Re: [avr-gcc-list] What method should I use to get started?

[Marvin Dickens]

On Tuesday 10 May 2005 02:23 pm, Parthasaradhi Nayani wrote:
> Hi Tim,
> The best way to start is to load WinAvr on your
> computer, buy good book on 'C', go through avr-libc
> and the FAQs. One must be conversant with the special
> purpose registers of AVR processors to be able to
> programme them properly and therefore it is necessary
> to at least know one processor and then scan through
> the documents of other processors as and when they are
> used.

Tim,

Nayani, Eric and everyone else on the list has given you good advice.
I might add that you should start our writing simple programs that do
one thing - Don't muddy the waters until it works. Once that works, add 
additional functionality. Also, if your background is windows and not UNIX,
Makefiles are going to present a minor learning curve. However, the payoff
if big - You get a lot of control over the build process. Control you would 
never have with other tools. I'm an old UNIX guy and wizards just don't do
it for me. How can wizards know what I want or don't want? 

As far avr-gcc specific questions, this list *is* the source for definitive 
answers. I rarely post - I don't have too. the answer is, with rare 
exception, in the archives or I remember the answer from my daily reading of 
other users. FWIW, the few questions that I have posted to this list have 
been answered by multiple people. All the answers were different, but each 
answer was absolutely correct: In essence, different routes that provided the 
exact same target result. Try getting that on a list for a commercial 
product. 

As far as learning C, the language is easy if you remember that C does not
automatically manage resources (Like memory) for you. You do it 
progamatically. If you have an issue regarding resource usage (Uarts, fifo's 
ports and etc), this list is the place to come. You can pretty much bet that 
someone else has already "been there and done that" and will help you.

Best regards


Marvin Dickens
Alpharetta, Georgia  USA