Programming ultimatum

[Nigel Goodwin]

What are the advantages to this? Sounds like more work.

The advantage is that you're not struggling for spare I/O, so you can leave the programming/debugging pins used for just that function.

As long as you use the same series of PIC (16F etc.) it's trivial to switch to your original target processor after debugging - it's particularly common on small devices like the 16F508 etc. where pins are seriously at a premium.

 

[Mr RB]

I'm not sure if anyone already mentioned this but the PGD and PGC pins can be left connected to your circuitry while you program the chip in-circuit and no switch is needed.

However for this to work you need to make sure the PGD and PGC pins are not connected to something like a capacitor. Generally if they are connected to your circuitry through a resistor of 2k2 (or higher) there should be no problem with ICSP while leaving those pins connected to the circuitry.

 

[AGCB]

I'm not sure if anyone already mentioned this but the PGD and PGC pins can be left connected to your circuitry while you program the chip in-circuit and no switch is needed.

However for this to work you need to make sure the PGD and PGC pins are not connected to something like a capacitor. Generally if they are connected to your circuitry through a resistor of 2k2 (or higher) there should be no problem with ICSP while leaving those pins connected to the circuitry.

I generally have PORTB conected to LEDs or 7 segment through 560 ohm resistors so that will not work then, am I right. I've used a multi pole switch to move the programmer in and out of the circuit and this is working fine so guess I'll keep doing it this way.
Thasnks Aaron