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Is Automatic Code Generation in Our Future?

GardenState
This morning in his blog TechOnline editor-in-chief Patrick Mannion brought to my a attention an interactive, automatic code generator and design environment called ECCM. (for Embedded Controller Code Maker).  I went to the website (the URL is revealing, too, in its use of the term lego-code:http://www.lego-code.com/INDEX.htm) and among the claims being made is that ECCM will create assembler code for typical embedded controller applications in less than 4 hours without manual coding required. Mannion wonders aloud, and so did I, if automatic code generation is the wave of the future and, if so, what does this mean for embedded developers? What do you think?
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  • I think the issue is that embedded micro's now cover a large range. From small 8bit micro's that deal with simple takes thought to embeded 32bit RTOS running in top end hitech equipment like a iPhone.

     

    The engineer is responible for choosing the micro and the development tools that fit the application.

     

    I am currently pushing Microchip from smaller and smaller chips that will perform the functions I need. The range of PIC10's and PIC12's pack a mighty punch in small standalone systems at a price that is incredibly low - a wizzy GUI flowchart tool just cant create the asm code well enough yet for these devices. The C tools available are very good but are still not as good as an engineer on code size.

     

    However at the other end of the scale, embedded wizzy GUI programming tools like the one NI offer for ARM micros are fantastic. They take away much of the low level IO and memory problems that are easy to slip into on larger projects. My feeling is that some engineers fail to understand abstract programming and data handerling in larger projects that make them stable and more portable and reusable. Tools like that from NI do this and the engineer can spend more time on the final application.

     

    Both have merits and both have thier problems. In time I think we will all see a more wizzy way of writing code. I no longer hand code micro's or edit EPROMS in hex, asm is slowly disappearing and better C compliers come alone - but ultimately we will still need embedded engineers, maybe just less of them?

     

    Paul

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  • I think the issue is that embedded micro's now cover a large range. From small 8bit micro's that deal with simple takes thought to embeded 32bit RTOS running in top end hitech equipment like a iPhone.

     

    The engineer is responible for choosing the micro and the development tools that fit the application.

     

    I am currently pushing Microchip from smaller and smaller chips that will perform the functions I need. The range of PIC10's and PIC12's pack a mighty punch in small standalone systems at a price that is incredibly low - a wizzy GUI flowchart tool just cant create the asm code well enough yet for these devices. The C tools available are very good but are still not as good as an engineer on code size.

     

    However at the other end of the scale, embedded wizzy GUI programming tools like the one NI offer for ARM micros are fantastic. They take away much of the low level IO and memory problems that are easy to slip into on larger projects. My feeling is that some engineers fail to understand abstract programming and data handerling in larger projects that make them stable and more portable and reusable. Tools like that from NI do this and the engineer can spend more time on the final application.

     

    Both have merits and both have thier problems. In time I think we will all see a more wizzy way of writing code. I no longer hand code micro's or edit EPROMS in hex, asm is slowly disappearing and better C compliers come alone - but ultimately we will still need embedded engineers, maybe just less of them?

     

    Paul

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  • in reply to pjclarke

    Hi there Paul,

     

    I see a growing need for intelligence and functionality in applications. This is also driven by the low cost of programmable devices. Designers these days have to consider if discrete build circuitry is the more clever way to proceed. The trade-off in component cost, flexibility and design throughput time have to be considered. The easy-to-use programming tools and good C-compilers make programming more accessible for hardware designers. They just simply do the 'whole' package. This is ofcourse more important in smaller companies where designers have to be more all-round.

     

    So, more programming but less specific knowlegde of machine-code needed. But this is seen in market already a longer time. I understand that much of the more complex embedded systems are optimized by a handfull of 'heroes' who still understand the art of opcodes, operands, stacks and workregisters :-)

     

    Best regards,

     

    Enrico Migchels

    Power conversion design engineer

    Heliox B.V.

    Best - The Netherlands

    www.heliox.nl