JAL v2: high-level language for Microchip TM PIC microcontrollers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EASY TO USE JAL EMBEDDED SOFWARE BECOMES EVEN MORE POWERFUL

The beta team is please to announce the release of JAL version 2.0 (JALv2)

JALv2 is a high-level language for Microchip TM PIC microcontrollers

JAL – J*ust A*nother L*anguage was originally written by Wouter van Ooijen as a HLL better suited to PIC architecture yet understandable by new users. Sharing similarities with PASCAL it has evolved into a solid language with an enthusiastic user base.

JAL v2 is complete rewrite by Kyle York, author of PICbsc (http://www.casadeyork.com/robot/picbsc/), building upon this proven core producing highly optimized code while embracing JAL’s simplicity, syntax and style.

JAL v2 now introduces many new powerful features enhancing the already strong suite, as highlighted below:

Features:
8, 16 and 32 bit words fully supported
Signed and unsigned word variables
user definable types
Automatic BANK handling
Automatic PAGE handling
multiple interrupt routines allowed
Built in support for multiple tables, each up to 255 values long
Real Bit support OR, XOR, AND, NOT, Set, Test
arithmetic shift for signed types
Array functions – count etc
highly accurate delay function
Seamless Inline assembler support
Supports popular bootloaders
Enhanced New-User-Friendly Documentation

Supported Devices:
Users have the ability to add any device utilizing the 16F architecture
Initial release 2.0.0 supports 12F-series and 16F-series

Key Benefits:
Convenience: the user can use variables and registers without worrying about the intricacies of PIC architecture banks
Speed: an easy to understand language one can quickly develop functional programs
Power: powerful features simplify programming
Customization: outputs assembler and hex for unique customization situations
Optimal Code, the compiler optimizes the code to be very tight, but keeping it still good readable

System Requirements:
Win98, Win2000, WinXP, Linux, freeBSD, MAC
WINDOWS executable and installer supplied – see below
LINUX & FreeBSD - JALv2 is tested on LINUX and FreeBSD, recommend the user compile the ANSI C source under their flavour of LINUX or FreeBSD.
MAC - JALv2 is written in ANSI C, - compatible source is provided.

Pricing & Availability
FREE - Version 2.0.0 is available immediately

JALv2 windows installer- basic package includes JALedit, manual, libraries:
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/jal_v2_package_very_small.exe (1.8 MB)

JALv2 windows installer- full package includes JALedit, manual, libraries, JALss (simulator), INC2JAL (Microchip TM register translation):
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/jal_v2_package.exe (5.2 MB)

JALv2 latest release:
www.casadeyork.com/jalv2.zip

The Source (freeBSD license) is available at:
www.casadeyork.com/jalv2src.zip

Libraries and Documentation
Basic Examples are included in the Windows distribution and documented
in the new enhanced MANUAL:
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/pjal_doc_html.zip
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/pjal_doc_pdf_a4.zip
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/pjal_doc_pdf_letter.zip
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/pjal_doc_sources.zip

Stef Mientki’s extensive JAL libraries have been updated for JALv2, you always can find the latest version under the tab JAL-libraries on
http://pic.flappie.nl

Demo Programs, including all libraries(already included in the windows installer)
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/jal_v2_demos.zip (120 kB)

JAL V2 Migration Document - updating from JAL 0.4xx and additional notes under the tab JAL-v2 on
http://pic.flappie.nl

Supporting Software
JALedit A simple but yet complete Editor / IDE, has been updated by original author Sunish Issac to seamlessly work with JALv2 accommodating new JAL features and adding user enhancements. JALeditv2 has been endorsed by the Beta team. JALeditv2 is available separately:
**broken link removed**

Textpad- owners of Textpad may wish to use this configuration
**broken link removed**

ViM editor for linux has been tested with JALv2 by the developers:
http://www.vim.org/

INC2JAL TRANSLATION -- a Windows-only tool to translate MPASM registers to JALv2 is provided:
http://www.wattystuff.net/jal2pic/downloads/inc2jal.zip (330 kB)

For further information:
Contact and Support via the Yahoo JAL users group: **broken link removed**
Microchip Technology http://www.microchip.com is the leading 8-bit microcontroller vendor in units sold and second in overall revenue. http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/060516/general01.html

Approved by the Beta Team (alphabetically):
Bert van Dam, Sunish Issac, Dave Lagzdin, Javier Martinez
Stef Mientki, Wouter van Ooijen, Michael Reynolds, André Steenveld
Joep Suijs, Vasile Surducan, Michael Watterson, Kyle York

jal latest version

Whereto Pascal like language?
For newcomers little experiments in Basic.
For advanced WE ALL NECESSARY LEARN C!

Re: JAL v2 released

medap said:

Whereto Pascal like language?
For newcomers little experiments in Basic.
For advanced WE ALL NECESSARY LEARN C!

Click to expand...

For those who want the "relative power" of C,
combined with the simplicity of Basic.
(btw I think I'm a quit advanced user ;-)
Stef

Re: JAL v2 released

I'm an experienced (many years!) C/C++ programmer, also assembler in various flavours, fortran, basic, pascal, lisp, algol, forth, and others I've forgotten...

JAL is great. I've used it often for quick programs that would take longer to write in other languages due to more complexity of the instructions or less functionality.

Also, given the fact that JAL is free, quick to learn, easy to use and quite powerful, I think it is more than adequate for the majority of tasks that are asked of most PIC's.

I'll certainly take a look at the new version, when work commitments permit, and I'm sure I'll make good use of it.

Thanks, Stef, for your efforts (and the other developers too) and for bringing this to our attention.

FoxyRick.