Hi cjc,

There are several pins with multiple features. Actually pin 4 is the only one which hasn't got special features (yet!). For a complete list, see http://www.netduino....duino/specs.htm

SPI is also explained a bit at http://wiki.netduino.com/SPI.ashx

Thanks Stefan - now it makes sense. I was reading "SPI_Devices.SPI1" as a single pin (hadn't decided if it meant 11 or 13...), but now I get that it is the 3-pin "set" of 11, 12, 13 - thus declaring pin 12 as "used". I imagine that using UART1 or UART2 or I2C devices will have a similar behavior.

Cheers,
Corey

Thanks Chris - sounds great. I am also realizing that since you release the source, if I get stuck between firmwares I could always roll my own - allowing me to make the tough decisions about features/memory tailored specifically to my needs. Cheers, Corey

If I remember well the D12 is used as SPI input, thus cannot be used as general purpose pin. That when you're using the SPI, however.
Cheers

Thanks Mario - I suspected that might be the case but I haven't run across any documentation that indicates that is how things work. (is this also the case for the other special purpose pins??? when does it happen?) Hoping that someone can explain the behavior definitively. I thought that because Pin 12 isn't actually declared for use in the app, you could use it for general purpose...

Cheers,
Corey

Hi tibel,

We're syncing 4.1.1 and 4.2. So they'll probably become "final" at the same time (most likely in 30-60 days), although we may ship 4.1.1 a bit earlier.

The difference between the two will be that 4.2 has new features (StringBuilder, RegEx, Visual Basic support, more bugfixes, etc.) Once 4.2 is released, the next releases will be 4.2.x (i.e. we won't update v4.1.1 unless there's a critical bugfix).

Chris

Currently I am using the 4.1.1 1-wire version of the firmware. On the 1-wire alpha thread it was stated that 4.1.2 was the target to merge those features into the trunk. Granted alot has happened since that statement (e.g. MF 4.2) so I was hoping to get a feeling for when the 1-wire code will become a main part of the firmware. I would love to have access to Stringbuilder and RegEx. and native 1-wire too!
I am hoping that the release of 4.2 in a month or two will include the 1-wire code, but haven't seen a clear statement of that intent yet...

Thanks,
Corey

P.S. as a new user I find it a little confusing with all the versions floating around (1-wire, 50% less network memory, 4.1.1 beta, 4.2 beta, mini, plus, standard, banana peeling version, etc.) a thread with all the various firmwares linked to (Secret Labs and user rolled) with the various proper caveats (e.g. this is a one-off, this is not supported, etc.) and a road-map of rough timelines and feature sets would be awesome to have and save on confusion...

I wired up an LCD to my Netduino just like Szymon's great example here and everything was good. Of course this is just the start of a larger project, and I like my pinouts all neat and logical so rather than hook it up to pin 10, 11 and 13, I wanted to use 11, 12, 13.

No dice - the library throws general system exception when trying to create the output port. Then I thought it had something to do with the type of pin - so I tried a number of others: 9, 5 and 2 all work.

Any obvious problems here?

Fails:
var lcdProvider = new Shifter74Hc595LiquidCrystalTransferProvider(SPI_Devices.SPI1,
SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.Netduino.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D12);

Works:
var lcdProvider = new Shifter74Hc595LiquidCrystalTransferProvider(SPI_Devices.SPI1,
SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.Netduino.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D10);

var lcdProvider = new Shifter74Hc595LiquidCrystalTransferProvider(SPI_Devices.SPI1,
SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.Netduino.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D9);

var lcdProvider = new Shifter74Hc595LiquidCrystalTransferProvider(SPI_Devices.SPI1,
SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.Netduino.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D5;

var lcdProvider = new Shifter74Hc595LiquidCrystalTransferProvider(SPI_Devices.SPI1,
SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware.Netduino.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D2;

Thanks,
Corey

So I got a Netduino last Friday and so far I have been able to:
- Update it to the 4.1.1 1-Wire Beta firmware
- Get the serial-parallel LCD "Hello World" example going
- Read the temp of a DS18S20 1-wire temp sensor.

Fairly happy with stuff so far. (background: C# programmer by trade, home brewer by hobby, just learning more about netduino and circuits)

The plan is to get a Netduino Plus (Solarbotics is out currently, so just playing with a Netduino for now) to do the following:
- Read a 1-wire sensor network (automatic enumeration and simple config)
- Log data to the SD
- display process data on the LCD
- allow config files on the SD to be altered over Ethernet (e.g. push from a web server)
- allow data to be queried over Ethernet (e.g. pull to a web server)
- allow the process to be paused and started over Ethernet (e.g. push from a web server)
- Drive the process logic via config files on the SD
- Control relays based upon the process logic

Use Case:
Control gas and water valves and a pump for a HERMSsetup for step mashing, completely automated.

I know how I am going to accomplish most of this (but feel free to comment on anything), but I want a nice set of config files to define the process. I will be attempting to write something pretty generic (so it could be used for anything that needs to control relays based on sensors and time - like sous vide or fermentation temp control, or just weather logging). What I am hoping exists is a standard language for process definition so I don't need to invent my own (although I am good with that if need be).

E.G.
Step 1. Heat water to 77C
Step 2. Transfer 20L of water from HLT to MT
Step 3. Refill HTL.
Step 4. Heat water to 74C
Step 5. Recirculate water.
Step 6. Wait.
...

So for right now one question: Does anyone know of an industry standard "language" for process control config files? that's free? no too specific?

I figure I will need a file that abstracts things (the 1-wire sensor addresses into process controls, relays to actions, etc.) and a file detailing the actual process.

Once things gel a little more I will start posting the pieces of the project.

Cheers,
Corey