pic debugging, where to start

[jay543_uk]

i found this one

**broken link removed**

does cheap mean its gona be crap???

 

[futz]

i found this one

**broken link removed**

does cheap mean its gona be crap???

Maybe, but if it is you won't be out too much $$. I've read a couple forum posts from owners of that unit. They seem happy with it.

Ohhhh! Bonus! It comes with programming cables. The genuine PICkit 2 does not. At least mine didn't. Came with just a USB cable.

 

[AtomSoft]

All in all if you are worried about anything get a Genuine PicKit 2 mainly because you get support from a good company.

I still say a Junebug is best because the creator is always on the forum and support from him is Superb if you ask me.

 

[jay543_uk]

when you look at the supported list on mplab under some of the pic its says

PIC12F609*, HV609*
- Use AC162083 ICD header & AC164110 adapter.

what is a icd header and adapter etc????


why do some pics need it and others dont???

jason

 

[BeeBop]

All in all if you are worried about anything get a Genuine PicKit 2 mainly because you get support from a good company.

I still say a Junebug is best because the creator is always on the forum and support from him is Superb if you ask me.

This is good advice! I would agree.

I have ordered from Sure Electronics; their service was good, but canada Customs took their sweet time with my package, and I had to go to the airport customs office to pick it up. Might not be so bad in the UK, but you may want to look into it.

 

[3v0]

Everything in the UK is too expensive, we're still paying for a ship load of tea that got thrown in Boston harbour!

King George III goofed.

 

[AtomSoft]

just finished ordering from Sure Electronics

" This item has been paid through PayPal. Payment was sent to: ************@sure-electronics.net on Jun-25-08."

Now to wait for package lol

 

[futz]

when you look at the supported list on mplab under some of the pic its says

PIC12F609*, HV609*
- Use AC162083 ICD header & AC164110 adapter.

what is a icd header and adapter etc????


why do some pics need it and others dont???

jason

It's because some of Microchip's customers aren't capable of (or just don't want to) building their own target boards or cables. So they can sell you everything you need.

If you want to buy every little thing from them (maybe you're a software guy and never touch hardware), you'd order their headers and adapters. Cost ya a fortune, but you wouldn't have to know nothin - no soldering - everything nice and neat.

You can look at their header specs by downloading Header Specification in **broken link removed**.

 

[jay543_uk]

so with the 16f876a i can just connect the pickit direct and start debuging, iv just order from ebay and just gota play the waiting game now.maybe i can get my first proper bit of code working and finish my scrolling clock.


If i wanted to move from asembly to C, what would be the best way to start, ie books ect

jason

 

[AtomSoft]

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2008/06/51292P.pdf
Page 1 for AC162083 ICD header

AC164110 RJ-11 to ICSP adapter is required to connect the PICkit™ 2 to an ICD header.

So the adapter just changes from RJ-11 to ICSP (Pins)

 

[AtomSoft]

Something you are going to need or well... should have:
PICmicro™ Mid-Range MCU Family Reference Manual
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2008/06/33023A.pdf

 

[futz]

If i wanted to move from asembly to C, what would be the best way to start, ie books etc

Shop for a good beginners C (not C++) reference book or two. These are pretty old, but I started out programming PC's with:

Programming In C - Stephen G. Kochan
--- Hayden Book Company - ISBN 0-8104-6261-3

C Made Easy - Herbert Schildt
--- Osborne McGraw-Hill - ISBN 0-07-881178-3

Got this one more recently. I haven't even looked at it.
Mastering Standard C - Rex Jaeschke
--- CBM Books - ISBN 1-878956-55-8

This one is good. I don't own it, but O'Reilly books are always good. I've read sections of it.

There are lots of online tutorials and books too.

I recommend SourceBoost BoostC. The free demo is very good, and when you hit the limits on the demo, a full license is only around $75. Dirt cheap, as compiler prices go. It comes with both 16F and 18F compilers and will program some 12F's too.

 

[jay543_uk]

what are the advantages of C over asembly, iv read two books on pic's and programming in amembly and it seems quite simply but when i look at C i have no idea.


jason

 

[AtomSoft]

Futz which C would you recommend?
Hi-Tech C
CCS
C18

? Any of them? or another. How about some links as this would help me and Jason (btw my name is Jason also)

 

[futz]

what are the advantages of C over asembly,

Development speed & portability. I love assembly, but C is way faster and simpler to get things going with. And once you've written something for one PIC, it often takes only minor changes to re-use the code on a totally different model.

The disadvantages?
Somewhat fatter code. Usually not a big problem.
Slightly slower code. Usually not a problem. You can use inline asm if you need more efficient code than the compiler produces.
Not having total fine control of timing for delays and other things. Use inline asm for fine control.

 

[futz]

Futz which C would you recommend?
Hi-Tech C
CCS
C18

? Any of them? or another. How about some links as this would help me and Jason (btw my name is Jason also)

Like I already said, I'm a fan of SourceBoost BoostC. Can't beat the price. It's nice and easy to use.

 

[jay543_uk]

can you use C with mp;ab or do you have to right it in a different program

??????

 

[futz]

can you use C with mp;ab or do you have to right it in a different program

??????

You mean MPLAB? Yes, of course! It's an IDE, after all. That's what it does. Any compiler company who wants to do anything in the PIC market absolutely MUST make their stuff integrate properly with MPLAB or they're sunk.

Compilers like Swordfish BASIC and SourceBoost BoostC do come with their own IDE as well, but you don't have to use them. They integrate just fine with MPLAB.

 

[jay543_uk]

ok so iv got my pickit2 clone and got it working in mplab and iv even got my i2c circuit working, the only problem is that i want to use port rb4 and rb5 as outputs and also use them for debugging, i noticed on some pictures it shows this by using resistors, My question is what value resistors should i use?????

sorry if this is a supid question.


thanks

jason

 

[3v0]

Futz which C would you recommend?
Hi-Tech C
CCS
C18

? Any of them? or another. How about some links as this would help me and Jason (btw my name is Jason also)

I agree with futz. I think they are all good compilers, (do not know about Hi-Tech), As far as I know BoostC is the only optimized C18 compiler that you can get for under $100. I have started writting my demos so I can compile them under both C18 and BoostC. So far the only place they differ is in the register names. Both solid.

It used to be that cross compilers had plenty of bugs. These compilers feel very solid. I would be happy to use any of them. Last time I checked CCS had the best support forum and code repository. Regarding Hi-Tech, it may be a good compiler, I suspect it may be. I have no good reason to use yet another compiler and after the install headache I am a bit gun shy.