Holon11 and Tech Arts Microstamp11

[James Meyer]

I also posted this in the news group comp.lang.forth but wanted to
maximize my chances that somebody who could help would see it. I didn't
cross-post to keep the clutter down on both groups.


I need a jump-start. I've got the hardware and the software mentioned
in the subject line, but I can't get them to play together nicely.

I *think* the problem revolves around my inability to download IMON,
PMON or EMON to the Microstamp. Or, worse yet, to even be able to figure out
which one should work with the Microstamp.

I've Googled for the occurance of both Holon11 and Microstamp11 in the
same place and come up with no hits either in web pages or news groups.

If there is someone here who can take me by the hand and lead me up the
"learning curve", I'd be a very happy FORTHer.

Jim

 

[Luhan Monat]

BobG wrote:

I use microstamps, but with icc11.. dont know too much about forth but
I'll help with the microstamps...

I know microcontrollers, but of Forth little I do know.

--
Luhan Monat: luhanis(at)yahoo(dot)com
http://members.cox.net/berniekm
"Any sufficiently advanced magick is
indistinguishable from technology."

 

[James Meyer]

On 31 May 2005 13:45:13 -0700, "BobG" <bobgardner@aol.com> wroth:

I use microstamps, but with icc11.. dont know too much about forth but
I'll help with the microstamps...

OK Bob and Luhan,

Holon needs to use the "special bootstrap mode" to put a small monitor
program into the 68HC11. I guess there is already a monitor program of sorts
put in there by Tech Arts.

Is the special bootstrap mode available on the Microstamp? Is that what
the "load" switch does? Or does the load switch only allow access to the
*external* EPROM?

Jim

 

[James Meyer]

On 1 Jun 2005 12:49:15 -0700, "BobG" <bobgardner@aol.com> wroth:

Holon needs to use the "special bootstrap mode" to put a small
monitor
program into the 68HC11. I guess there is already a monitor program of
sorts
put in there by Tech Arts.

Is the special bootstrap mode available on the Microstamp? Is
that what
the "load" switch does? Or does the load switch only allow access to
the
*external* EPROM?
=====================
Nope... Tech Arts didn't do anything special... regular old hc11d0 has
a bootstrap rom.... its specific operation is speeled out in
excruciating detail in the moto appnotes, but in general, on reset in
bootstrap mode, it waits for an FF, then loads 265 bytes of binary
program at 0x0000 and jumps to it. The default baud rate for an 8MHz
xtal is 1200 baud... tech arts used to just use a batch file to copy /b
to com1 at 1200 baud. The load sw forces mode a and b lo for bootstarap
mode. All this is in the tech arts manual AND in the moto data sheets.
Tech Arts has a nice whizzy windows loader called Microload on their
site... pretty easy....

I just discovered that the Microstamp is able to use PCBug11 for
programming and debugging. PCBug uses the special bootstrap mode to download a
"talker". That means that the Microstamp should be compatable with Holon as
well.

I'll put Holon on the back burner until I can get PCBug to talk to the
Microstamp. There are several flavors of PCBug, so hopefully I can get one to
work. With that experience under my belt, I may have enough info to tackle
Holon again.

My first embedded project, many years ago, was written in part in FORTH.
I really liked the whole concept of FORTH. I haven't done much programming
lately and I wanted to try again to see if it really was as good as I remember.

Thanks for the feedback,

Jim

 

[James Meyer]

On 1 Jun 2005 12:52:33 -0700, "BobG" <bobgardner@aol.com> wroth:

And I guess I should add that the special part is that Tech Arts boots
their page mode atmel rom burner using bootstrap mode... its called
msload.bin... this is done automagically by their Microload program...
get that....

I got their whole starter kit with the CD full of tools. It's just that
there are so many different ways to skin the cat that I got sidetracked.

I'll start with something simple to build up my confidence and then
maybe the whole Holon thing will fall into place.

Thanks,

Jim