Would you like to be able to:
- Drop a symbol for a micro-controller into a QSpice schematic.
- Wire the controller pins up to the rest of a schematic.
- Write some code for the micro-controller.
- Run the simulation and view results when running the micro-controller code.
- Change the schematic circuit or micro-controller code and run it again.
Well, that’s what this project is about.
I have a proof-of-concept framework that uses the Microchip simulator as a back-end. Here’s a Microchip PIC16F15213 chip with code driving LEDs using Charlie-Plexing (to exercise/demonstrate tri-state GPIO pins).
While the project is entirely unprepared for sharing, I’ve put some initial code on the dev branch of my GitHub QSpice repository. Pay attention to the README because it’s a complicated project using several development environments/tools. (All of the tools are free.)
If you’re interested, please:
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Set a watch on this thread so that you get notified when I post updates. Also, give the post a “like” to help me gauge the level of interest.
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If you develop for Microchip micro-controllers (PIC, AVR), let me know. I’ll need folk to implement the component-side code/symbols for popular devices, to create test code, and do testing.
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If you’re a Java-dude/dudette – or know a Java guy/gal that would be interested in helping – let me know. The QSpice simulation speed bottleneck is the Java-based Microchip MDB interface. If nobody volunteers to help, well, I can do Java but dislike it rather strongly so this will be the last problem that I address. Please, please don’t make me do Java.
Anyway, that’s it for now. Comments and questions are welcome.
–robert