Easy PC to PICAXE Programmable Serial Comms

 

I've been using PICAXE microcontrollers for several years now on my DIY projects. The PICAXE range has several microcontroller chips with a wide range of capabilities - with the more recent ones capable of running at clock speeds up to 64MHz.

 

As a newcomer to microcontroller use I found PICAXE's particularly attractive because of their wide range of capabilities, and because they are easy to program using a BASIC type language and their free programming software. However one area where programming can be more difficult is in achieving programmable serial communications between your PC or Laptop and the PICAXE chip on your project. This can be a key element in many DIY projects in which communications between the PC and microcontroller is required to exercise control over the chip behaviour, or to receive and act on real-time data sent from the chip.

 

 

Such serial communications can be achieved using a range of programming languages and this thread from the PICAXE forum provides information on a number of them. With a view to helping beginners in the area I've tried to add to the available options by making up a PC-PICAXE Serial COMMS API for Auto Hot Key (AHK). AHK is a fairly easy to learn FREE scripting language with huge capabilities for general programming as well as for keyboard/mouse key scripting etc. All the motion platform drive software, robot control software and force feedback software seen on the site is written in AHK.

 

BFFCOMMS - Serial COMMS API              Download BFFCOMMS.zip package here

 

The BFFCOMMS API is in the form of a small library of pre-scripted functions that can be called in your AHK scripts to implement serial port communications - ie to read and write data to devices connected to your PC by a physical serial port or by USB/Serial converter cable.

 

You make the library functions available in your own AHK scripts by adding an "#Include" statement near the top of the script, ie add...

 

#Include BFFCOMMS_Func.ahk

 

.. in your script and place the BFFCOMMS_Func.ahk library file in the same directory as your own script.

 

There are a small number of functions in the library:

• BFFCOMMS_Open() - Open the COM Port

• BFFCOMMS_Close() - Close the COM Port

• BFFCOMMS_Send() - Send bytes to the COM port

• BFFCOMMS_Get() - Read bytes from the COM port

• BFFCOMMS_Purge() - Purge the read buffer

The Open() function allows the port number, baud rate and read timeouts to be set and the port opened with 8,N,1 serial format suitable for PICAXE communications. The Send() function can send both ascii and raw data bytes to your PICAXE and the Get() function can read both ascii and raw data bytes from the microcontroller with or without qualifier bytes or read timeouts for you to process in your script.

 

More details of the functions are in the BFFCOMMS Reference text file.

 

 

Sample Serial Communications Scripts

 

To help you get started I've written a number of example AHK scripts with matching PICAXE 20X2 chip .bas programs. The samples are included in the download package and illustrate a number of ways of using the API. I've used a 20X2 chip set for 64MHz operation and with "hserial" programming through its hardware serial pins, however it should not be difficult to modify the .bas programs for use with other PICAXE chips and frequencies and with normal serin/serout programming on any suitable pins.

 

The samples use COM1 at 115200 baud, you can change this by altering the scripting - open the relevant .ahk file in a text editor and have a look. If you change the baud you will also have to change the matching .bas microcontroller program to ensure the bauds are the same at both PC and PICAXE ends of the chain.

 

The code samples are:

• Case 1 - simple write and read return data (message box output)

• Case 2 - simple write with read return with serial string qualifier bytes (message box output)

• Case 3 - send G, A or R keystrokes to light green, amber or red LED's (GUI window output)

• Case 4 - continuously send PC joystick axis positions to vary LED light brightness (GUI window output)

• Case 5 - continuously monitor ADC word data sent by PICAXE at approx 30Hz (GUI window output)

To use the samples you will need to download and install the AHK package from the AHK web site. Once installed you can run any AHK script directly by double clicking on it, or by compiling it to a .exe program and running that. At the microcontroller end you will need your PICAXE microcontroller active and programmed with the .bas program that matches the Case .ahk script you are trying. The programmed PICAXE 20X2 will need to be connected to the PC COM port specified in the .ahk script through its hserial pins and a correct download circuit and download cable.

 

Let me know if you find the API useful, or if there are additional functions that might be added.

 

The BFFCOMMS API is NOT PICAXE chip or project hardware specific - ie it can be used to read and write serial data to any PICAXE chip which is programmed properly for serial communications and connected through a suitable download circuit. You are free to use it in your own projects with your own hardware.

 

The .bas programs included in the samples package are however written for a 20X2 chip with 115220 baud comms through its hserial pins and they do suit the 64SPU-1 microcontroller card that is available on the site.

 

 

64SPU-1 Microcontroller Card

 

Although designed for DIY closed loop servo drives the 64SPU-1 card is suitable for general project use and allows the on-board 20X2 chip to be programmed in-situ as well as providing working data serial comms via the hserial pins. The chip is socket mounted and can be swapped out if required.

 

The card provides screw terminal connections to a number of the 20X2 chip's input/output pins, I2C ready connections, three coloured LED's and serial comms through the serial download circuit. Click the image for details of the 20X2 pin mappings. The card requires a regulated 5V supply and is 80mm x 80mm in size. The serial connection is suitable for use with PICAXE AXE026 and AXE027 download cables.

 

The layout includes a 100uF stabilising capacitor near the supply input, and decoupling caps near the chip. 0 and 5V pass-through connections are provided for powering ancillary items such as potentiometers or LED's from the 5V logic supply to the card.

 

The un-programmed 64SPU-1 is available for £29.95 + P&P from the order page. This un-programmed card will require you to program the on-board 20X2 chip with your own .bas program to suit your own projects. Do not order this version of the card if you wish to use it in the Motion Platform drive.

 

 

 

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