Proton BASIC Community

What is required or what is involved to support a specific micro processor ?

In other words, if one wants the ESP32S processor be supported by Positron,
Is it possible ? A lot of work ? Expensive ? Complicated ?

I didn't know this was such a difficult question 

Probably people think you already know the answer so no point in replying.
I would say it is a yes to all your questions and add it will never happen.

Bob

Never say never.

Quote from: Fanie on Jun 21, 2023, 02:20 PMWhat is required or what is involved to support a specific micro processor ?

In other words, if one wants the ESP32S processor be supported by Positron,
Is it possible ? A lot of work ? Expensive ? Complicated ?

To answer those questions in sequence...
1) It would be possible given enough time, effort and finance, but is it worth it for one device
2) If if is compatible with Microchip devices in the way it reads/write to RAM and Registers then it may just be a case of creating the relevant PPI & DEF. If not then you may be looking at staring from scratch.
3) Probably, particularly if a new and non free version of software like MPASM which Positron uses is required as that can significantly increased development & support costs.
4) I think I kind of cover that in item 2, presumably your primary interest in the devices RF/Bluetooth capabilities which could add to the complexity, presumably there are no Microchip devices with those functions in them.

If you want it though, I think you would have to look beyond Positron for programming software as...
a) There are Wi-Fi/BlueTooth module out there you can connect to a PIC so the effort to add that one device seems just for those functions disproportionate the likely number of end users 
b) I am sure Les has enough to do with maintaining Positron in general and adding support for Microchip new devices.
c) I think quite a lot of Positron users would rather Les used any additional time he has to work on the compiler for ARM devices.

Hello Stephen,
When I get a chance I'll look into the micro a bit more closely wrt the PPI & DEF files.
It may seem like just one micro, but in my humble opinion it is a very nice one.
I did one project with it and I had no problems, from the hardware to the software, although I must admit the C threw me a bit.  Positron's basic makes it so easy... as we all know.
I replaced an 18F45k20 which was unavailable at the time and the customer was very impressed with the ISP32S, so we will not go back to using a pic instead.
I have no interest in using bluetooth or wi-fi (now), it is in my opinion just a peripheral function like any other.
Don't get me wrong, I like the pics and have been using them since they became available (was back then with the window and you use UV light to erase the memory).  I still do use pics for many of my apps, but I would like to suppliment with this micro.  I pay for a 16F684 2/3 as much as for the ESP... 

Thank you for taking the time !

This is a project my brother did with the ESP32.  It is a gas monitor system for a new hospital in Johannesburg.

This is the control board

And these are the displays and control what are placed in various departments.

In 2009, I made a temperature monitoring system for vaccine cabinets for the hospital with wiznet serial ethernet module and 16f1628a.
Sending temperature and power outage alerts via sms
had monitoring functions via the web page
year 2010.

Now I'm doing the same job this time with dwin lcd screens, ESP32 you.

but I also want positron to support ESP8266 and 32 series MCUs.

Those are DWin displays.