Newb Needs Help Programming a PIC

[Atti2d4u2]

Hi, I am new to the forum, and new to micro controllers as well. I have a pretty decent understanding of electronics, and elementary programming skills with most of that experience being of the BASIC variety. I have been interested in learning to work with micro controllers for a few years, but didn't know where to start. Too many choices, with die hard supporters of each to be found surfing the web. This is a only a hobby for me, and I have a limited amount of "disposable" income to spend playing around with these things. I recently decided to dive in, and bought 2 demo boards, one with an ATtiny chip, and the other with a Microchip Pic 16F877A chip. Once I received them I realized that I would need a separate USB programmer before I would get anywhere, so I ordered a k149-bc programmer. I now have that, but I'm still lost as to what to do with any of it. I'm hoping someone here will be kind enough to walk me through the process and/or refer me to where I can find a good tutorial, and recommend the easiest software to accomplish writing and loading a program into this chip. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated as this is becoming an exercise in frustration. Thanks in advance!

 

[Ian Rogers]

You have to download microbrn from ozitronics to upload the program.. this PDF will help... https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2011/12/k149f.pdf

Once you write.... assemble / compile a program, you then load the hex file via this program.

P.S. it also mentions that the BC version had issues.

 

[Atti2d4u2]

More Info...

I guess I left something out... I have the software that came with the programmer, that handles the data transfer to the PIC. What I need mostly is a program that will allow me to create a program with commands similar to BASIC, that is either freeware, shareware or inexpensive, and that will build a .hex file that the programmer software can use. Does something like this exist? Thanks again for the help.

 

[Ian Rogers]

MPLAB is a free download (beware!! it currently sits at 167mb, large ish download) This will install Hitech lite.. That means you will have an assembler and a c compiler to start programming with

If you visit the links in my signature.. Nigel has designed some awesome starter boards you can easily build yourself. You'll son be up and running.

The cheapest basic compiler (used on this forum) is oshonsoft....https://www.oshonsoft.com/pic.html
A free one is here...https://www.best-microcontroller-projects.com/pic-basic-gcbasic-ezine4.html

 

[georgetwo]

If you Realy need a basic compiler,
oshonsoft would be nice. I realy like it because
of its simulator. Besides there is an oshonsoft forum here too.

 

[Atti2d4u2]

Thanks for the responses. The programmer is looking for a .hex file. Are all the above recommendations capable of producing such a file?

 

[Pommie]

SourceBoost make BoostC and BoostBasic, both of which have a free version. BoostBasic is good if you know VB as it resembles it closely. It's a little fiddly to integrate into MPLAB but full instructions are in the manual.

All the above suggestions will produce a hex file.

Mike.