Thanks for the suggestions. Below is the code that I went with. Nice and simple. I think CRC check would be overkill since it is rare I will be setting the time and date.

I still need to add more error checking to make sure the strings are assembled correctly. Right now I am forced to set the time as HH:MM:SS and the date as MM/DD/YY.

  if (PIR1bits.RC1IF)
  {
  unsigned c = uart_getChar();
   
  if (c == '\r' || c == ';')
  {   
  processCmd(cmdBuffer);
  memset(cmdBuffer,0,strlen(cmdBuffer));
  cmdBufferNdx = 0;
  }
  else
  {
  cmdBuffer[cmdBufferNdx] = c;
  cmdBufferNdx++;
  }   
  }

#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include "processCmd.h"
#include "uart.h"
#include "picrtcc.h"



unsigned processCmdGetTime()
{
  char buffer[25];
   
  struct PICRTCC_date picRTCCDate;
  struct PICRTCC_time picRTCCTime;   
   
  PICRTCC_readDateTime(&picRTCCDate,&picRTCCTime);

  sprintf(buffer,"%c%c:%c%c:%c%c",picRTCCTime.hour.BCDparts.HRTEN+48,picRTCCTime.hour.BCDparts.HRONE+48,picRTCCTime.minute.BCDparts.MINTEN+48,picRTCCTime.minute.BCDparts.MINONE+48,picRTCCTime.second.BCDparts.SECTEN+48,picRTCCTime.second.BCDparts.SECONE+48);
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_SUCCESS;

}


unsigned processCmdGetDate()
{
  char buffer[25];
   
  struct PICRTCC_date picRTCCDate;
  struct PICRTCC_time picRTCCTime;   
   
  PICRTCC_readDateTime(&picRTCCDate,&picRTCCTime);

  sprintf(buffer,"%c%c/%c%c/%c%c",picRTCCDate.day.BCDparts.DAYTEN+48,picRTCCDate.day.BCDparts.DAYONE,picRTCCDate.month.BCDparts.MTHTEN+48,picRTCCDate.month.BCDparts.MTHONE+48,picRTCCDate.year.BCDparts.YRTEN+48,picRTCCDate.year.BCDparts.YRTEN+48);
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_SUCCESS;

}


unsigned char processCmdGet(char * buffer)
{
   
  switch(buffer[0])
  {
  case 'T':
  case 't':
  return processCmdGetTime();
   
   
  case 'D':
  case 'd':   
  return processCmdGetDate();   
   
  }   
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_INVALID_GET;
}



unsigned char processCmdSetDate(char *buffer)
{
  char *token;
  char params[4][10];
  char delimter[2] = "/";
   
  unsigned char  i=0;
   
  token = strtok(buffer,delimter);
   
  while (token != NULL)
  {   
  strcpy(params[i],token);
  i++;
  token = strtok(NULL, delimter);
  }   
   
  PICRTCC_setMonth(params[0][0], params[0][1]);
  PICRTCC_setDay(params[1][0], params[1][1]);
  PICRTCC_setYear(params[2][0], params[2][1]);
   
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_SUCCESS;
   
}


unsigned char processCmdSetTime(char *buffer)
{
   
  char *token;
  char params[4][10];
  char delimter[2] = ":";
   
  unsigned char  i=0;
   
  token = strtok(buffer,delimter);
   
  while (token != NULL)
  {   
  strcpy(params[i],token);
  i++;
  token = strtok(NULL, delimter);
  }   
   
  PICRTCC_setHour(params[0][0]-48, params[0][1]-48);
  PICRTCC_setMinutes(params[1][0]-48, params[1][1]-48);
  PICRTCC_setSeconds(params[2][0]-48, params[2][1]-48);
   
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_SUCCESS;
   
}


unsigned char processCmdSet(char *buffer)
{
   
  switch(buffer[0])
  {
  case 'T':
  case 't':
  return processCmdSetTime(&buffer[1]);   
   
   
  case 'D':
  case 'd':   
  processCmdSetDate(&buffer[1]);   
   
  }   
   
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_INVALID_SET;   

}



unsigned char  processCmd(char *buffer)
{
  switch(buffer[0])
  {
   
  case 'G':
  case 'g':
  return processCmdGet(&buffer[1]);
   
   
   
  case 'S':   
  case 's':
  return processCmdSet(&buffer[1]);
   
   
   
  }   
   
  return PROCESS_CMD_INVALID_CMD;

}

 

Here is the video. This is not the final prototype; the vertical risers were stiffened to reduce the “Wobblies”.

That is so cool. He needs a skin.

How did you do the eyes? Guess that is in your other link?

 

That is so cool. He needs a skin.

How did you do the eyes? Guess that is in your other link?

Here’s the Instructable for the eyes.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Eyes/


A video of them in action

https://youtu.be/LLystzKET1


Also, in the completed projects sub-forum here, is the envelope follower circuit that I use to synchronize the “penguin”’s mouth with what he is saying. Search for AAEF.