-Microcontroller-Projects-Evil-Genius/dp/0071703268
Cant vouch for either but a good place to start !
http://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/html/0071457658.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PICAXE-Microcontroller-Projects-Evil-Genius/dp/0071703268
Cant vouch for either but a good place to start !
IMHO
No.
Read the Manuals. (Updated every few weeks/ months)
Watch and ask questions on the Forum.
(Updated every few seconds / minutes /hours.)
e
BeanieBots
Moderator
I agree with eclectic.
westaust55
Moderator
of the two books that 1968neil has referenced:
1. The first is the David Lincoln book which is getting very out of date. It has typos in program that bring readers here in despair with questions as to "why won't this work". It does not cover the latest PICAXE chips.
I believe a new edition is due out in 2011 so cannot recommend a purchase at this time for that book.
2. The Ron Hackett book is not a programming reference manual. If you are a new comer to PICAXE and electronics and want to follow a series of projects starting with elementary circuits and building up to keypads and LCD drivers using know circuits that can be followed then this book is worth considering.
At the end of the day, however to really understand the PICAXE programming language (a variant of BASIC) then download and read the PICAXE manuals available from the rev Ed website.
They are also included in the Programming Editor under the HELP section when you install that PE or available via the links in the orange bar at the top of these forum pages or finally directly from the Rev Ed website.
Rev Ed do endeavour to keep the manuals up to date.
There are also currently a separate briefing notes/addenda for some of the newer parts:
- for the X2 parts here = http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/docs/picaxex2.pdf
- for the M2 part(s)here = http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/docs/picaxem2.pdf
1. The first is the David Lincoln book which is getting very out of date. It has typos in program that bring readers here in despair with questions as to "why won't this work". It does not cover the latest PICAXE chips.
I believe a new edition is due out in 2011 so cannot recommend a purchase at this time for that book.
2. The Ron Hackett book is not a programming reference manual. If you are a new comer to PICAXE and electronics and want to follow a series of projects starting with elementary circuits and building up to keypads and LCD drivers using know circuits that can be followed then this book is worth considering.
At the end of the day, however to really understand the PICAXE programming language (a variant of BASIC) then download and read the PICAXE manuals available from the rev Ed website.
They are also included in the Programming Editor under the HELP section when you install that PE or available via the links in the orange bar at the top of these forum pages or finally directly from the Rev Ed website.
Rev Ed do endeavour to keep the manuals up to date.
There are also currently a separate briefing notes/addenda for some of the newer parts:
- for the X2 parts here = http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/docs/picaxex2.pdf
- for the M2 part(s)here = http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/docs/picaxem2.pdf
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Agree
Having read the manual that comes with the editor and both of the mentioned books, admittedly just cover to cover without stopping. I thought the picaxe manual was superior.
Stick with manual, IMHO, and use the simulation mode on editor. Its a good learning tool to set on whichever picaxe chip your writing code for.
I agree.
Having read the manual that comes with the editor and both of the mentioned books, admittedly just cover to cover without stopping. I thought the picaxe manual was superior.
Stick with manual, IMHO, and use the simulation mode on editor. Its a good learning tool to set on whichever picaxe chip your writing code for.
I bought this book the other day when ordering some other bits from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PICAXE-Microcontroller-Projects-Evil-Genius/dp/0071703268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291998726&sr=8-1
It's pretty basic but it does cover a lot of the more elementary commands in detail and a few projects including a lot about driving parallel LCD displays of which a lot of questions are asked about in the forums.
I recommend it!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/PICAXE-Microcontroller-Projects-Evil-Genius/dp/0071703268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291998726&sr=8-1
It's pretty basic but it does cover a lot of the more elementary commands in detail and a few projects including a lot about driving parallel LCD displays of which a lot of questions are asked about in the forums.
I recommend it!
The most suitable resource tends to relate to your needs,learning style & budget of course. Do you like being told exactly what to do, or are you of an exploratory mindset? I use the texts above for reference, & eagerly await David's 2nd edition (due out ~Feb. 2011), but find many PICAXE applications,developed in conjunction with the excellent manuals,often arise via thoughtful "hands on" investigations. Stan.
fritz42_male
Senior Member
Even the first edition of David's book (a few errors) was superb and very helpful for a Picaxe newbie like me. I am buying the second edition ASAP
westaust55
Moderator
Ron Hackett's book does cover a number of useful introductory projects for newcomer to PICAXE microcontrollers.
It is amazing the number of newbies who have problems with such simple circuits as the program download circuit involving two resistors plus a couple more components for the enhanced version and a reset pin/leg pull-up for some chips.
Likewise the fairly common parallel LCD interface causes many grief.
So while the Rev Ed manuals are still the best source of the very latest information on the BASIC programming language as used by the PICAXE chips, there is a definite niche amongst PICAXE users for Ron's book.
It is amazing the number of newbies who have problems with such simple circuits as the program download circuit involving two resistors plus a couple more components for the enhanced version and a reset pin/leg pull-up for some chips.
Likewise the fairly common parallel LCD interface causes many grief.
So while the Rev Ed manuals are still the best source of the very latest information on the BASIC programming language as used by the PICAXE chips, there is a definite niche amongst PICAXE users for Ron's book.
This thread reminds me of a thought I had about a possibly useful forum implementation.
I was thinking that we might post a single PICAXE BASIC command as a thread title every few days, and have everyone knowledgeable and willing contribute comments and code snippets regarding the use (or misuse) of that command - what it does, how it does it, when it's most useful, and when it's not. Also tips and tricks we implement using it in order to make our code run better, run faster, be smaller, etc.
By naming each thread with the BASIC command name itself it would be very easy to find it with a site search. It would also make it very easy to print up each thread and add it to a command compendium for convenient reference.
Manual 2 is of course very helpful, but it is rightfully limited in its scope, and thus leaves out a great deal of info that is the difference between being proficient with a command and being just a Noob with its use.
I was thinking that we might post a single PICAXE BASIC command as a thread title every few days, and have everyone knowledgeable and willing contribute comments and code snippets regarding the use (or misuse) of that command - what it does, how it does it, when it's most useful, and when it's not. Also tips and tricks we implement using it in order to make our code run better, run faster, be smaller, etc.
By naming each thread with the BASIC command name itself it would be very easy to find it with a site search. It would also make it very easy to print up each thread and add it to a command compendium for convenient reference.
Manual 2 is of course very helpful, but it is rightfully limited in its scope, and thus leaves out a great deal of info that is the difference between being proficient with a command and being just a Noob with its use.
fritz42_male
Senior Member
Good idea!
(shame it had to come from a yank)
(shame it had to come from a yank)
westaust55
Moderator
leave BUTTON to BeanieBots
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10864&highlight=button
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10864&highlight=button
I'm working on my tutorial, but it's a larger project than merely adding a comment, suggestion, or clarification to a thread in progress. The collaborative aspect of a series of "command" threads is the reason I thought it might work out well. It becomes a "stone soup."Yes , and let's hope it fairs better than all those Tutorials that were suggested recently....
Start with "Button" as I can't make it out.
BTW, I can't much help being a Yank. It comes with the territory. But I can assure you I've considered more than once in the past moving to OZ or NZ. I'm just not up to snuff when it comes to their standards for immigrants, I'm afraid. I'm old, uneducated, broke and crippled. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "I wouldn't want to live in any country that would have me."
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fritz42_male
Senior Member
Just the obligatory windup John - as required when becoming an Aussie (as well as having part of your brain removed) -
Quick joke, A British guy goes in for brain surgery due to a tumour - the surgeon tells him that they will have to remove half his brain and he agrees. He wakes up after the operation to see the Surgeon standing at the foot of his bed with a grave look. The surgeon says 'I'm very sorry but we actually had to remove 3/4 of your brain' - the guy looks at him and says 'No worries mate, she'll be right!
I actually thought of moving to the US - consumer paradise and you can pick a climate. In the end, Australia was easier.
Quick joke, A British guy goes in for brain surgery due to a tumour - the surgeon tells him that they will have to remove half his brain and he agrees. He wakes up after the operation to see the Surgeon standing at the foot of his bed with a grave look. The surgeon says 'I'm very sorry but we actually had to remove 3/4 of your brain' - the guy looks at him and says 'No worries mate, she'll be right!
I actually thought of moving to the US - consumer paradise and you can pick a climate. In the end, Australia was easier.
Another resource to consider!
I find this resource very helpful in trying to get my head around a particular command
The PICAXE VSM software has a 'sample' program for most (if not all) the PICAXE BASIC commands, including a circuit to demonstrate how the specific command could be used.
I find this resource very helpful in trying to get my head around a particular command
westaust55
Moderator
Are those resources available from the demo version ?
Not everyone would purchase the VSM package just to access the mentioned documentary resources.
I Agree!
I don't feel the resource would (or could) replace the three user manuals available on the RevEd site, but only serve to compliment them.
As far as availability in the demo version - I don't know!
I probably would not purchase VSM just for the described documentary resources. However, the documentary resources are a a nice feature of the VSM package and I believe a worthwhile tool/resource to learn more about the commands (and how they might be implemented).Are those resources available from the demo version ?
Not everyone would purchase the VSM package just to access the mentioned documentary resources.
I don't feel the resource would (or could) replace the three user manuals available on the RevEd site, but only serve to compliment them.
As far as availability in the demo version - I don't know!