counter programming

[saksun]

hello everyone,
I want to do counter coding. I'm using pic16f526 with 8Mhz internal oscillator. My compiler is CCS v5.071d. I'm first time doing counter programming i don't have any idea how to do this?
Plz help me to do this code without interrupt because pic16f526 don't have interrupt.

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Walne]

Please be more specific.

What are you wanting to count?
What frequency range?
What else has to be done?

Also helps if you show us a short sample program of what you've tried.
Your sample needs to be complete and compilable so we can copy and paste to test it.
We are not going to do the programming for you, but will gladly help,

Mike

[temtronic]

1st step is to cut/compile a '1Hz LED' program to show us that your PIC hardware works.

Along with Mike's queries, I'll add...

How will you display the counter data ? Local LCD module or send to PC?
If LCD module, you'll need a driver so I suggest the flex_LCD driver in the code library here. It does require 6 I/O pins though.
If sending to PC, you'll need an 'interface' module. I use a TTL<>USB module, about $2 these days. You're only sending to the PC, 1 I/O pin is needed.

We really need more information to help you better.

Jay

[Ttelmah]

I think the key point being made to you, is 'counter programming' means nothing....

Repeatedly add one to a number, and it is a 'counter'.
Repeatedly subtract one from a number and it is a 'counter'.
Increment or decrement a value when something happens, and this is a 'counter'.
There are hardware counters (on the PIC, the CCP), and innumerable software counters. More sophisticated PIC's have other types of hardware counters as well. Most of these can be programmed to do a huge variety of tasks.

If you are starting programming, you need to start with basic code and prove you can do basic tasks. If you want to know how to do a specific task with a 'counter', you need to tell us what you want to do, and what chip is involved.

Your question at the moment is along the lines of "I want to know how to use a ball". Not exactly easy to answer.....

[saksun]

Im scanning 4 pairs of ir led's and using 2 pic controllers for transmitter and receiver separately. I want to sound a buzzer when my ir beam cut for 15 sec continuosly. other wise not.

and my code is

[temtronic]

One problem is that when the PIC is executing the delay_ms(1000) function it is possible that INPUT_B5 could go high.
You need to test that pic WHILE also timing the 15 second delay.

I suggest looking in the CCS C manual, FAQ section, for a 'timed receive' code snippet. IT should provide you with a method of both reading the pin and timing at the same time.

Jay

[newguy]

Step back, clear your mind, and consider this: "if I had people to handle this problem, how many people would I need, and what would I get each of them to do?" Also consider for the moment that these people are incapable of doing more than one thing at the same time. Let's call them simpletons for sake of argument. It's not derogatory, it's descriptive.

You're sending IR light pulses from a transmitter to a receiver, and you want the receiver to sound some sort of alarm if the pulses disappear for at least 15 seconds.

So, think about the crux of the problem and how you'd divide the task to allow several simpletons to do the job. Even though the people available are simpletons, they'll still do what you tell/ask them, but they can only do one thing.

I'd say that you could get away with "hiring" two simpletons. One has the job of watching a stopwatch - and nothing else - and if the stopwatch second hand gets to 15, he's going to raise a fuss (sound the alarm). The other's job is to "watch the window" for the light pulses, and if he sees a light pulse, he has to reach over to the "stopwatch simpleton" and hit the reset button on his stopwatch.

Does this shed proper light on the problem, or do you need more guidance? Major hint: start reading up on interrupts and timers.

[saksun]

[newguy]