Lab 1 / 01.03.

2012
Developing software and hardware for
microcontroller based systems involves the
use of a range of tools that can include
editors, assemblers,compilers, debuggers, simu
lators, emulators and Flash/OTP
programmers.
One has a variety of options for developing
embedded systems.
Software Code for a microcontroller is written
in a programming language of choice (often
Assembler or C).
Programming in assembler involves learning
a microcontroller's specific instruction set,
but results in the most compact and fastest
code.
Next the source code needs to be translated
into instructions the microcontroller can
actually execute. A microcontrollers
instruction set is represented by "op codes".
Op codes are a unique sequence of bits ("0"
and "1") that are decoded by the controller's
instruction decode logic and then executed.
A cross compiler is a compiler capable of
creating executable code for a platform other
than the one on which the compiler is run.
Cross compiler tools are used to generate
executables for embedded system or multiple
platforms.
It is used to compile for a platform upon
which it is not feasible to do the compiling,
like microcontrollers that don't support
an operating system.
Simulators try to model the behavior of the
complete microcontroller in software. Some
simulators go even a step further and include
the whole system (simulation of peripherals
outside of the microcontroller).
An emulator is a piece of hardware that
ideally behaves exactly like the real
microcontroller chip with all its integrated
functionality. It is the most powerful
debugging tool of all.
RoboPlus is a software to create a
customized programme for every ROBOTIS
product.
You may download from:
http://support.robotis.com/en/software/robopl
us_main.htm
To execute RoboPlus, .NET FrameWork 3.5
or higher version is required. It may be
installed separately or within RoboPlus.


A Task is a set of motions to perform a certain
actions. RoboPlus refers to the source code
that specifies tasks to be executed by the
robot as 'Task Code'.
The robot moves according to your task
codes. RoboPlus Task is a software to make
writing these task codes easier.
See RoboPlus Task from the software.
A motion is a set of actuator position and
speed data necessary for robot movements.
In order for the robot to move, a motion file is
required. A suitable motion file must be
downloaded for the assembled robot.
Its file extension is .mtn.
See RoboPlus Motion from the software.

A task code file is a program while a motion file is
data. For better understanding, let us think about
MP3 players and MP3 files. If there were no MP3
players, you will not be able to listen to music because
MP3 file could not be played. The result is the same
when there is an MP3 player but no MP3 file. If you
want to make your robot move, you need a task code
file. If the task code downloaded into your robot uses
motions, you must download the motion file as well.
If no motions are used in the task code, you do not
need the motion file.