Gadgeteer first project link?

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1

Hi Guys,

I am new to gadgeteer and am looking for a very basic tutorial to describe gadgeteer.

There is a dead link (Build your First Gadgeteer Project) on page, https://www.ghielectronics.com/support/gadgeteer

It forwards to page: https://www.ghielectronics.com/support/gadgeteer
but I do not see a description of gadgeteer.

In a previous discussion thread, I thought I heard there is a tool palette in VS 2012 where I can drag and drop gadgeteer devices into my project? is this true? Is there a document that describes how to setup and use this process?

For a first gadgeteer project, I bought a Cobra II and a simple 16x2 character display.
https://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/395
Do you have any documents that describe how to drive this display from the Y gadgeteer socket?

I apologize if I am being dense and not seeing the documentation in front of my nose!

Thanks much,
Larry Scott
Walnut Creek, CA

2

Hi Larry1,

I’m also new. have you followed this page: .NET Micro Framework – GHI Electronics
Once you follow those steps you should be able to create a Gadgeteer project in Visual Studio.

All the documentation is here: https://www.ghielectronics.com/docs
You might need to click “Include obsolete documents.” as some documents haven’t be updated for the new version of the SDK.

3

check the directory where the GHI SDK was installed. In prior releases there were some basic tutorials.

4

Thanks jmerriweather, You sent me the same link I listed in my post. I appreciate the intention.

Thanks MIke, I checked the Program Files > GHI Electronics directory, but no documentation.

It is a shame. GHI has some great idea’s but how do they expect users to adopt gadgeteer when there is no manual describing how to use it! (maybe there is a manual, but I can not find it). Also, ever gadgeteer product they sell should have gadgeteer instructions.

For the last year, I have been slowly coming up to speed with Arduino. I really prefer GHI, but the constant changes in product direction and lack of basic documentation consumes too much time. Arduino is not as nice as GHI, but at least it is documented!

Thanks for your posts!

5

@ Larry1 - we are sorry about this. We have been updating all documentation so things are a bit out of order. We hope to be done in the next few days.

6

Hi Larry1,

Another resource or two while GHI’s library is undergoing renovations is the Gadgeteer page http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/get-started.aspx that also points explicitly to the Spider getting started guide http://www.ghielectronics.com/downloads/Gadgeteer/Mainboard/Spider/FEZSpider%20Starter%20Kit%20Guide.pdf that while is a fair bit different to the Cobra you have, not worlds away. The Visual Basic book is linked to from http://blogs.msdn.com/b/net_gadgeteer/archive/2013/12/05/new-gadgeteer-book-learn-to-program-with-visual-basic-amp-net-gadgeteer.aspx and is also another good starting point !

7

Thanks Brett & Gus, The “Getting Started Guide for the GHI Fez Spider Starter Kit” is exactly what I am looking for ! (still need to look thru the other links provided). I can read-between-the-lines to make it work for my situation. I now have an understanding of the “Gadgeteer approach”.

You really should make these documents more easy to find.
(hopefully, they were not under my nose and I missed them)

Whatever into document you come up with, put the link at the top of the Gadgeteer Documents page.

Thanks much
Larry Scott
:slight_smile:

8

Once I read the Spider gadgeteer tutorial, it took only 5 minutes to get my Fez Cobra II & Character display working.

Had the tutorial been easier to find, I would not have to bother you with stupid questions.

Gadgteer and the visual studio toolbox is awesome! good job!

1 Like
9

@ Larry1 - There is a book available on Gadgeteer, Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer by Simon Taylor. I have drawn some code and ideas from this book.