Finally a Free C Compiler for PIC10/12/16 Now Available

[pkshima]

It seems that Hi-Tech C compiler has gone free now for ALL PIC10/12/16 and not just the baselines. Just that optimizations and stuff is disabled but then if optimizations were important, one would code in assembly.

Seems like I will finally be able to write in C for PIC16F628

Has anyone tried this before ? any reviews ?


Heres the link : https://www.htsoft.com/news/#news301

 

[colin mac]

There's a free version of the mikroC compiler you could have use for that chip too.

 

[Mike - K8LH]

I downloaded 9.60PL2 last week and when I tested it in MPLAB it still would not come up for certain 12F and 16F devices. Perhaps there's something else I needed to do to make it work in MPLAB for all 12F and 16F devices?

Otherwise, I've been using the SourceBoost BoostC compiler for 12F and 16F devices for just over a month now and I'm tickled at how well it works.

Mike

 

[BeeBop]

It seems that Hi-Tech C compiler has gone free now for ALL PIC10/12/16 and not just the baselines. Just that optimizations and stuff is disabled but then if optimizations were important, one would code in assembly.

Seems like I will finally be able to write in C for PIC16F628

Has anyone tried this before ? any reviews ?


Heres the link : https://www.htsoft.com/news/#news301

Seems like they are following Microchips lead...

Lite mode:

* Is a Free Download;
* Supports all PIC10/12/16 devices; and
* Has no memory or time restrictions.

However, OCG optimizations are disengaged. As a guide, code reduction in PRO mode is typically better than 50%. A compiler running in Lite mode can restore PRO mode performance by purchasing a license, or activating the 45 day evaluation.

There's a free version of the mikroC compiler you could have use for that chip too.

The differences are huge, between MikroC and HiTech!

First and foremost, MikroC doesn't work in MPLab.
Second, yes, they provide 'built in functions' which you have no access to. (Of course you don't have to use them.) They seem more interested in protecting their propriety than anything.
Third, the 'free version of MikroC is size limited.

Note: in Demo version, hex output is limited to 2k of program words.

 

[Mike - K8LH]

So then, does anyone know how to get Hi-Tech Lite working in MPLAB for 12F683 and other devices?

Mike

 

[BeeBop]

So then, does anyone know how to get Hi-Tech Lite working in MPLAB for 12F683 and other devices?

Mike

Sorry, I've been ignoring Hi_Tech and C18 since I got boost.

 

[colin mac]

The differences are huge, between MikroC and HiTech!

First and foremost, MikroC doesn't work in MPLab.
Second, yes, they provide 'built in functions' which you have no access to. (Of course you don't have to use them.) They seem more interested in protecting their propriety than anything.
Third, the 'free version of MikroC is size limited.

Yes, I know. It's just how the OP put it, I'd said I say in case he wasn't aware.
2K is a pretty big program too.

 

[pkshima]

i did indeed not know about any free compiler mikroC. now I know. Thanks
lack of C compilers was the reason i decided to move towards pic18.
if I could program in C for pic16, i would stay back a while with them till pic18 become as cheap ...

 

[Mike - K8LH]

Sorry, I've been ignoring Hi_Tech and C18 since I got boost.

Just found the list of supported devices in the back of the Hi-Tech manual. Looks like the 12F683 and a few other popular devices are not supported. I guess I don't understand what Hi-Tech considers "all baseline devices" (grin)...

Mike

 

[BeeBop]

Just found the list of supported devices in the back of the Hi-Tech manual. Looks like the 12F683 and a few other popular devices are not supported. I guess I don't understand what Hi-Tech considers "all baseline devices" (grin)...

Mike

I guess now that there are many choices of 'free' compilers available to us 'hobby types' everybody wants on the band wagon. Hi-Tech must feel they are loosing out on sales to those who become 'pro' and buy the compiler. Still, their offering is ~1500 for each family....

Somehow, I feel like my ignoring is valid.

i did indeed not know about any free compiler mikroC. now I know. Thanks
lack of C compilers was the reason i decided to move towards pic18.
if I could program in C for pic16, i would stay back a while with them till pic18 become as cheap ...

I think this is a much better choice than mikro...

http://www.sourceboost.com/


Their demo has the same limitations as mikro (2k code limit)

http://www.sourceboost.com/Products/BoostC/BuyLicense/LicenseLimitations.html


but if you want the full version for non commercial use it is less than seventy dollars, compared to $249 for mikro...

You might find BoostC for sale cheaper on eBay.


Hmmm, problem with my links? Don't know why?

 

[Hero999]

This thread is a big dissapointment.

I thought you were talking about free as in open source, not a load of cripleware.

 

[Mike - K8LH]

This thread is a big dissapointment.

I thought you were talking about free as in open source, not a load of cripleware.

How many 12F'/16F' devices have more than 2K of memory?

 

[colin mac]

I like mikroC's tools - calculator, ascii chart, terminal programs.
I'm going to download BoostC and check it out.

 

[arhi]

apart from closing source of all the libraries (still do not understand why) mikroE compilers are pretty darn good. I paid mikroC 99E and it works on all 12/16/18 pic's .. (they have separate compiler for dspic)... I paid 110US$ for ccs c compiler and I can program only 12/16 pic's, for 18 family I have to "upgrade" with another xyz$ ...

comparing output of mikroC and ccs c for 16F877A, the mikroC code is better, the only thing is, I tend to *realy* dislike the part where *all* libraries are close source and to port ccs libraries to mikroC ...

I had no chance of testing the boostC but I already purchased 2 compilers, getting the third one to do the same thing does not sound smart, and as colin already stated, mikroE has some nifty tools in the ide ... the thing that "it does not embed in mplab" does not concearn me, mikroE ide is better them mplab, ccs ide is better then mplab, "visual" testing I can do in ISIS and as for programming and debugging - I have mikroE easypic4 so I can debug directly from mikroC

hero999, I agree with you 100%, I also opened the thread hoping to find link to foss app... the major problem that is in the way of foss compilers being "close to good as some of *costly* ones" is from what I heard (from other gnu compiler developers) cost of the optimisation algorithms. There are people who know how to implement them, problem is, they are patented by various companies and not allowed to be used in foss env.

 

[Hero999]

Software pattents don't mean anything outside the US, so all they need to do is release two versions: one for the US and another for the rest of the world.

 

[arhi]

Software pattents don't mean anything outside the US, so all they need to do is release two versions: one for the US and another for the rest of the world.

that's true, althoe, in europe you have pandam to sw patents called "IP" that is pretty similar, and most of the algorithms are protected that way, but the main problem is "why bother"... there are *many* pic/avr/rabbit/... compilers around, and they are "fairly" cheep. mikroC is ~100E per section (up to 18* and dsPIC) so for 200E you get full pic support, that is not much imho ... for avr they have single solution for all of them that is ~70E (not sure they have C, I think only pascal) .. there is the boostC, ccs, hitech and many others ... so what would be the reason the invest serious time and money to develop the compiler, then to play administrative games with, you can dl this, and you can dl that, waiting for the company X to sue you for liability ...

I work in foss world, that's my b&b ... I push for linux app's where ever I can .. and to be honest, in the "elco" world, that just do not cut it ... as much as "elco" engineers share code, share schematics, ideas ... the developers of the "elco" tools are "crazy darn skico" .. I offered to one of the "usb oscilloscope developers" *FREE* help to port the driver and application to linux, after 4 months I got answer that they are not interested in making drivers for linux for their device ?!?!?! I asked nothing in return, I already purchased the device ...

So, when we look truth in the eye's, there's just too much hassle around it that is not related to development itself (administration, politics, birocracy) that I do not think we can expect foss pic C compiler soon ... look at the mikroE, all libraries are close source?!?!? why ?!?! do you see any reason for that ?! I do not ... but .. what can we do about it .. check out the GCC, they also have only the optimizations they developed or that were "given" to them by some "nice" people ... they "could" do the same thing - one version for USA and another for the rest of the World, but - why bother ... those 10% perfomance is not worth it ...

anyhow .. I posted a pretty useless post now but feel much better afterwards

 

[3v0]

MPLAB does not know about the other compilers.

After installing the Hi-Tech compiler MPLAB no longer knows about most of the other compilers I have installed. Maybe somthing when wrong with my install but I did not see any problems.

EDIT: All the compilers show up in the "Set Language Tool Location".
With either the 18F1320 or 18F1330 device selected in "Select Language ToolSuite" I only see "Hi-TECH Universial, Microchip C30, and Microchip PIC32 Compiler".

 

[pkshima]

Yeah I installed it yesterday as well and see the same behaviour. Looks like they overwrite MPLAB config files rather than appending/updating them.

Good thing is that I was able to compile a led blink C program for PIC16F628 with it. I am yet to burn a PIC with it and see if it really works

 

[Mike - K8LH]

Hey guys, how do you install it (Hi-Tech) into MPLAB?

 

[pkshima]

I didnt do anything special. Just install the Hi-Tech thing by running its installer.
No manual intergration required.

Just be carefull that Hi-Tech seems to monopolise things by removing all other compiles from the list of toolsuites in MPLAB.