LVP-Cable and other misc. questions

[Souper man]

what does that mean?

Also, How do I use MPLAB?

 

[Souper man]

My stuff Comes in this thursday, because I 2 day air mailed it, because I just couldnt wait.

EVERYBODY LOVEZ PICTURES!!!

1356: LVP with 40pin socket, 5v regulator, 9v battery clip, and Cat5e wire for the 9pin socket. Went with the picture and my general Idea. HOPEFULLY it works.

1355: My new workdesk/work area. Works awesome, nice big workdesk, got it june 20th, and already has burn marks, solder embedded in it, and huge gouges, from dropping stuff on it (razors, knifes, cutters, etc).

PLZ KEEP ON TOPIC AND HELP ME OUT!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

[Marks256]

Go back to microchip's web site and look at the MPLAB user guide!

 

[Souper man]

Oh, I guess that would make sense!

 

[Souper man]

My stuff is ontime and may arrive today. I ordered a 43$ multimeter (will get picture when I get it) and some other stuff. I just want to double check and make sure I have everything
List of stff I have:
16F877A
LVP cable
MPLAB 7.6
IC-PROG

That is what I have at this moment. What else would I need to begin writing my first command?

 

[3v0]

Maybe slow down a bit.

Rather then type Low Voltage Programming and Low Voltage Programming Cable many times allow me to call them LVP and LVPC.

PIC microcontrollers are configured with special memory called fuses. They control such things as what oscillator to use and most important in you case LVP.

IIRC the 16F877A comes with the LVP fuse enabled.

It would be too easy to program your chip such that you disable the LVP fuse. Then you could not program it with the LVPC.

Study the datasheet for the 16F877A till you understand what the fuses are and what each does.

Then study the IC-PROG doc and figure out how you set the fuses when you program.

Then you might be ready to try to program the chip.

I did not see a oscillator with caps, or a resonator in your list of parts.

 

[Souper man]

oops. I did forget the oscilliator anc caps.

20Mhz crystal
2x 10pf Caps

I set the fuses to LVP. That should allow me to program right?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I set the fuses to LVP. That should allow me to program right?

Only if they are already set to LVP - low voltage programming can only work if the fuse is already set, but it's essential that you don't change it, as if you do you then can't use LVP.

 

[Souper man]

It had fuses set to:
LVP
WDT
BODEN

Knowing it wouldnt program without LVP set, I took off WDT and BODEN, so now the only one checked is LVP. I think this is how it goes, wouldnt see any other method to LVP.

 

[3v0]

You need to put your 16F877A into a solderless breadboard and wire it up as shown in Bill very good . You can also do a point to point board or buy some veroboard.

The processor you connect to is called the target.

You could just find the hex file for a blink program or assemble/create one using MPLAB.

All the examples I have seen on the web are setup to work with high voltage programmers and have the LVP fuse off. That is what you do not want.

The code in the poster is meant to work with the inchworm which is a high voltage programer. It sets the config/fuses to 3F7D. This is intended for the Inchworm, the value will set the LVP fuse off (no LVP) and you will be stuck with a PIC you can not program with LVP. You have to figure out what the correct config value will be. See PIC16F877A.... OR you can possibly tell ICPROG to ignore the config value (fuse settings) and set them there. I do not use ICPROG so I can not tell you how. Maybe someone can clear this up.

Use MPLAB to build the Hello World program on the poster.
Select File>Export. This will open a box where you have the option to save the file with or without the config/fuses. Either way be sure the fuses you end up with are correct.

Then start ICPROG and flash the chip with the HEX file created above.

Remove the target from the LVPC and it should run.

 

[Souper man]

Thanks! I am understanding this more and more...

 

[Souper man]

When I am following the inchworm ICD2 hello world poster thing, I have no problems until I get to the project wizard part. When I get to step 2, I would go to choose Microchip MPASM Assembler, and it would say I dont have it. I then went to microchips website and couldnt find where to download it. any help?

 

[3v0]

When I am following the inchworm ICD2 hello world poster thing, I have no problems until I get to the project wizard part. When I get to step 2, I would go to choose Microchip MPASM Assembler, and it would say I dont have it. I then went to microchips website and couldnt find where to download it. any help?

The MPASM tools are installed with MPLAB. You may not get it if you downloaded the C18 or C30 versions of MPLAB. Or maybe you installed the interm update which MAY not be a full install?
Maybe the installer for MPLAB gave you the option to install MPASM Suite and you said no.
Guessing here.

You should be able to get this to work. Try reinstalling MPLAB. If you do not get the option to install MPASM you may need to download a different version.


The MPASM toolsuite should be installed in
C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPASM Suite

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The poster was designed with the ICD2 in mind, but you can simply ignore the select ICD2 programmer (set it to NONE) and MPLAB will create the all important .HEX file after a successful "build all" (Hello World.HEX) in the directory you selected for your project when using the Wizard)

Just run your programmer software and import or open the .hex file and Bobs your uncle.

 

[Souper man]

thanks! Ill try re-downloading the MPLAB today. Also, MY STUFF COMES IN TODAY!!!

 

[Souper man]

ITS IN!!!!!!!!
A MASSIVE BOX OF GOODIES!!!

The multimeter is a MYTECH 64, very well built and has tons of options.

I cannot find MPASM toolsuite, on MPLAB, but somehow I found a seprate MPASM program. Will this work?

 

[Souper man]

I still cant get MPASM on there. I need help!

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Download the full release of MPLAB from here
**broken link removed**

 

[Souper man]

ok, almost done, just stay on this thread and wait because I am going to be working on this all day.

 

[Souper man]

Ok I downloaded it and I am currently following the directions on the hello world poster.