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#826 2021-02-17 10:05:31

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

This post is a progress report on a program to automate updating of Not Verified ID's

The GUI is finished and locked.

Subroutines for code to be activated by controls are defined and purpose comments added.

I've been thinking about the problem of fading memory of skills I discovered yesterday.

It turns out I'd been using embodied knowledge for some time, in the form of previously written software.

In this case, I decided to start a program from scratch, and I haven't done ** that ** for years.

it was a shock (to me for sure) to realize I'd forgotten the steps needed to start a program from scratch.

This one is sufficiently different from previous work that I decided it would be faster to start from scratch.

One outcome of this ** should ** be notes added to my dogeared programming manuals on how to start from scratch.

Only the most elementary manuals cover that.  All others assume the reader is a professional with ready access to knowledge stored in (human) memory.

(th)

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#827 2021-02-17 12:04:57

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

This post is in Housekeeping because it is directly related to home heating .... it could also go into other topics:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/geot … 39866.html

"The core target customer is someone who is using fuel oil or propane to heat their home. The reason to target them is because we think the payback or them is most attractive," Sachse said. "Typically the customers who are investing in a Dandelion system and paying cash are going to see a five to seven year payback. Customers who are financing are going to see a lower energy bill from day one."

Dandelion's innovations touch on three different aspects of making geothermal systems work, the drill, the heat exchanger, and the monitoring and management system for the heating and cooling system once it's installed.

First, the company designed a drill that could give installation operations a smaller footprint. Installers need about 7 feet of space to drill down the 300 feet to 500 feet the company needs to access the 55 degree temperatures necessary to create the Dandelion heat loop.

The question I have for SpaceNut is ... is there any way to know if the ground is 55 degrees Fahrenheit at the distance cited in the article?

If the ground ** is ** that temperature, then it would appear this heating method would be worth investigating.

(th)

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#828 2021-02-17 20:23:44

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Housekeeping

https://www.epa.gov/rhc/geothermal-heat … chnologies

the temperature increases at an average rate of approximately 1°F for every 70 feet in depth.

have added testid03010 through testid03019 to the user list

edit
heat pumps
https://www.improvenet.com/a/how-to-install-a-heat-pump
According to our heat pump installation cost estimator, it costs $4,888 to install a new heat pump system.

https://highperformancehvac.com/convert … heat-pump/

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#829 2021-02-17 22:27:39

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re #828

The citation you found indicates it is reporting an average.  New Hampshire may (and probably) does differ from the average.

Is there any way to know the temperature variations in the material directly under your property?  If you lived in Iceland near hot water vents, then geothermal heating would seem attractive.  I wonder if you have any neighbors who've done the drilling to find out what actual temperatures may be.

Good to see the new 3000 series continuing to build.  I drew up sketches for several subroutines while watching the evening news, and will enter them tomorrow.

(th)

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#830 2021-02-18 10:04:22

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re Program Development ...

As reported yesterday, the GUI is finished and work is underway on subroutines to perform actions called for by the buttons.

The first work session this morning went well.  Old (long unused) memories of procedures for building software are coming back.

Development of a set of routines to pull each of the valid commands from a script file, and to prepare them for use at run time, is underway.

I would estimate status of the program at 10%.

***

(th)

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#831 2021-02-19 12:17:36

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re ID Recovery ...

First ... Congratulations on a mini-milestone!  the recovery effort has achieved an even 800 ID's (start 16,497 now 7,297)

Second, the web automation program is about 15% along ... GUI is finished. Input file selection and validation are finished.

Current development is focused upon loading commands into an array that will be consulted at run time.

***
The NewMarsMember @ gmail.com account had no new correspondence.

(th)

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#832 2021-02-20 08:26:06

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

This post is reserved for updates on Saturday 2021/02/20 Earth Time, Friday 0036/01/13 Mars Time

There was no new correspondence at NewMarsMember * gmail.com

Progress in developing the input file parser continues.  All incoming lines are now categorized using the first byte as a guide.

Edit#1: A function to extract numbers from input text is defined.

subroutines to process input lines beginning with specific letters re defined.

In the next work session, parsing ** should ** be finished and ready for testing

Edit#2: The input parser is finished and one line was input for testing

Tomorrow I'll add a line to pull the rest of the input from the file.

The result should be a set of arrays loaded with text and numbers to be used for output.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-20 17:52:54)

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#833 2021-02-20 13:18:05

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut ... this post came about because of the discussion of Texas difficulties in other topics, but it fits square into this topic ..,.

The recent disaster in Texas caused me to reflect on whether I could drain the pipes in this house if it became necessary.

I think the best bet is to drain the water heater, because it's outlet is the lowest point in the house, and a short hose could carry the water to the drain by the washing machine.

However (as I think about it) the copper pipe from the service valve rises vertically from the valve to the ceiling of the basement!

***

I'm back from an inspection, and I was disturbed to find a greenish corrosion spot on the copper colder water pipe where it passes by the gas line. There may be some current flow there.

In any case, I am glad to have found this before it becomes an emergency!

However, beyond ** that ** I found that the section of pipe from the service entrance that I cannot drain is ** much ** longer than I had thought!

The pipe travels South from the North Wall, and then ** rises ** two inches, before splitting to head upstairs for the bathroom, and West to the water heater.

The total distance that would be undrainable is on the order of 20 feet.

I've made a mental note to have a drain valve installed just past the water meter, while I have the corroded section of pipe repaired.

Good Grief!

Edit#1: This might be a good time for forum members to think about writing a short note to their local newspapers, suggesting building owners to think about whether they could drain water systems if it were necessary.  It seems clear to me the builders of this house (in 1927) were NOT thinking about draining the water distribution system.  I'll bet that NONE of the houses in the local metropolitan area were designed with that thought in mind.

Edit#2: I filled out a web form for a local plumbing contractor:

The recent difficulties in Texas caused me to think about how to drain water out of pipes in my 1927 house. I was concerned to find there is a run of about 20 feet from the service entrance that I cannot drain. 

In the process of inspecting the line, I found a spot in the copper pipe that passes near the gas line.  That spot is green with corrosion, and I figure it is a point of failure I need to attend to.

There's no great hurry on this, but I do think taking care of the corrosion point is a good idea.

However, if a technician comes out for that, I'd be interested in having a drain outlet installed next to the water meter, which is a short distance from the service inlet faucet.

Thanks,

Email is fine for a reply.

I check the account once a day.

(th)

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-20 13:36:01)

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#834 2021-02-20 13:54:27

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Housekeeping

Another 10 accounts converted for group TestID03020 - TestID03029

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#835 2021-02-20 18:17:11

GW Johnson
Member
From: McGregor, Texas USA
Registered: 2011-12-04
Posts: 5,423
Website

Re: Housekeeping

TH & Spacenut:

My farm shop in central Texas is insulated but unheated.  It has two internal water systems,  one for the bathroom sink and toilet in the corner,  and the other feeds utility/fire-fighting water throughout the building,  and out under the awning out front. 

When freezing weather threatens,  I drain (ahead of the event) the utility /fire-fighting water piping.  I designed it specifically to make that easy.  The bathroom water can be drained,  too,  but I usually don't do that.  But,  you do this before the freeze threat event. 

What I usually do is cut off the leg to the toilet,  drain its tank,  and put antifreeze concentrate in the bowl puddle.  The sink I leave at a steady drip,  which is a grey water outfall outside.  The toilet is an underground sewer pipe to a septic tank.   

If the risk is for temperatures in the teens or lower,  and/or for an extended period (more than 1-2 days),  I put incandescent lights and electric heaters in place to direct heat energy at the exposed piping carrying the drip.  Or else cut it off at the building feed valve below ground level,  and drain the piping.  Again,  you have do this before the event happens.

That drip-plus-heat strategy worked for 9 straight days below freezing in the current deep freeze crisis,  with lots of single-digit lows,  and one morning down to -1 F. 

The house is easier than the farm shop,  all I had to do was cover the outside hose bibs,  and drip the two faucets fed by plumbing in an exterior wall.  I do open the cabinet doors for the kitchen faucet,  to allow heat to that wall where the pipe is.  The laundry room faucet pipe inside the wall is not obstructed by a cabinet. 

Had there been a serious risk of an extended power failure out on the farm,  I would have cut off the water at the meter,  and opened a couple of hose bibs to drain the pipes. The hot water heater has a drain that I have rigged to an outfall.  You just open the valve to drain it.

The laundry room sink and washing machine are rigged to discharge to a grey water outfall that I use to water the trees in the back yard.  My wife turned off the sink drip while it was single-digit outside,  and the outfall froze up in a matter of seconds. 

I thawed that pipe with multiple kitchen pots of hot water,  and about an hour's abuse of my wife's hair dryer.  Despite being plastic,  it didn't crack,  because that is an unpressurized drain line.  Fortunately.

There is one hose bib I worry about,  because its pipe comes up inside a wall of the unheated garage.  However,  it did not freeze/burst during this event,  despite the well-below-freezing temperatures inside that garage.  I really should install a heater aimed at that patch of wall,  inside the garage. That's next on my list. 

The greenhouse has a large thermal mass of water in two plastic drums inside it.  It traps direct sunlight in winter,  but not in summer,  by design.  The opaque walls are insulated (north and east facing the house),  but the south and west walls are transparent. The roof is opaque and insulated.  I have a 1500 watt heater in there,  to make up the difference when it is too cold outside.  It seems to have worked,  even in this deep-freeze event.   

My effectively-biggest problem turned out to be my beer keg refrigerator in that unheated garage.  Its exposed tap froze up.  I thawed it overnight with a tad of heating from a small incandescent light.  No trouble after that.

Here in central Texas,  you rarely find pipes buried any deeper than about 8 to 12 inches,  excepting utility company pipes,  which are usually 3-6 feet down,  depending on the building code used.  In Minnesota,  everything was buried 10-12 feet underground,  or more.  That reflects the difference in frozen-ground depths here and there.  Which may reflect the Earth temperatures available to geothermal systems.

GW


GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"

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#836 2021-02-20 18:40:06

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For GW Johnson re #836

Thank you for your detailed description of preparation for the cold spell still under way in Texas.

SearchTerm:Freeze preparations GW Johnson Texas Post 836 above
SearchTerm:Winter planning for freeze events

So now I'd like to open for discussion a question that has not come up before ...

By and large (it seems to me at least) NewMars forum discussions have been conducted at a fairly high level, without much concern for anyone to actually have to live in the environment our imaginations create.

However, the recent events in Texas remind me (for sure) that Mars is ** always ** below freezing temperature of water.

OK ... there are exceptions ...

Frozen Water On Mars, Flowing Water On Mars | A Moment of ...
https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomento … tian-water
The model suggested that although Mars was frozen most of the time, during the Martian summer the temperature may have risen just enough above freezing to allow for melting at the edges of glaciers.

To my way of thinking, that exception just proves the rule.

Due to the unfortunate failure of the temperature probe in
the Insight lander, we ** still ** have no actual data on temperatures beneath the surface of Mars.

I bring this up in the context of GW Johnson's mention of how deep pipes might be placed below the surface on Earth.

Persons planning for habitation on Mars might do well to give some thought to how to maintain temperatures above freezing for all lines that will be carrying water (of various kinds).

We have (in the past) seen some forum discussions of optimistic projection of living with all Solar Panel power supply.

The ever present energy sucking mass of Mars is there to catch the unwary human who allows the array of solar panels to fall below minimal energy output.

A nice toasty warm nuclear reactor would be mighty nice to have in the area, if the solar panels fail to perform as intended.

(th)

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#837 2021-02-20 19:50:49

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Housekeeping

Well I am on a hillside and the basement has had as much as 5 inches of water in it from ground water table rise during the floods of 2005 & 6 and the frost line can be 5 to 6 ft in winter....

Its a cheaply built split level ranch where the basement was made with cinder blocks of which the back is exposed 7 of the 8 ft high wall with only half on the front above ground. Its a gravel sloping ice covered driveway in winter and not fun to auto repairs in the weather. As you know we have no heating system and its 45' tonight with it being colder outside.
I have been contemplating solar but angles in winter are the best and shaded in summer so its not great and needs an over sized array due to the hours it collects best during the day being close to 3 hours. Water from driven well that came from mars full of iron plus making it undrinkable.

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#838 2021-02-20 20:35:43

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re #837

Sure hope you have space heaters of some kind, in the absence of central heating!

When I was a kid, growing up in an isolated farm house in a farming region, we had a coal furnace in the basement but it didn't do much, so my folks installed a Franklin stove in the kitchen so we had one room that was warm.  The bedrooms were cold enough so the water basin was frozen over in the morning.  We had a lot of bed clothing, but I remember the icy cold of the sheets when climbing in at night.

I'm reminded of some of the stories RobertDyck has written about his adventures growing up in Canada.

***
Here is an update on the power failures in Texas:
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/two- … 09983.html

Catherine Traywick, Mark Chediak, Naureen Malik and Josh Saul
Sat, February 20, 2021, 6:12 PM
(Bloomberg) -- The control room of the Texas electric grid is dominated by a Cineplex-sized screen along one wall. As outdoor temperatures plunged to arctic levels around the low-slung building 30 miles from Austin last Sunday night, all eyes were on it. The news wasn’t good.

(th)

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#839 2021-02-21 07:23:51

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

This post is reserved for updates on development of a program to create a script file for web automation of ID Recovery.

Going into today's work session, the input parser is complete (except for testing) and the first step will be to release the flow to consume the entire text script file.

Once the parser is confirmed working, abbreviated commands will be stored in the array of commands.

The next step is to write code to cycle through the array of commands to generate strings to be fed to the web browser via RS232

Edit#1: The program is about 50% finished ... GUI and Input are finished and debugged.

The next phase is to format the output stream in conjunction with planning Stepping (as distinct from Running).

The final phase will be to implement RS232 output.  A sample program is on tap to help with that.

Here is output from the log file:

Update for Web Automation Report for 02-21-2021 at 12:51:29
  WebBrowserAutomation Version 2021.2.0

Command Code stored at Array line: 1 C
Command Code stored at Array line: 2 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 3 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 4 W number is: 5000
Command Code stored at Array line: 5 T number is: 40
Command Code stored at Array line: 6 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 7 W number is: 5000
Command Code stored at Array line: 8 T number is: 42
Command Code stored at Array line: 9 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 10 N number is: 5
Command Code stored at Array line: 11 T number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 12 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 13 N number is: 5
Command Code stored at Array line: 14 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 15 T number is: 19
Command Code stored at Array line: 16 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 17 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 18 T number is: 40
Command Code stored at Array line: 19 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 20 W number is: 5000
Command Code stored at Array line: 21 T number is: 40
Command Code stored at Array line: 22 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 23 T number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 24 B
Command Code stored at Array line: 25 X
Command Code stored at Array line: 26 E number is: 1
Command Code stored at Array line: 27 W number is: 5000
End of file: D:\NewMars\WebInputScript\20210215 Corrected Script Text.txt

Total Command Lines 27
Total input Lines 164
Successful Run. No Warning Errors.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-21 11:57:48)

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#840 2021-02-21 07:28:13

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut ... as a heads up ... the Dayton area PhD student (marc) is reporting progress in development of the circuit board for his "from scratch" CPU design.

I'm hoping he will prepare one or more posts for this forum, and that one or more forum members will provide the detailed review that he is requesting.

Beyond that, I am hoping this forum can stretch to recruit other students who would be interested in building prototypes of the new CPU, and helping with development of assembly language for the processor.

I am supportive of this design initiative, because (it seems to me) Mars settlers will be better served by planning silicon manufacture at a lower level than the state-of-the-art on Earth, and this CPU design lends itself admirably to that objective.

There will be plenty of time to catch up with Earth after the settlement is well established. 

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-21 07:28:37)

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#841 2021-02-21 10:29:40

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

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#842 2021-02-21 11:49:34

GW Johnson
Member
From: McGregor, Texas USA
Registered: 2011-12-04
Posts: 5,423
Website

Re: Housekeeping

RobertDyck up in Canada is probably an even better source for freeze protection than I am.  I'm a native-born Texas flatland boy who just happens to have spent two record-breaking winters in Minnesota.  Robert is an Alberta native.  It's usually worse there than Minnesota. 

GW


GW Johnson
McGregor,  Texas

"There is nothing as expensive as a dead crew,  especially one dead from a bad management decision"

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#843 2021-02-22 06:46:16

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re ID Recovery ....

This post is reserved for reports on progress ... the program is about 50% finished .... GUI and Input Parsing (and logging) is complete.

Today I'm planning to work on pulling commands from the array of commands and formatting output for delivery to the RS232 port.

Yesterday I found an example program that covers techniques needed for working with RS232 ports.

Edit#1: Work is pretty well finished for today ... a bit was accomplished ...

1) The RS232 demo program compiled and ran without difficulty.  An ancient RSRobotics modem was pressed into service for testing.

2) While developing and testing the output procedure, an error in the parsing phase was discovered and corrected.

3) Wait statements were added following Enter statements where they were missing in the script

Work will resume tomorrow by merging the RS232 code into the main program, and then adding code to write to the Com: port

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-22 11:12:10)

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#844 2021-02-23 07:44:52

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut ... this post is reserved for reports on progress .... the program is about 75% finished. Output processing is started

Edit#1 after first work session ... the various loops are in test and touch-up mode .... Step, Loop and Run are planned.
Edit#2 after second work session ... Solved problem of Stop button to end loop early ... merged RS232 components into project
Work for tomorrow includes hooking the RS232 components into the main program plus adding code to format data for output to Comm port.

***

However, I'd like to ask for your guidance ... we have a PhD student working on a new CPU design.  The design is intended to be made of less sophisticated components than is the case for state-of-the-art computers on Earth.  I am interested in the project because (it seems to me) dropping back to a level of technology that can be manufactured on Mars sooner rather than later makes a lot of sense.

The CPU is ** also ** being designed to be more robust than the average computer on Earth today, although it is possible that some computers designed for military applications are as robust.  They are (of course) classified, and not available to the public.

The student has completed layout of the circuit board for the new design, and I have seen an "svg" formatted image. 

The student has also provided a parts list and documentation of an assembler language for the system, although commands are still in development.

The student is looking for help in a number of aspects ... the design is ready for detailed review by someone with an interest in circuit board layout and interconnections of chips. 

Most importantly, the student is open to suggestions for where to apply for grant funds to continue development of the system. Members of the forum may be able to help, or perhaps a forum reader will take advantage of NewMarsMember * gmail.com to assist.

I'd like for you to think about where a topic might go to report progress on the CPU design, and to facilitate discussion, including both questions and comments or suggestions.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-23 15:58:38)

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#845 2021-02-24 07:03:19

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut ... please look at post #844 if you missed the section about the student who is requesting assistance...

This post is reserved for progress reports on the program to generate a flow of characters to perform ID Recovery for Not Verified ID's.

The program is at 80% complete, and first tests are possible today.  Microsoft gave a nice boost by supplying a complete working RS232 interface in a concise package that merged seamlessly into my program.  The Microsoft component tests COM port availability, and even tests modems if any are present.

In this case, the output will be directed to a port which is NOT attached to a modem, so I don't know if there will be a response from the target system. I wouldn't expect one, but simply don't know, since the previous tests directed output from Hyperterminal to a COM port, although (come to think of it) if there had been a response Hyperterminal should have displayed it.

For SpaceNut .... for NewMarsMember * gmail.com - we received a note from Calliban ... the forward from GW Johnson was received.

Todo item: Work up an estimate for the number of Starships that would be needed to make a ring around RobertDyck's large ship habitat.

Fully functional Starship upper stages could provide the impulse at the ring needed to smoothly accelerate a rotating contraption of that size.

I've been worried about the stresses that would occur if propulsion were located in the central shaft as I had originally imagined.

Each Starship could be sponsored by a State or a Nation, as a way of distributing the cost over a larger population than would be the case if a single Nation tried to build the vessel.

Edit #1: Debugging the output processing is underway ... I'd estimate the program is about 90% finished ...

The RS232 program merged into the main program is working, but not linked to the main program.

The output is not perfect .... I'd guess there are defects in at least half the subroutines.  For example, such a simple thing as raw text is not showing up.

Edit#2: The announcement of achievement by the US Defense Department in successfully creating a small SPS could provide a reason to open a new topic for Personal SPS, but I have no idea where it should go.  I **am** sure whatever is achieved in that category will be immediately applicable to Mars.

Edit#3: I'm going to estimate the program is now at 95% complete. The output appears to be generating correctly.  The next (and hopefully last step is to configure the RS232 output functionality, and arrange for output from the command array to be delivered there instead of to the log file where it is going now for debugging.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-24 13:30:34)

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#846 2021-02-25 06:19:48

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut ... please look at post #844 if you missed the section about the student who is requesting assistance...

I had assured him I would inquire on his behalf.

This post is reserved for reporting on progress with the ID Recovery initiative ... the program stands at (about) 95%

All functions are installed and tested.  Today the RS232 component is to be activated.  The process ** should ** be straightforward, but there may be something unexpected that comes up. 

Edit#1: Hit a snag trying to connect the Microsoft RS232 component into my program.  The Microsoft component was/is far my sophisticated than the work I am doing, and I managed to break it by making what I thought was a simple change.  I had to restore my project from yesterday's back up and will try again.

The issue is that the Microsoft component was built without a GUI so I can't see the design of the form to work on it.

It would seem I'll have to learn how to add the features I want by hand coding. 

Edit#2: Nope. Hand coding leads to failure of the system to compile.  It would appear I need to go back to the point ** before ** I merged the Microsoft component into my program.  Hopefully I'll be able re-merge after performing updates on the original program, and the resulting  conglomeration will compile.

The status estimate is down from 95% to 90%

Edit#3 ... stopping work for today ... It appears things are back to where they were Wednesday evening.

The issue appears to have been incorrect merging of the Microsoft components into the WebBrowserAutomation program.

I had to restore from Wednesday several times before I found a tip on the Internet that helped partially.  At least the two projects are now happily side by side the the same solution, but they are not connected.

I did run a test between the laptop and another computer running Windows, and confirmed the data flowed back and forth over the USB-Serial adapter. That is what the adapter was ** supposed ** to facilitate, but I had not actually tested it.

Tomorrow is another day.  Perhaps the RS232 merge can happen then.  I hope so ...

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2021-02-25 15:13:05)

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#847 2021-02-25 09:04:28

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Housekeeping

I would if I knew where to look at what he had....post link in his one post topic...

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#848 2021-02-25 09:40:16

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 16,746

Re: Housekeeping

For SpaceNut re #847

Thank you for noting the request by the student (marc) .... I'll notify him immediately of your expression of interest!

I'd like to see the forum evolve toward providing practical assistance to real people doing real things, and this may be an opportunity to move in that direction.

For all who may read this post ... there are a great number of ** very ** practical suggestions offered by forum members to each other in the archive.

Due to the water-under-the-bridge nature of the forum software, all (or almost all) of that advice (by GW Johnson, kbd512, RobertDyck and many others) is lost for all time, unless SpaceNut brings it back as sometimes happens.

I am looking for a way for the "intellectual contributions" of this forum to be preserved.  There are hints occasionally that the Mars Society may have the capability of assisting, but so far nothing has happened.

(th)

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#849 2021-02-25 17:17:27

marc
Member
Registered: 2013-10-18
Posts: 4

Re: Housekeeping

Hi SpaceNut and friends,

The progress (th) attributes to me is slightly in advance of our time. I anticipate that this will be the world's most open minicomputer architecture, and arguably the most secure.

When we say "layout," we usually refer to a circuit board that is ready for production. What I have is a component placement for the purpose of estimating wire length and capacitance, to feed into a simulation that can verify logic and timing. Now yes, I think the graphic (th) has seen showing proposed part relationships is cool, as well as the wiring approximation which he has not seen. In fact, a careful glance shows the wiring to be wholly ludicrous, until you understand that it was not for routing. But "completed layout," I cannot claim.

There is a list of parts that go on the board amounting to $414 in small quantities at current prices, although I have functionality yet to add. It's true that an assembler exists, and that more will be added to the assembler as I better understand how certain operations will happen in hardware.

I claim no readiness for "detailed review," or that I am "looking for help" therewith. Although within a year, I will welcome audits by people who would like to challenge the security of the architecture.

My interest in finding grant funds is subject to the outcome of a pending application. Stay tuned, and thanks all!

Marc


Registered by invitation 2021/01/03

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#850 2021-02-25 18:41:14

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,747

Re: Housekeeping

I have built boards as complex as that and then some in point to point wiring as well as with single to multiple layer with micro via's. Have done pcb layouts for smd parts using photo reduction and resists so what you have shown seems typical of both layout of component placement and routing of connections. Many forget that parallel paths can have crosstalk between runs and they also forget that length difference cause missing bits hen looking at timing.

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