linuxguy

Hi everyone,

I am fairly new to microcontrollers and have just started working with the 18F series PICs and 30F series dsPICs. However, at some point, I also want to work with AVR, and ARM MCUs. Right now, it looks like I could be stuck learning three different IDEs (one for each MCU type), which is not desirable.

I know that the Eclipse IDE can work with many different toolchains. I have MPLAB and C18/C30 for PICs, just installed AVR Studio 4.13/WinAVR for AVRs, and so have WinARM installed which is just the toolchain with no IDE so far.

Is it possible to integrate these three toolchains into the Eclipse IDE?

Is a custom plugin required for each toolchain?

For instance, I believe CodeSourcery uses Eclipse for their G++ development systems. I have not found anyone who uses Eclipse for AVRs yet, nor have I found a plugin for the C18/mpasm/C30 toolchains. There is a Yagarto ARM toolchain that works with Eclipse also, but I am not sure it would integrate into a standard Eclipse installation. Yagarto has a release of Eclipse that does use their ARM toolchain though.

Can I get to where I would like to be and have Eclipse for all these MCU types? The other very nice thing is Eclipse is available for both Linux and Windows, so only one IDE would have to be learned for both OSes.

8-Dale

simrantogether

ya...

you are very fast..

just entered the field of microcontrollers .. and started off with ARM also...

Well.. i couldnt answer your question.. but i am sure to tell you that..

" AVR requires WINAVR compiler to make assembly and c programs.."

I hope.. not only microcontrollers but soon .. you'll also start your work with embedded projects..

Regards,

Simran..

__________________
Simran..
8051 Specialist..

b0j3

I use Eclipse for programing AVR and ARMs - so for this two it can be done.
You need some plugins, but I don't remember which ones - google on it.

linuxguy

I have been searching with Google, as well as on the Eclipse site. The Eclipse site is so slow that I keep getting timeouts. I think it has to do with their site design though. I need to find out what I need or what I need to do to integrate all my toolchains into the Eclipse IDE for full source code edit and project build.

8-Dale

b0j3

For ARM check this pdf http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/ARM...th_Eclipse.pdf

For AVR: http://sourceforge.net/projects/avr-eclipse/

3v0

When possible it is better to pick a uC vendor and stick with it.
Spend your time getting projects done.

You are using PICs now.
Why do you feel that you need to use uC's from other vendors?

linuxguy

I have this and am reading it, but it uses GNUARM instead of WinARM. That may not be an issue though.

I just downloaded this, but the installation instructions do not match what the readme file says I should have in the archive. I don't want to do something that might mess up my Eclipse installation, as I have already installed several plugins for things such as Python/Jython. Now that I think about it, I could just archive my entire Eclipse folder since it does not depend on keys in the registry.

8-Dale

b0j3

If I remember correctly you need to install CDT plugin for C/C++ and then tool for programming the ucontroller (e.g. for AVRDUDE).

Since I use GNUARM and GNUAVR it works for me - I am not sure about Windows tools.

donniedj

Lets just end multilingual requirements from schools. Lets just scrap any course other than core electives from school. Lest just make software which function on only one operating system in the world. Better yet, lets have an engineering team filled with individuals responsible for only a single component of the whole. 1 person learn diodes, 1 learn only resistors, 1 learn only transistors, 1 learn only integrated circuits of analog, 1 learn only integrated circuits of digital, 1 only learn to use a VOM, 1 only learn to use a DMM, 1 only learn to use Fairchild ICs, 1 only learn to use TI ICs, 1 only learn to use Maxim ICs, 1 only learn to use the left side of a keyboard, 1 only learn to use the right side of a keyboard, 1 purchaser only buys form Digikey, 1 purchaser only buys form Newark, 1 purchaser only by from Jameco.

Get real. Diversification is the best answer. Companies are demanding it. In what way does knowing more than one possible method hinder projects getting done? Poster did not suggest using 3 different families in the same circuit. Poster did not suggest integrating Sky Diving, Bus Driving, and Circuits in the same environment. There is not polar difference between AVR and PIC as people would like to believe. Keep this one and only monopolistic mentality back in the arcane dark depts where it belongs.

3v0

I am in favor of multiple vendors.

What you read (more like imagined) was not what I wrote. Perhaps a missfire of your hot button.

The OP is new to microcontrollers. For new people it is better to stick with a given uC vendor (some would suggest a single chip), till they have mastered it. Dig in deep rather then spending time learning to do the same simple things over on X different brands of uC's.

There will come a day when the OP has a valid reason for switching to another uC vendor. But not while he is still new to uC's.