Starting with MPLAB X and new hardware

[atferrari]

PIC micros.

Having worked with Win XP and PicStart Plus, always in Assembly, I will be resuming my activity now with Win 10 on my PC, after an almost three years impasse.

Writing in C is out of question.

To avoid wasting time, I would appreciate suggestions on the following:

a) After downloading MPLAB X ver 5.05, have not managed to download MPASM. It seems that I lost my chance when I was finishing the installation. I am at lost here. EDIT/ Found it, kind of built in. Please forget this point. /EDIT

b) Most recommended hardware. I never used a PicKit. I was even planning to buy an ICD3 !!

c) I would like to implement a few old projects that were 100% functional at the time.

d) I intend to continue, for now, focused on the 18F family.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Dan Soze]

As to your points:

a) You found that MPASM get installed with the IDE. Good job.

b) With your present focused on the PIC18F buy a genuine PICkit3 from Microchip.
The PICkit4 is not ready for prime time, the ICD3 seems too expensive for just the PIC18F.

c) Without seeing a sample can't comment .

d) Good choice to get comfortable with the IDE with a project you know works.

 

[gophert]

atferrari
Check the capabilities / compatibility with your favorite chips but the new SNAP programmer/debugger is only $12 plus shipping...

https://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails/PG164100#additional-summary

https://www.microchipdirect.com/product/search/all/PG164100

Use TP1927 coupon code for discount.
.
.
.

 

[atferrari]

gophert
As soon as I come back from Patagonia I will make a decision. Not sure of its limitations. I need few hours to browse the Web.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

b) With your present focused on the PIC18F buy a genuine PICkit3 from Microchip.
The PICkit4 is not ready for prime time, the ICD3 seems too expensive for just the PIC18F.

What's your problem with the PK4?.

 

[atferrari]

What's your problem with the PK4?.

atferrari
Check the capabilities / compatibility with your favorite chips but the new SNAP programmer/debugger is only $12 plus shipping...

https://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails/PG164100#additional-summary
https://www.microchipdirect.com/product/search/all/PG164100.

After a discouraging attention by the local representative on the phone, I managed to find this document

Whether Snap, PicKit4 or ICD4, there are no green G for almost the 100% of the 18F family. Am I understanding that table wrongly?

If true, I should I go the PicKit3 way. Do you agree?

BTW, anyone can tell about comparing Snap and PicKit4 in actual work?

 

[JonSea]

A PICkit 2 clone might serve you very well with 18F micros. True, it doesn't support some of the bleeding edge parts, but it supports the bulk of the 18F series. Less than $10 on ebay and you get logic analyzer and UART tool functionality too.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

After a discouraging attention by the local representative on the phone, I managed to find this document

Whether Snap, PicKit4 or ICD4, there are no green G for almost the 100% of the 18F family. Am I understanding that table wrongly?

If true, I should I go the PicKit3 way. Do you agree?

It's a new device, and still under development, but it works perfectly on everything I've thrown at it - it's considerably faster then the PK3, and also can supply more power to an external circuit.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Whether Snap, PicKit4 or ICD4, there are no green G for almost the 100% of the 18F family. Am I understanding that table wrongly?

You do realise that that table is primarily aimed at ICD! The programmer will program ANY pic chip... The SNAP however hasn't the voltage doubler circuit so it CANNOT EVER do HV programming...

LV programming isn't good if you need the LVP pin.... I haven't purchased the PK4 yet, but it'll be in my inventory sometime soon..

 

[atferrari]

This afternoon I got on the phone the "guy who knows". He explained that that list is referred to the suitability of the MPLAB X version - 5.05 in my case - I downloaded, and not the particular device used.

It seems that I have to decide then between Snap and PicKit 4.

 

[Pommie]

I'd avoid the snap if it can only do low voltage programming.

Mike.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

This afternoon I got on the phone the "guy who knows". He explained that that list is referred to the suitability of the MPLAB X version - 5.05 in my case - I downloaded, and not the particular device used.

I would suggest not using 5.05 - I installed it the other week, only to find out that it's not fully compatible with previous versions - not only does it change the file format (so you can't load them in a previous version - no other upgrades have done that), it also requires previous working source code to be modified before it will run. All in all a backwards step I thought?.

 

[atferrari]

I would suggest not using 5.05 - I installed it the other week, only to find out that it's not fully compatible with previous versions - not only does it change the file format (so you can't load them in a previous version - no other upgrades have done that), it also requires previous working source code to be modified before it will run. All in all a backwards step I thought?.

Or a leap forward with no return... Thanks for the warning, Nigel.

Las thing to check is the pay per features that seems nobody can explain (PicKit 4).

 

[rjenkinsgb]

That got me curious...
Looking at the release notes, they do include the facility to save in the old format, as a plugin component:

If you upgraded a project to v5.xx but need to revert a project back to v4.xx, install a plugin in MPLAB X IDE, under Tools>Plugins>Available Plugins>Save As v4.xx Project. Once that plugin is installed, you can save your project in the older version by selecting Tools>Embedded>Save as MPLAB X v4.xx Project.

 

[atferrari]

That got me curious...
Looking at the release notes, they do include the facility to save in the old format, as a plugin component:

Yes, you are right. I've read that but did not retain it; now I realize why: my last project was completed almost 3 years ago with MPLAB 8.92. No MPLBX until now. I will be starting really afresh.

And, just in case I repeat this here: Las thing to check is the pay per features that seems nobody can explain (PicKit 4).

 

[rjenkinsgb]

pay per features that seems nobody can explain (PicKit 4)

That seems to originate here:
https://www.microchip.com/forums/m1064990.aspx

It's talking about the feature comparison of the Snap programmer vs Pickit 4 - cheap vs not-so cheap.
eg. If you get a Pickit 4 you are paying extra for the features that the Snap programmer does not have, in the features table 1.1 (on page 4) in the data here:
https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/MPLAB Snap In-Circuit Debugger IS DS50002787A.pdf

[I use ICD3; not cheap but they work really well].