New Life For PICKIT 3 Stand Alone Programmer App?

upand_at_them · Jul 14, 2022

@Mike - K8LH Have you programmed more than 64K into the 18F27Q43? The device file for PICKitMinus has the wrong program size (64K instead of 128K) for this chip (and others a well).

tumbleweed · Jul 14, 2022

The latest device file available from the PICKitMinus site is 2.63.226.

Looking at the .dat file I don't see anything wrong with the 27Q43... (progmem for the 18F is listed in words, not bytes).

Did it not work?

upand_at_them · Jul 14, 2022

Okay, if it's words then it's fine. Thanks. I haven't gotten my PIC parts yet and was researching the PICKitMinus.

upand_at_them · Jul 17, 2022

I found that the device file has the wrong config mask for word #2 (for the 18F26Q43). They have FFBF, but it should be BFFF. This affects the brownout fuses. I tried enabling brownout and it crashed the standalone programmer application. (Unhandled errors...ugh.) The PICKitPlus github seems to have found this out a couple days ago, but I wasn't able to find the latest device file on their github...It wasn't obvious to me anyway. This bug would affect 18F25Q43, 18F26Q43, and 18F27Q43. Just to let you know. Get the newest device file if you can find it; on/after July 14, 2022.

upand_at_them · Jul 17, 2022

Here's a fixed version of 2.63.226.

tumbleweed · Jul 18, 2022

Thanks for that.

The PICKitPlus github seems to have found this out a couple days ago, but I wasn't able to find the latest device file on their github...It wasn't obvious to me anyway.

They stopped distributing the .dat file a number of versions ago... now you get it when you purchase the PicKitPlus software.

I think they did that because PicKitMinus was using their .dat file (and it's free), so whatever mistakes were in the old file are probably in the PK- version too.

augustinetez · Jul 18, 2022

tumbleweed said:
now you get it when you purchase the PicKitPlus software.

Which is interesting as I haven't had an updated dat file for ages - I think you only get them for the first 12 months (updates to the main software were only for the first 12 months when I bought it).

upand_at_them · Jul 18, 2022

augustinetez said:
Which is interesting as I haven't had an updated dat file for ages - I think you only get them for the first 12 months (updates to the main software were only for the first 12 months when I bought it).

Yep. Their website says "parts database updates for one year."

upand_at_them · Jul 18, 2022

And to be fair...Adding new parts to the device file takes a lot of time. I know...I've done it.

augustinetez · Jul 18, 2022

upand_at_them said:
Yep. Their website says "parts database updates for one year."

Problem being, when I bought the software, the updated DAT files were listed as always being freely available to purchasers - not a big hassle as I don't use or have a need for the "latest and greatest " in the PIC line.

But as you say, updating the file is time consuming.

Pommie · Jul 19, 2022

augustinetez said:
the updated DAT files were listed as always being freely available to purchasers

That's why they have a VERY long license agreement that nobody ever reads.

Mike.

tumbleweed · Jul 19, 2022

augustinetez said:
Problem being, when I bought the software, the updated DAT files were listed as always being freely available to purchasers

Since that's no longer the case, is there any way to purchase an update/extend the maintenance period, or are you expected to just buy the software again at full price every year to get dat file updates?

augustinetez · Jul 19, 2022

~~I can't remember if it was a discounted price and buy the updated software or something else like a yearly maintenance fee when I originally purchased it.~~
Went back and checked via the Wayback machine and it's the same as now (really need a new memory module fitted):

We provide one year software support to resolve issues in the software. You can obtain a renewed license in subsequent years by repurchasing a license.

I do note they are still saying that the DAT files are available free from the their Github page according to their FAQ page - could get them in a spot of bother if that is no longer the case.

Not that it really matters, my version currently covers everything I use chip wise and it's not that expensive to buy again if I really, absolutely, positively needed to use something more modern (although I would be more inclined to give PKminus a go).

upand_at_them · Jul 19, 2022

augustinetez said:
although I would be more inclined to give PKminus a go.

I think the problem with PKminus may be that they were getting the device files from PKplus? Somebody will have to add new devices. I don't mind doing it for chips that I use, but I can tell you...it is time-consuming and mind-numbing when new scripts have to be written.

tumbleweed · Jul 20, 2022

I think the problem with PKminus may be that they were getting the device files from PKplus?

Yup.

but I can tell you...it is time-consuming and mind-numbing when new scripts have to be written.

I can imagine. Plus, then you end up with the same "dat file free-for-all" that the PK2 had when different folks were adding different devices to the same base. You never really knew what files supported what.

upand_at_them · Jul 20, 2022

I fixed the other chips in that family.
So, in all, the config mask #2 for these:

18F25Q43, 18F45Q43, 18F55Q43
18F26Q43, 18F46Q43, 18F56Q43
18F27Q43, 18F47Q43, 18F47Q43

Regards,
Mike

upand_at_them · Jul 31, 2022

FYI: PICKitMinus has a newer download on their page, dated 2022-07-20 and it appears to have the config mask change that I made above. It also has one more device added, the PIC24FV32KA302.

upand_at_them · Dec 21, 2022

FYI: PICKitMinus was updated today.

Jon Wilder · Dec 31, 2022

Mike - K8LH I ended up buying the "expensive PICkit 4". It works beautifully without the issues that the PK3 had. In addition to new device compatibility, it also does AVR ISP as well as JTAG. To top it off, it also features a microSD slot for Programmer-To-Go (load your field updates onto the microSD).

A bit of an embedded Swiss Army knife.

I've tested on PIC and AVR and thus far it has not let me down.

I'm using the 18F__Q84 devices as I wanted the CAN module. I haven't yet messed with the Q4x devices, but I did try out a 18F27K40 before I discovered the Q84 family.

New Life For PICKIT 3 Stand Alone Programmer App?

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