PiXCL 23 Imaging and Sensor Control

Last Update: May 30, 2023 @ 14:23

PiXCL 23 ISC is the current version of the PiXCL language with over 1000 command keywords to build your apps, and is available now. It includes everything from PiXCL 10 plus comprehensive additional support for …

Decaf smart USB devices digital and analog sensors and controls, LCD graphics and touch (around 100 commands, see below).
USB video camera support (DirectShow and Media Foundation command sets) to create video windows, capture single frames and video sequences.
video command and control set for Endoscope-1, -2 and -3 models.
importing native mode high resolution images from Nikon, Canon, Sony and other cameras.
command and control set for Phidgets USB devices and sensors.
QR Code image encode and decode commands.
2D array variables for integers, float, double and strings.
Animated GIF creation.
September 2019 : two new libraries released!
- Extension command library for MQTT (“mosquitto”) to subscribe and publish data via any node (Windows, linux, Raspbian) on your LAN.
- Core utility command set for network access, primarily to support the MQTT extension library, above.

Screen shot of a PiXCL app implementing SUB-scriber and PUB-lisher operations. The Broker runs ubuntu 20.04 on an Intel box, with RaspberryPi nodes. EyeFi devices are quad current sensors.

Included in all versions of PiXCL is the …

multi-window code studio to develop your app code.
interpreter to test your app code immediately.
compiler to build a distributable EXE file.
debugger DLL using code break points.
extension command API (Open Source example provided).

PiXCL ISC is included with all Decaf LCD and I/O board sets.

Read the latest 9MB PiXCL help file to review the capabilities of PiXCL and the Decaf commands. Please note that for security reasons, Windows blocks downloaded CHM content display: you will need to use File Explorer–>Properties to unblock it.

Decaf Firmware Command Summary

The Decaf board firmware currently consists of around 100 commands. Boards with LCDs have the most, while IOC boards without LCDs have a reduced set that exclude LCD support. Sending an unsupported command to a board (e.g. a graphics command to an IOC board) has no effect.

All boards support a core subset, as follows:

Firmware Core Subset

Real Time Clock (setting and recalling the date).
Digital inputs and outputs get/set.
Analog Inputs.
Flashing board LEDs, if present.
Controlling the RGB status LED if present.
Writing text to the COM port.
Setting / recalling a Sensor Name.

Graphics and Touch Subset.

Around 45 commands with extensive capabilities are available to create colourful and effective user interfaces on the LCD.

Setting foreground and background colours.
Text display in a variety of font types and sizes.
Drawing background solid and shaded colours.
Drawing outlined and filled rectangles, circles, triangles, polygons and various symbols.
Save / restore LCD screens and regions into EEPROM.
Controlling the LCD backlight.
Touch support.

Utility Command Subset

Report board parameters (memory sizes, serial number, LCD dimensions).
Setting Debug mode : output to COM1.
Enable / Disable SPI bus options.
Reboot.

Network Command (where supported by optional hardware)

Setting Network parameters.
Enabling a simpler server.
Processing commands for graphics, controls and data,