const array on strings : Exception in module PCH.DLL !!!!!!!

[franckcl]

Hi,
Using PCH 3.174 With PIC18F6520 :
I would like to create an constant array of constant pointers on strings :

// -------- here is the strings :
const char C_USER[] = "LEVEL 1 USER";
const char C_OPER[] = "LEVEL 2 OPERATOR";
const char C_MAST[] = "LEVEL 2 MASTER";

// ------- And, here is my constant arrays :
const char * Menu1[3] ={&C_USER, &C_OPER, &C_MAST};
const char * Menu2[3] ={&C_OPER, &C_USER, &C_MAST};

When I compile this, I have an exception error : "Exception EInOutError in module PCH.DLL at 000B1474" and I have to restart PCW IDE !!!!

How to solve this problem ? I am using array of pointer into strings to decrease the code size (this is a little example of my code which is of course bigger)

Thanks
Franck (PARIS)

[PCM programmer]

You are trying to create pointers to constant strings.
CCS does not allow this.

On page 1 of the compiler manual (page 13 in Acrobat reader) it says:

[franckcl]

Ok, thank you for your quick reply
Franck

[Ttelmah]

[franckcl]

Thanks a lot,

but if I had known that before to build my prototype, I would have taken another micro controller because I have a lot of strings to display in a LCD display !!

Thanks
Franck

[Mark]

It is not the fault of the microcontroller but rather your choice in compilers. The Microchip C18 compiler will do just what you want. There is a 30 day evaluation copy on their website if you want to try it out.

[Haplo]

You can still display strings on the LCD display without the need to use pointers. You will only need to re-structure your menu design scheme.
Post your code and maybe we can help you with it.

[franckcl]

Then, I have found a solution to replace the pointers. But I still have problem with the space taken in ROM by the constants.
I use 2 kind of string, one is for the menu and the other one is for events.
(This is just en example, because I have a total of 4500 characters to put in ROM)


1) For the menu (with 2 language : french and english)
(this is a very little example of my code)
//************************
// MAIN MENU
//************************
const char C_MAIN[10][2][19]={
{"Archivage evenemen", "Events log"} ,
{"Archivage extincti", "Extinction log"},
{"Reglage date/heure", "Set date/time"} ,
{"Archivage config" , "Setup log"},
{"Config generale" , "General setup"},
{"Config detection" , "Detection setup"},
{"Config extinction" , "Extinction setup"},
{"Version logiciel" , "Software version"},
{"Impression" , "Print"},
{"Contraste" , "Contrast"}
};
//****************************
// GENERAL SETUP MENU
//****************************
const char C_CONFIG_GEN[7][2][19]={
{"Arret sign sonores" , "Stop buzzer"},
{"Essais signalisati" , "Light test"},
{"Signal sonore test" , "Test buzzer"},
{"Nombre de RS.Rep" , "Number of RsRep"},
{"[spam] UT/RS.Rep" , "S.Buz UT/RsRep"},
{"[spam] RS.Rep/RS.Rep" , "S.Buz RsRep/RsRep"},
{"Delais avant rearm" , "Delay before reset"}
};

etc...


2) For the events :

const char C_EVT_RESET [2] [6]={"RESET" , "RESET" };
const char C_EVT_FEU_ZONE [2][11]={"FEU zone " , "FIRE area " };
const char C_EVT_PREALARME [2][16]={"Prealarme zone " , "Prealarm area" };
const char C_EVT_DER_DETECT [2][17]={"DER detect zone " , "DER detect area " };
etc....(50 events)

----------------------------------------------------------

For the menu, I use this code (I have a 2 lines LCD display) :


LCD_DisplayXY(1,1,C_MAIN[element][language]); --> COMPILER ERROR Bad expression syntax -1 is not 0.65535
LCD_DisplayXY(1,2,C_MAIN[element+1][language]); --> COMPILER ERROR Bad expression syntax -1 is not 0.65535

The function is declared as follow : LCD_DisplayXY(BYTE X,BYTE Y,char * S);

----------------------------------------------------------
For the events, I don't use a 3D array to preserve memory space, I use something like that:

char EventStr[21];

void EventToStr(BYTE Event)
{
Switch (Event)
{
case 0 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_RESET [language]); break;
case 1 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_FEU_ZONE [language]); break;
case 2 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_PREALARME [language]); break;
case 3 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_DER_DETECT[language]); break;
etc..
}
}

***********************************************************
My problem is :
1) the ROM space used by the compiler
2) THE COMPILER ERROR Bad expression syntax -1 is not 0.65535 on LCD_DisplayXY(1,1,C_MAIN[element][language]);

Thank you
Franck

[Mark]

Declaring the arrays in the way that you have will waste a lot of space unless each phrase is the same length. You might think about declaring each of the strings separately. Create an enum or use the #define to define an integer value for each of these strings. Think of this as being a pointer. Now you will need to create a function that accesses a string based on the simulated pointer (switch statement would work). This is basically the way you handled your events.

[franckcl]

The problem with the way I handled events is I use strcpy for each line :

Switch (Event)
{
case 0 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_RESET [language]); break;
case 1 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_FEU_ZONE [language]); break;
case 2 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_PREALARME [language]); break;
case 3 : strcpy(EventStr,C_EVT_DER_DETECT[language]); break;
etc..
}

AND EACH "case x:" TAKES 42 BYTE !!!

Is there a solution by using a variable ?

Thanks

[Haplo]

What if you use a loop for copying the strings? Will it be as big? I mean something like: