mclendon
02-02-03, 10:45 AM
After my initial evaluation of the ISOPOD V2 with ISOMAX V0.3, I have some suggestions with respect to product documentation.
The ISOPOD/ISOMAX product needs fundamental work on the user manual in the area of
1) how program code written offline and stored on the user's PC may be loaded into the machine using MaxTerm, HyperTerminal or similar programs.
2) Suggest that restrictions on input buffer speed or memory size for the user's programs be stated up front especially since there is no handshaking protocol between the terminal and the ISOPOD
3) Explain to the user where the program uploaded to the ISOPOD goes (User RAM or User Flash)
4) Explain how to remove the machines from the ISOPOD memory (especially address FLASH and RAM)
5) Explain what a reset does (how it affects memeory and machine status)
6) how the ISOPOD can be queried via the terminal as to what machines are present and what machines are running
7) Develop a programming manual for ISOMAX. The User manual is a fair start until the BLINKGRN example when it runs out of gas in the logical progression department with a bizarre example of declaring, initializing, decrementing and testing variables. No explanation for the syntax or words used are offered.
This example also does not explain where the user's declaration of the variables resides and how it relates to the machine BLINKGRN construction.
I believe that the ISOPOD/ISOMAX combo has great potential for a complex project I am undertaking but am somewhat frustrated by the programming language. I like the state machine approach for my Automatic HF Antenna Tuner control project and will let you know how it goes as I get time to work on it.
Mike
The ISOPOD/ISOMAX product needs fundamental work on the user manual in the area of
1) how program code written offline and stored on the user's PC may be loaded into the machine using MaxTerm, HyperTerminal or similar programs.
2) Suggest that restrictions on input buffer speed or memory size for the user's programs be stated up front especially since there is no handshaking protocol between the terminal and the ISOPOD
3) Explain to the user where the program uploaded to the ISOPOD goes (User RAM or User Flash)
4) Explain how to remove the machines from the ISOPOD memory (especially address FLASH and RAM)
5) Explain what a reset does (how it affects memeory and machine status)
6) how the ISOPOD can be queried via the terminal as to what machines are present and what machines are running
7) Develop a programming manual for ISOMAX. The User manual is a fair start until the BLINKGRN example when it runs out of gas in the logical progression department with a bizarre example of declaring, initializing, decrementing and testing variables. No explanation for the syntax or words used are offered.
This example also does not explain where the user's declaration of the variables resides and how it relates to the machine BLINKGRN construction.
I believe that the ISOPOD/ISOMAX combo has great potential for a complex project I am undertaking but am somewhat frustrated by the programming language. I like the state machine approach for my Automatic HF Antenna Tuner control project and will let you know how it goes as I get time to work on it.
Mike