Example ZBasic Application

An important feature of the ZBasic platform not found on many other microcontrollers is the ability to multi-task. This means that sensor input can be gathered in one task and then processed in another task. It is often the case that sensors don’t always have data available at the time it is needed. Microcontrollers without multi-tasking, such as the Basic Stamp, need to poll the sensor to see if data is available. In a multi-tasking environment an interrupt or other input can be used to trigger a waiting task to retrieve the sensor data and then communicate the data to the control task when requested. See application note AN-204 for a multi-tasking example with source code.

Summary

I have used a range of microcontroller platforms and in my view ZBasic has an excellent combination of performance, functionality and flexibility to make it useful for casual hobbyists, educators and professionals alike. ZBasic is a modern platform that is far superior to older platforms such as Basic Stamp and BasicX.