StampDock

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About:

"StampDock" is software that offers services to parallax "BASIC Stamps", "Javelin Stamps", mbed's
or microcontrollers (like the SX, Propellor or Arduino) through the existing serial connection to the PC
used to program the "BASIC Stamp".
A "BASIC Stamp" can use it to for instance display graphics, or store/read data on harddisk or in PC memory.
Also the software can be used as an input/output device as it can provide virtual switches, potmeters,
indicators and meters. Also it can be used for sound with MP3 files, video files or provide digitized speech.

It was made because i wanted to display measurements in graphics, but the LCD displays available
where too limited and expensive. Also it was not that easy to store data collected by a "BASIC Stamp".
I realized there was a PC connected to the "BASIC Stamp", so i decided to make a graphics display emulator.
You can use line commands to draw graphs, but also plot dots in full color to do a "scan".

So you can show, store and control a measurement or process while you only need hardware
for the measurement or process besides the "BASIC Stamp".

We have prepared some demo projects you can build:
Like the Stamp Oscilloscope for "Basic stamp", "Javelin stamp" and "mbed".
Or the ARM Oscilloscope for "MBED" and "LPCXpresso".
Or the Stamp Mouse camera for "Basic stamp" and "Javelin stamp".
Or the Remote control for "Javelin stamp" (and "Basic stamp").
Or the Wireless weather station for "Javelin stamp".
And the FM/AM radio tuner/scanner for "Basic stamp".

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Features:

-Provides a big full color graphical display, which can be saved to disk as picture on command.
-Provides an editable GUI for "BASIC Stamps" with graphics, buttons, indicators, regulators, meters, video etc etc.
-GUI's can be very complex, using background patterns or pictures for bits of a window and use pictures as buttons.
-Provides an ANSI (color) text window for debug text output.
-Can use the harddisk of a computer to store or load data.
-Provides a 64KB ramdisk.
-Has a system so a "BASIC Stamp" can detect if it is connected (docked) to a PC to store collected data.
-Can have several players in a window thay play slideshows with fades, MP3s and video files or streams controlled from the "BASIC Stamp".
-Can generate synthesized voice sound and beep sounds.
-Can send text messages to a log file with time and date.
-Provides a Real time clock.
-Runs on MS Windows, Apple Macintosh (via USB) and Linux machines.
-Remembers the last used serial port and speed from a previous run.
-Has a fully dynamic GUI, the engine calculates all positions and sizes on resize.
-Has a build in graphics render script language to render buttons and backgrounds.

License:
This version is shareware but copyrighted 2008-2010 by A.P.Spijkerman.
You are allowed to download it for use on your system.
You are not allowed to distribute it.

Pictures:

Screen grab of the Version 2.2 of the software.

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Note that the GUI by default has GUI elements of most kinds, so you can start programming without having to edit the GUI definition file first. The GUI can be completely changed and adapted to your application by editing the GUI resource text file. Elements can be added or removed, elements can be changed around, you can change the appearance but using pictures or change background colors or patterns of parts of the GUI.

Screen grab of the Version 2.2 with custom graphics.

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Note that with the buildin graphics scripts you can render custom buttons and custom backgrounds.

Screen grab of the Version 1 of the software on Windows.

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Screen grab of the Version 2 of the software on Linux.

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News:

23-oct-13 I ported Stampdock to my Android tablet, and it works .. however the code to connect it via USB or bluetooth to a
project doesn't work yet. So it's not very usefull at the moment.


03-aug-12 I placed a page with little things you might find usefull breadboarding here -> Little hacks. !!

14-mar-12 Got the software working with an Arduino Uno !

07-oct-10 This page is also reachable as http://stampdock.com !!

29-sep-09 If all goes well the electronics magazin Elektor will have an article about the StampDock
software in the juli/august number.

Downloads:

More information about the workings: Read Manual
Log of changes made to the software: Read Changes

Demo projects:
Stamp Oscilloscope
Stamp Mouse camera
Stamp remote control
Stamp weather station

Latest version:
Mirror1 07-nov-10 Download V2.26 6MB Added mbed support and double buffering.

Older versions:
Mirror1 07-nov-10 Download V2.26 6MB Added mbed support and double buffering.
Mirror1 01-sep-10 Download V2.25 6MB Added keyboard events and text fields.
Mirror1 19-jul-10 Download V2.24 6MB Javelin stamp fixes.
Mirror1 10-jul-10 Download V2.23 6MB New functionality.
Mirror1 02-jul-10 Download V2.22 6MB Added a 'query events' cmd.
Mirror1 30-jun-10 Download V2.21 6MB Fixes the echo problem
Mirror1 27-jun-10 Download V2.20 6MB Loads of new features !
Mirror1 03-may-10 Download V2.10 6MB
Mirror1 15-apr-10 Download V2.00 6MB
Mirror1 23-aug-08 Download V1.00 700KB (old)

Feedback:
StampDock
Report a bug

Background:

"BASIC Stamps" are very small computers that can be easily programmed in basic by connecting them to a PC via a serial port.
They are made by Parallax and several types are available now with different amounts of connections, memory and instructions.
Because the complete computer is integrated on a "stamp sized" package they are easy to use on "bread boards" or "circuit boards".

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Copyright 2008-2010 by Arend-Paul Spijkerman