Difference between revisions of "Exercise - Using Macros"

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(Replaced content with "For an excellent introduction guide, we recommend [https://www.flowcode.co.uk/education/ Introduction to microcontroller programming]")
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Macros are sections of code that are repeated a number of times within a program.<br />
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For an excellent introduction guide, we recommend [https://www.flowcode.co.uk/education/ Introduction to microcontroller programming]
It is more efficient to use a macro than to create the code repeatedly every time it is needed.<br />
 
For more information about macros, see [[What Is a Macro?]].
 
 
 
This exercise shows how to use macros with a menu to create a simple LED flasher. The LED can be made to flash at different frequencies by pressing different switches.
 
 
 
The first section looks at creating the core program, with the menu. The second section shows how to create the macro.
 
 
 
 
 
__TOC__
 
 
 
==The main sequence==
 
This part of the program uses three switches to select the frequency for the LED.<br />
 
The flowchart sequence will be:
 
::::* Read the state of the switches.
 
::::* Use this state to determine the correct branch to take.
 
::::* Set up the appropriate time delay for the chosen frequency.
 
::::* Run the macro with that delay setting.
 
::::* Loop back and check the switches again.
 
 
 
==Linking frequency and delay==
 
The flowchart controlling the LED flashes is shown opposite.<br />
 
The table that follows shows the link between length of delay in each 'Delay' icon, and the frequency of flashing.
 
 
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
 
 
 
! colspan="2" | LED frequency and delay
 
|-
 
| Delay in milliseconds || Frequency
 
|-
 
| 1000 ||0.5
 
|-
 
| 500 ||1
 
 
 
|-
 
| 250 ||2
 
 
 
|-
 
| 125 ||4
 
|}
 
 
 
[[File:gen_exerciseUsingAnInp_anvarman_01.png|300px|right]]
 
==Create the variables==
 
The program will use two variables, 'selection', to store the state of the switches used to select frequency, and 'delay', used to determine the frequency at which the LED flashes.
 
:* In the 'Edit' menu, on the main toolbar, click on 'Variables...' to open the [[Variable Manager]] dialogue box.
 
::* Hover just to the left of the 'Variables' label, and click on the down arrow that appears.
 
::* Select 'Add new' and the 'Create a New Variable' dialogue box opens.
 
::* Name the new variable "input".
 
::* Leave the variable type as 'Byte'.
 
::* Click on 'OK'.
 
::* The dialogue box is shown opposite.
 
===Set up the 'main' flowchart===
 
* Open Flowcode, and set up the new flowchart as described in [[Exercise - Creating Your First Flowchart|Creating Your First Flowchart]].
 
 
 
==Create the flowchart==
 
* Click and drag an infinite loop, [[File:Btn Loop.gif|30px]] between the 'BEGIN' and 'END' icons.
 
 
 
===Create the core sequence===
 
===Add the LCD===
 
* Locate the 'LCD' inside the 'Outputs' toolbox in the [[Tools and Views#1) Icons Toolbar|Icons toolbar]].
 
:* Hover over the image to the left of the 'LCD' label, and click on the down-arrow that appears.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
===Add the switch===
 
* Locate the 'Push Round Panel' switch in the 'Inputs' toolbox in the [[Tools and Views#1) Icons Toolbar|Icons toolbar]].
 
:* Hover over the image to the left of the switch label, and click on the down-arrow that appears.
 
:* Click on the 'Add to system panel' option to select it.
 
:* Click on the image of the switch on the System panel to select it and drag it to a suitable position.
 
:* On the Panel Properties, click on the 'Unconnected' label, next to 'Connection'.
 
:: A pinout of the microcontroller appears.
 
:* Click on the rectangle that represents the pin RA1/AN1, to connect the switch to Port A, bit 1 of the microcontroller.
 
 
 
===Add the LED===
 
* Locate the 'Single LED' in the 'Outputs' toolbox in the [[Tools and Views#1) Icons Toolbar|Icons toolbar]].
 
:* Hover over the image to the left of the 'Single LED' label, and click on the down-arrow that appears.
 
:* Click on the 'Add to system panel' option to select it.
 
:* Select the LED on the System panel and drag it to a suitable position.
 
:* Look at the Panel Properties, the 'Connection' property shows that, by default, it is connected to Port A, bit 0.
 
:: Leave it like this.
 

Latest revision as of 13:24, 25 April 2023

For an excellent introduction guide, we recommend Introduction to microcontroller programming