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You've confirmed the validity of feasibility studies, estimating and not compromising when it is self-defeating.
Working with "hardware" (PLC's, scales, CC readers, etc.), part of (my) "development" was creating "Windows" interfaces to each device for flashing, querying, testing, etc. Those "interfaces" always became part of the production system ... nobody can survive with "black boxes" alone; no matter how "good" they are. Visibility. (If you don't like "Windows", use something else).
Stress comes from uncertainty. I could "prove" where the problems lay. Without proper scaffolding, everything is just a stumble.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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Oh god, this brings me back 15 years ago when the company I worked for decided they needed to update their aging embedded controller that they used in all their products. These products were ocean-going drift weather buoys which needed absolute reliability since you could not get them back for repair.
Back then I was primarily a hardware designer, but I had used assembly extensively. My team was myself, a green hardware engineer I was mentoring, and our firmware guy. Since the old controller used an 8051 mcu, we had a huge library of code and even an in-house developed operating system for the architecture. There were lots of super fast and capable "super 8051" based devices available at that time so for me the obvious solution was to go with one of them.
The firmware guy had other ideas. He wanted an ARM based mcu that ST Micro had literally just released, its datasheet was only "preliminary" no app notes available yet. Also his great idea was to "simply" cross-compile all our source code with an ARM compiler and voila off to the races.
Me being the grizzled old team leader of course I tried to shut that down right away. He proceeded to go to the VP of operations (whom oversaw the VP of engineering and other VPs) and complain. The VP of operations was also a recent hire and thought that going with ARM was a great idea. Can you see where this going?
The near disaster that followed would take up far too much space to describe here but the resulting controller was plagued with bugs both with the ST mcu and of course the cross-compiled code. The firmware guy ended up leaving and the VP of operations demoted to production manager. He left after a short while as well. I was transferred over to production as well. At least I managed to stay employed there.
I'll mention the real big mcu bug though, it turned out to be an extreme EMI/ESD sensitivity so when data was transmitted to the satellite, around 2% of the time it would hard lock up the mcu. No amount of shielding helped. The on-chip watchdog locked with it as well. Even the tiny amount of static generated handling the buoy's plastic hull could do it. ST discontinued that mcu after only a year as well and put out an "improved" version, but by then the damage was done. We lost customers over it and went back to the old design until another team developed an MSP430 based controller that eventually replaced it. Good times.
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That's a heck of a war story. ![Rose | [Rose]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
Check out my IoT graphics library here:
https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx
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I can sympathize.
When I wandered deep into the frustration of the seemingly impossible, I’d entertain the idea of working at an ice cream shop - where the toughest question was ”Do you want sprinkles on that?”
You mentioned leaving the field for a time, working in fishpacking. I immediately flashed on W. Somerset Maugham’s novel “The Razor’s Edge.” The protagonist, Larry(?), leaves everything behind, opting for an uncomplicated life, working for a time in a fishery.
I’m sure you’ll work through it to find your right path.
Time is the differentiation of eternity devised by man to measure the passage of human events.
- Manly P. Hall
Mark
Just another cog in the wheel
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Dealing with toolchains and libraries is my definition of Hell. I just want to create, to make practical my ideas and needs. The logic is simple. The code is simple. The tools...just so often make it a nightmare by insisting on being clever. And my soul is sucked dry.
I feel your pain.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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Had a discussion with one of my team just last week along similar lines. When "matter of principle" or "good money after bad" come into the conversation, it's time to flip the "go around" switch and get back to altitude and look around. Sometimes it comes down to saying I made a bad decision, let's move on.
I know it is more difficult with hardware involved, but I have a box somewhere of various GPS stuff and other assorted hardware that was shelved after time and money spent.
Relax, do something for a day that takes your mind off the issue. My choice would be fishing, not packing fish but whatever floats your boat 
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Yeah, I find meditative reflection to be helpful, and I can do that with menial labor on someone else's agenda. It also paid marginally better than fishing. It was the polar opposite of what I was doing, while still being work, so it was appealing.
I'm not convinced this is a bad decision yet. The only thing ventured so far is my time and a few bucks for some evaluation boards.
It's just the learning curve is a vertical climb, and I've been fought every step of the way. If I can move past that and get somewhat comfortable, things will be okay. I'm going to spend some more time with it, including taking a course at the end of august on this stuff (much as I don't do well with course style learning, I am learning what I think they'll teach ahead of time and I intend to use the time for Q&A as much as possible)
Check out my IoT graphics library here:
https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx
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I am going through the same crap right now myself.
This toolchain does it this way; that one does it that way; this one has this feature; that one doesn't; this one's feature doesn't work; that one feature is obtuse; .....
Waaay back when, I had a simple makefile, simple library linkages, simple programming structures....Now, it takes two weeks just to set up a project build with all the options working correctly, all the libraries referencing the correct version, etc., etc., etc.
Just yesterday, I wanted to use kdbg on a Linux MX distribution (I have it working on a Linux Mint distro)---could not compile it because of missing modules...and I could find sources/libraries for the modules.
FRUSTRATION!
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Wordle 770 5/6*
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟩⬜⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Wordle 770 3/6
🟩🟨⬛⬛⬛
🟩⬛⬛⬛🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity. - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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Wordle 770 5/6
⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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Wordle 770 3/6
🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Lucky second guess, but not lucky enough.
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Wordle 770 3/6*
⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟨⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. -Anon
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Wordle 770 5/6
⬛⬛⬛🟨⬛
⬛🟨⬛🟨⬛
🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Ok, I have had my coffee, so you can all come out now!
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Wordle 770 5/6
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜
⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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Wordle 770 5/6
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛🟨⬛🟨⬛
🟩🟨🟨⬛⬛
🟩🟩🟩⬛🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
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#Worldle #553 2/6 (100%)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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I just saw a bird blowing on a worm before eating it!
I don't think before I open my mouth, I like to be as surprised a everyone else.
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - Release Version 1.1.0 JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: Simon Says, A Child's Game
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"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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this morning I saw three gofers eating green leaves in my backyard with ease...
diligent hands rule....
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... I've just declared as a dolphin, so they have to install a pool in my office. 
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
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What's the porpoise?
I don't think before I open my mouth, I like to be as surprised a everyone else.
PartsBin an Electronics Part Organizer - Release Version 1.1.0 JaxCoder.com
Latest Article: Simon Says, A Child's Game
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Haven't touched it in years.
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