Setting Up Micromite on Mac OS X for Make it with Micromite Practical Electronics

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#1 21682439 09 May 2019 14:22

Michelle OBrien Michelle OBrien

Anonymous

Post #1
21682439 09 May 2019 14:22

Dear Phil Boyce
Been reading your "Make it with Micromite" series in Practical Electronics, am inspired, and would like to do just that - Make it with Micromite. (The series opened in the February 2019 issue of the magazine).
You wrote there: "The best device for this task" (setting up the Micromite) "is a computer " and that "for now we will begin to describe how to set up a Windows computer (referred to from here on as the 'PC')".
I don't have a Windows PC. I have a Mac.  So my question is: how do I set up a Micromite using my elderly Mac (OS X)?  Michelle
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#2 21682440 09 May 2019 18:44

Alan Winstanley Alan Winstanley

Anonymous

Post #2
21682440 09 May 2019 18:44

I've forwarded your comments to the author using the email address given at the end of each Micromite article. This specific question is always going to be a difficult one because this area of tech is very heavily Windows (or maybe Linux) dependent, so I don't want to raise a Mac user's hopes... that's due to the way tech has evolved over the past couple of decades, and also the comparatively open nature of USB and PC architecture etc compared with the closed shop and highly proprietary Mac.
The only way I know would be to run eg Parallels Desktop to run Windows on a Mac but I can't say about eg USB, Terminal or BASIC compatibility, perhaps others might have some thoughts on this.

Alan W / PE
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#3 21682441 09 May 2019 20:56

Michelle OBrien Michelle OBrien

Anonymous

Post #3
21682441 09 May 2019 20:56

I see that Phil Boyce in his introduction to "Make it with Micromite" in the February 2019 issue of the magazine says:
"For Windows users we recommend TeraTerm or PuTTY. Both are readily available for free download from the Internet, and either will give your PC the software required to communicate with your Micromite. (Mac users can use the built-in Terminal and Screen applications)."
Well, this Mac user CAN'T, Mr. Boyce.
Because this simple-minded amateur hobbyist Mac user hasn't a clue
* what the built-in Terminal and Screen applications on her Mac are* where they are* what they do, or * how to employ them, in this instance or any other, come to that.
And I suspect other simple-minded amateur hobbyist Mac users and Practical Electronics readers will be in the same boat. And you did promise from the start you'd keep it all easy to understand.

So some simple, unsophisticated, easy-to-follow instructions about just how to use those built-in Terminal and Screen applications on our Macs in relation to this project would be hugely appreciated, pretty please.
Michelle
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#4 21682442 09 May 2019 21:41

Elizabeth Simon Elizabeth Simon

Anonymous

Post #4
21682442 09 May 2019 21:41

Michelle,I'm not a Mac user but an internet search using Google turned up the following page. It's somewhat specific to connecting to an Intel Edison instead of the Micromite but the first few steps should be the same...
https://software.intel.com/en-us/setting-up-serial-terminal-on-system-with-mac-os-xIt should at least start to answer your questions.As to what they do, in the old days, people didn't have computers on their desks. Instead they had "terminals" which were CRT screens with keyboards that connected to a central computer. You typed commands into the terminal which were sent to the central computer. The computer responded by performing the command and sending the result back as text which appeared on your screen.So the Terminal and Screen programs on your Mac are emulating the old fashioned terminals that we used to use. Many micro-controller boards use this type of interface so it's worth learning how to use.
#5 21682443 10 May 2019 03:41

PeterTraneus Anderson PeterTraneus Anderson

Anonymous

Post #5
21682443 10 May 2019 03:41

On a Mac, Terminal is the command-line interface for the local Mac computer. On Unix and Linux machines, this is called a shell. OSX is Unix underneath the Mac Graphical User Interface (GUI). Terminal permits you to use the traditional Unix/Linux command-line commands in OSX.You can find Terminal under Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal, unless Apple changed this since I last used it.https://www.macworld.com/article/2044790/master-the-command-line-how-to-use-man-pages.htmlshould get you started. Please come back here with more questions.
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#6 21682444 05 Jul 2019 16:59

Alan Winstanley Alan Winstanley

Anonymous

Post #6
21682444 05 Jul 2019 16:59

The topic of using Micromite with a Mac (v10.7) is covered in the latest August 2019 issue of Practical Electronics, pages 67 onwards which I hope is of help.
The author clarifies that he is not a Mac expert user and appreciates any input from more seasoned Mac owners.
#7 21682445 05 Jul 2019 18:13

Michelle OBrien Michelle OBrien

Anonymous

Post #7
21682445 05 Jul 2019 18:13

Yes, I saw that, Alan, and I am grateful to all of you at Practical Electronics.

Michelle
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Topic summary

The discussion addresses setting up the Micromite microcontroller on Mac OS X, as the original "Make it with Micromite" series primarily provides instructions for Windows PCs. Mac users are advised that the setup process is more complex due to the proprietary nature of Mac hardware and software compared to the more open Windows and Linux environments. A suggested workaround is running Windows on a Mac via virtualization software like Parallels Desktop, though compatibility with USB and terminal applications is uncertain. Mac OS X includes built-in Terminal and Screen applications that can serve as serial terminals to communicate with the Micromite, emulating traditional command-line interfaces used for microcontroller interaction. Guidance on locating and using Terminal (found under Finder > Go > Utilities > Terminal) and understanding its Unix-based shell environment is provided. Additional resources include online tutorials for setting up serial terminals on Mac OS X, originally intended for devices like the Intel Edison but applicable in principle to the Micromite. The August 2019 issue of Practical Electronics covers Micromite setup on Mac OS X 10.7, though the author acknowledges limited Mac expertise and invites input from experienced Mac users. Overall, Mac users require familiarity with command-line tools and serial communication software to interface with the Micromite, with no straightforward plug-and-play solution currently available.
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Setting Up Micromite on Mac OS X for Make it with Micromite Practical Electronics

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