I started some rough notes on an assembly page right here on the group we can all update and maintain:
/g/BITX20/wiki/UBITX-Assembly

.. I'll do another round on it (its late) but feel free to make corrections, edits, or suggestions on this thread.

Thanks!
W7PEA - Patrick

On April 24, 2018 at 11:26 AM "Jerry Gaffke via Groups.Io" <jgaffke@...> wrote:

A tool like git is great if you have a bunch of programmers collaborating on a project.
Especially if they all understand how to use git.
Here's a tutorial on git, there's a tool tip when mouse hovering over the cartoon.
? ??
The diff command is much easier to master than git.

I don't have much use for git or cvs or whatever when working on small home projects.
I just copy my work into sequentially numbered *.txt files or zip archives, which are ignored by the Arduino IDE
For example, at the command line under linux:? ?
? ? cd ~/blinky
? ? zip blinky43.zip *.ino *.c *.h

And if I really cared about my blinky project, I'd occasionally copy that out to a USB stick.
Or onto a 9 track 1600 bpi tape.

I've been doing it this way since long before cvs or git was created.
Though I did switch from tar to zip when forced to work under MSDOS in the 1980's.

I usually have a revision history at the top of the main file in the project so I know where stuff changes.?
Here's how it's done under git:??

Jerry, KE7ER



On Tue, Apr 24, 2018 at 07:37 am, Jack Purdum wrote:

For me, when I'm finished working for the day, I always make a back a copy of the current files into a Backup directory.

For me, when I'm finished working for the day, I always make a back a copy of the current files into a Backup directory.

Karl:

You're probably right on the 3 types. However, the statement:

You want to make changes to the software? Then you are a software developer, and version control is part of that.

needs a little wiggle room. If someone just wants to add a splash screen with their call, that's a change, but I don't think they need version control to do it. The problem is implementation: at what point do you transition from casual programmer to software developer? I think there are a lot of "add-a-splash-screen" programmers who are sticking their toes into the programming ocean for the first time. I think that's great...it's a fun element of our hobby! Of course, the danger is that wigglie toes in an ocean can attract attention from some mean-spirited creatures and some cautions need to then be put in place to safeguard the code. I just don't know where that line is drawn.

For me, when I'm finished working for the day, I always make a back a copy of the current files into a Backup directory. Using my earlier example, I would have:

?? C://IanLee/Version106/ubix_20.ino...

????????????? /Version1072/ubix_20.ino
????????????? /WorkingVersion/ubix_20/ubix_20.ino...

????????????? /Backup/WorkingVersion/ubix_20/ubitx_20.ino? // and the rest of the files

Notice how Backup is really a mirror of the WorkingVersion directory. As long as I back up at the end of each day, my worst case is I lose one day's work. I'm not as religious about this as I should be, which a real VC would enforce, but it works for me now.

In the end, it's up to the user to decide what's needed. The true value of VC only comes clearly into focus when something really bad happens and six months worth of work disappears.

Jack, W8TEE

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, 8:59:11 AM EDT, Karl Heinz Kremer, K5KHK <khk@...> wrote:

Jack,?

I think we are dealign with three types of users:

1) The "Give me a simple way to flash uBitx, and I don't care about version numbers, I don't care about changes, I just want to use?the latest and greatest features" user. For?them, a version number is not important,?because they very likely don't even want to keep more than one version around. They would very likely be happy with just using avrdude and flashing a hex file, which Ian provides.?

2) The "I want to experiment with the software and make my own changes, but always want a save way to get back to a working configuration" type of user. For them, just like learning?the syntax of C/C++ and how the library system in the Arduino IDE works, it may be a good idea to get a basic understanding of a version control system and use that to keep track of changes.?You want to make changes to the software? Then you are a software developer, and version control is part of that.?

3) The "I want to have access to different versions, but don't?want to learn how software development actually works" type. For them, your approach may be a good way to keep track of different versions. ?

Especially if you fall into #2, and you want to make changes, you need a way to figure out what you've changed. When you hack away on a keyboard, mistakes happen and you may not even remember touching a file. A version control system always will tell you exactly what has changed, and then you can figure out how to get back to a working system. So, in m opinion if you?want to make changes, you either need to be very good with the Unix diff command, or have a VC system?that takes care of that for you.?

--
Karl Heinz - K5KHK