As an electronics professional, have you studied microcontrollers? Can you apply microcontrollers?I believe you have studied them, but may not necessarily be able to apply them.Learning microcontrollers requires more effort and cost than studying other subjects; it involves not only theoretical knowledge but also practical exercises, and it is primarily through practical operations that one can truly learn microcontroller technology.Due to differences in majors and varying levels of electronic fundamentals, different people may adopt different learning methods. Based on my personal learning experience, I would like to present my learning methods and steps.
Part 1
Learning Basic Theoretical Knowledge
Basic theoretical knowledge includes analog circuits, digital circuits, and C language knowledge. Analog and digital circuits are abstract subjects, and mastering them requires considerable effort. Before you start learning microcontrollers, if you feel your foundation in analog and digital circuits is weak, do not rush into learning microcontrollers; instead, you should review the knowledge you have learned in analog and digital circuits to strengthen your foundation for learning microcontrollers.Otherwise, your journey in learning microcontrollers will not only be difficult and lengthy but may also lead to abandonment halfway. I firmly believe that a solid foundation in electronic technology is key to mastering microcontrollers, directly affecting the speed of your entry into microcontroller learning.Microcontrollers belong to digital circuits, and their concepts, terminology, hardware structure, and principles are derived from digital circuits. If your foundation in digital circuits is solid, you will find it easier to understand the complex hardware structure and principles of microcontrollers, allowing you to take the first step in learning with confidence.Generally, one learns analog circuits before moving on to digital circuits. A solid foundation in analog circuits not only helps you understand the circuits designed by others but also makes your own designs more reliable, improving product quality.The knowledge of C language is not difficult; anyone without any programming background can learn it. In my opinion, middle school students, high school students, vocational school students, and university students can all learn it. Of course, those with a good foundation in mathematics and logical thinking will find it relatively easier to learn.Once your foundation is solid, you will feel that learning microcontrollers is no longer difficult, and you will become more enthusiastic as you learn. When the microcontroller obediently executes instructions according to your logical thinking and algorithms to achieve the desired control effect, the sense of accomplishment will boost your confidence, leading you to immerse yourself in the world of microcontrollers day and night. It can be said that a solid foundation in electronic technology and C language can enhance your confidence in learning microcontrollers and help you master microcontroller technology more quickly.
Part 2
Microcontroller Practice
1. Have the Determination to Study HardFirst, clarify your learning objectives. Seriously answer two questions: What do I want to do with microcontrollers? How long will it take to learn them? This is your motivation for learning microcontrollers. Without motivation, I believe you won’t be able to persist for long.Secondly, adopt a correct learning attitude. The process of learning microcontrollers is tedious, lonely, and solitary. You must understand that there are no shortcuts to acquiring knowledge; only through gradual, steady, and methodical efforts can you truly master the skills.Next, think critically and practice diligently. Learning microcontrollers is highly practical; it is a technical discipline that emphasizes hands-on operation. Without practical experience, you will not be able to learn microcontrollers. Finally, be open to communication. During the learning process, everyone will encounter countless unsolvable problems, and you need to humbly seek advice from experienced individuals; otherwise, blindly exploring on your own will lead you down many wrong paths and waste a lot of time.2. Have a Complete Set of Learning Development ToolsLearning microcontrollers incurs costs. You must have a computer, a microcontroller development board (and if the development board cannot directly download program code, you will also need a programmer), a set of video tutorials, a microcontroller textbook, and a C language textbook.The computer is used to write and compile programs and download the program code to the microcontroller; the development board is used to run the microcontroller program and verify the actual effects; the video tutorials provide step-by-step guidance on using the microcontroller development environment, programming, and debugging.For beginners in microcontrollers, it is essential to watch video tutorials, especially since the textbooks used in schools may leave you at a loss when facing real microcontrollers; the microcontroller textbook and C language textbook serve as theoretical learning materials for reference. Do not try to save costs by not using a development board and only using Protur software for simulation and debugging, as this is no different from talking about it on paper.3. Emphasize the Combination of Theory and PracticeThe theoretical knowledge of C language programming for microcontrollers is not profound; you can understand it just by reading. However, actual programming is not that simple. The formation of a program requires not only knowledge of C language but also the integration of your personal programming ideas and algorithms.Programming ideas and algorithms determine the quality of a program, which is a major issue in microcontroller programming. You will only gain deep insights when you actually write the code. Whether a program can run normally according to your wishes depends on whether your ideas and algorithms are correct and reasonable.If the program does not run correctly, you must debug it repeatedly (check and modify your ideas and algorithms) until it succeeds. This process is time-consuming, mentally taxing, and exhausting; those with weak willpower often give up here.Learning to write programs should follow the process outlined below for better results. First, try to conceive your programming ideas based on the example problem, then look at the code in the textbook or video tutorial, study their programming ideas, and note the differences from your own; next, replicate their ideas and write the program yourself, understanding the function of each statement; for any areas of doubt, try modifying the program according to your own ideas and compare the program’s running effects to grasp the nuances.By adhering to this process for each example, you will quickly find your programming rhythm, extracting the essence while discarding the dross, and over time, you will develop your unique programming philosophy. Of course, at the beginning, reading others’ source code may feel like reading a foreign language; just push through, and whenever you encounter unfamiliar keywords and statements, refer to books for clarification. As long as you can persist, your learning outcomes will be significantly improved.During the practical process, not only should you learn from others’ examples, but you should also improve and expand upon their programs to create more powerful functionalities. Additionally, you should understand how to verify the reliability of others’ examples by consulting the chip datasheet regarding chip commands and data read/write timing; if you find the example unreliable, modify it to make it your own program.
Part 3
Microcontroller Hardware Design
When you can easily write your own programs and identify issues in others’ programs, it indicates that your microcontroller programming skills are quite good. Next, you should study hardware. Hardware design includes circuit schematic design and PCB design. Learning to do hardware is more complicated than learning to do software, incurs higher costs, and takes longer.However, the ultimate goal of learning microcontrollers is product development—combining software and hardware to form a complete control system. Therefore, hardware design is also a necessary part of learning microcontroller technology.Circuit schematic design involves the application of various chips, and the design of peripheral circuits, typical application circuits, and connections with microcontrollers can all be found in the chip datasheet, provided you can understand the datasheet written entirely in English.Otherwise, blindly copying others’ designs will always leave you behind, and your products will lack creativity. The primary sources of information in the field of electronics (DATASHEET) are in English, and the knowledge you gain from these primary sources may not be found in textbooks, online documents, or extracurricular readings.Although some materials are also based on DATASHEET, they may not be comprehensive and may even contain translation omissions and errors. Of course, reading DATASHEET requires a certain level of English reading ability, which can be a stumbling block for microcontroller learners. Good English reading skills will allow you to navigate freely in the ocean of microcontroller technology knowledge.Making PCBs is relatively simple. As long as you know how to use Protel software or Altium Designer software, you will be fine. However, to make the layout of the board aesthetically pleasing and the wiring reasonable, you will need to put in some effort.Proficient C language programming for microcontrollers, the ability to use Protel or Altium Designer software for PCB design, and a certain level of English reading ability will make you a formidable microcontroller expert.-END-
You May Also Like
How large is a microcontroller program?Is a microcontroller really embedded?Should I switch to embedded systems after a few years of working with microcontrollers?
Finally
If you find this article helpful,sharing it will also motivate us to continue updating.5T Resource Giveaway!Including but not limited to: C/C++, Linux, Python, Java, PHP, Artificial Intelligence, PCB, FPGA, DSP, LabVIEW, microcontrollers, etc.! Reply with “More Resources” in the public account to get them for free, we look forward to your attention~
Long press to recognize the QR code in the image to follow us