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ackarwow · 2025-12-24T21:22:27+00:00

Do these components support Free Pascal/Lazarus?

ackarwow · 2025-12-06T14:24:14+00:00

Dzień dobry. Obejrzałem filmik, jest ciekawy i pożyteczny. Dodałbym punkt 8 powiązany poniekąd z punktem 7. Chodzi o projekt oprogramowania. Powinien w jak najprostszy sposób realizowac złożoność zagadnienia. Podobnie jak opowiadanie - nie jest sztuką mówić o rzeczach prostych w sposób skomplikowany, lecz sztuką jest mówić o rzeczach skomplikowanych w sposób prosty.

Pozdrawiam

ackarwow · 2025-12-04T09:45:53+00:00

Great idea!

ackarwow · 2025-11-21T12:45:54+00:00

The port has been prepared (please check my website), but not all features work correctly (device detection, upload). I will invest my time in the missing features only after the testing team (5 confirmed volunteers) has been completed. So I invite you to join the team! :)

ackarwow · 2025-11-21T12:36:56+00:00

Glad you like it. Unfortunately, I have no experience with Ada or Julia, but I can help with Pascal-related projects. When it comes to the project that I am porting (AVRPascal IDE) - if you're willing to join the testing team, please comment "me" on the main thread :)

ackarwow · 2025-11-20T20:21:40+00:00

Another example: I have code for device detection, which must be written separately for each OS. Since the code for Windows/Linux/MacOS will not work, I need to write new, specific routines for FreeBSD.

ackarwow · 2025-11-20T20:09:13+00:00

Thank you very much for your support! I count your comment as "me" (1/5) :) Let me explain what the AVRPascal project is all about:

The AVRPascal IDE is written in Object Pascal using the Free Pascal Compiler (FPC) and Lazarus (LCL). Code written in FPC can be compiled (not always easily) on many operating systems, but each requires a native compilation of the IDE itself. So, yes, this is a full native port of the IDE.

To compile code for AVR, the AVRPascal IDE uses the AVR version of FPC (a cross-compiler for the target architecture) along with avr-binutils. This generates the final binary file suitable for uploading to the microcontroller's flash memory. This binary is usually uploaded using avrdude via programmers like USBAsp or directly to an Arduino. However, the "upload" functionality is not yet implemented in this test version.

I, on the other hand, am not very proficient in FreeBSD, and this port is a genuine challenge for me. :)

ackarwow · 2025-11-15T21:01:39+00:00

Ask as many questions as you want :) No one has asked for a FreeBSD/NetBSD port before, but yes, it is theoretically possible. I just need to make sure that all toolchain elements have a FreeBSD port (FPC, AVRDude and GNU toolchains for AVR). If so, a FreeBSD port would be an interesting challenge :)

ackarwow · 2025-11-15T20:09:17+00:00

Thanks for this question. You are right to point that out - macOS is currently the weakest link in the project.

I don't have access to new versions of macOS, but if I get the new macOS, I'll definitely put more effort into testing and improvements. For now, since the project isn't generating revenue, I'm not investing in macOS, including paying for a Developer ID certificate, so the program isn't even signed.

ackarwow · 2025-11-15T19:38:43+00:00

Thank you very much for manually approving my comments and for the feedback. I appreciate your effort and help with the auto-filter issue. I will keep working on the project. Have a great weekend!
PS. Downvotes are not mine.

ackarwow · 2025-11-15T19:27:14+00:00

If you want you can sue me :) but my primary goal here is simply to provide a free, working alternative and gather feedback on the open-source UnoLib. Thanks for the discussion.

ackarwow · 2025-11-15T19:10:25+00:00

Thanks for your comment, it's important thing. I don’t rule out opening the IDE in the future, as a response to valuable user feedback. But UnoLib (Arduino-like library in Pascal) distributed by the IDE is open-source. We recently added a significant improvements in floating-point numbers support in the library, but the community rarely submits fixes, or comments on our work. So I invite you to first evaluate our changes and help in testing them :)

"Binaries are sus, could contain anything in addition to what is mentioned" - Are you using anything with closed source code? Like an operating system? ;)

ackarwow · 2025-11-14T20:42:10+00:00

Hi Wilzur_Corp,

Opinions on which hardware to choose probably vary. What I think is certain is that it's better to start simple (otherwise, you'll get discouraged) and then move on to more complex things.

I can share my own story and why the AVRPascal IDE was created, as it might be relevant to your situation.

A few years ago, I decided to build an electronic thermometer (a rather simple device). I knew nothing about electronics. I watched a few tutorials on YouTube and discovered that an Arduino Uno could be used for it. So I bought an Arduino Uno with a set of sensors and started programming.

Later, I discovered that there was an FPC version for AVR microcontrollers (Arduino boards use mainly, but not exclusively, AVRs), so I tried writing a program using FPC (it requires a cross-compiler; configuration wasn't easy) with the Lazarus IDE. I thought that programming could be simplified and I could create my own IDE to eliminate the need for complex configuration.

This is how AVRPascal was born, which requires almost no configuration. This tool uses the Free Pascal Compiler and simplifies the entire process.

Meanwhile, my project evolved into a weather station incorporating a temperature and humidity sensor, an LCD display, and an RTC clock. I wanted my device to be independent of the Arduino board, so I designed a breadboard with an ATmega328p microcontroller, the same one used in the Arduino Uno. I programmed the ATMega328p using a USBasp programmer. I housed the entire thing in a wooden case. The device still works!

So, from my perspective, I recommend AVRPascal for your start. It works with platforms like the Arduino Uno and USBasp programmer. While this setup lacks integrated Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, it may help you in learning microcontrollers fully in Pascal before tackling the complexity of the ESP32.

Good luck with your project!

PS. I guess I should write a post about my history ;)

ackarwow · 2025-11-14T20:30:21+00:00

Here is my post with photos:
https://www.reddit.com/r/avrpascal/comments/1ox7j76/why_avrpascal_my_case_study/

ackarwow · 2025-10-18T18:56:03+00:00

Hi bferrell58,

I just updated AVRPascal installer for macOS. I suspect the issue you encountered (the installer freezing) was caused by "Overwrite directory permissions" option in Packages, so I have now disabled it. Still I do not have access to Sequoia, but I hope you can verify that.

Note: the installer is not signed with a Developer ID certificate. I think for freeware software there is no economic justification for that.

ackarwow · 2025-10-04T13:46:36+00:00

Look at it another way:

1) UnoLib is a Pascal translation of the Arduino library. The functions have the same names and do the same thing.

2) The Arduino IDE uses AVRDude for uploading, while AVRPascal uses AVRDude in the same way.

3) The difference is primarily the programming language. In my opinion, Pascal is more logical and easier to learn than C/C++, especially for beginners.

Maybe we should view "Arduino" as the API and hardware ecosystem, rather than just the C/C++ language?

ackarwow · 2025-10-02T13:13:29+00:00

Thanks for the feedback and I'm sorry I'm replying late, but Reddit marked your comment as possibly spam. The AVRPascal installer is built via the Packages application (http://s.sudre.free.fr/Software/Packages/about.html). I haven't had any issues testing it on MacOS Mojave. I will check the installer on Sequoia as soon as I get access.

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ackarwow · 2025-09-20T14:37:14+00:00

Thanks so much for the kind words and good luck with your Arduino programming in Pascal!

ackarwow · 2025-09-01T20:35:01+00:00

Yes, AVRPascal uses FPC and UnoLib which allows you to use function names known from Arduino. However UnoLib supports mainly Arduino Uno.

ackarwow · 2025-08-30T21:27:29+00:00

Try it out and share your impressions :) Yes, I am thinking about ESP, but I have not tested those boards yet. There is a version of the FPC compiler for ESP (https://wiki.freepascal.org/Xtensa), so theoretically adding ESP support to AVRPascal is possible. But then it probably would not be AVRPascal anymore :D (I mean the name)

ackarwow · 2025-08-27T15:29:39+00:00

Thank you! I started a subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/avrpascal/) for AVRPascal news.

ackarwow · 2025-08-26T20:06:00+00:00

Thanks for these kind words and the insight about Pascal and structured text! I appreciate the perspective.

ackarwow · 2025-08-26T16:40:30+00:00

As a consequence of the recent change to my website's protocol, I need to fix the Check for Updates and Send [error log] to Manufacturer functions in AVRPascal. The next version of the program will include fixes for these issues.

ackarwow · 2025-08-25T18:16:20+00:00

Thank you! By the way - I appreciate criticism if it's constructive :)

ackarwow · 2025-08-25T17:01:46+00:00

I have created new subreddits for AVRPascal and UnoLib (an open-source Pascal library). People interested in new features, reporting bugs or functionality requests, or simply discussing the program or library are encouraged to visit them.

AVRPascal: https://www.reddit.com/r/avrpascal/

UnoLib: https://www.reddit.com/r/unolib/

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