USB - First try - PIC 18F4550

[atferrari]

PIC 18F4550.

After downloading the Brad Minch's LAB1 software for USB, and having read a lot, I have some questions:
a) What is the software I should run in the PC (much like Hyperterminal when using old RS-232)? Is it anything like that included with Windows XP?

b) LEDs blinking on the PIC side, and on the PC's screen I should see what?

c) I managed to understand he uses PORTB to get additional info on the progress but I can not see how to make of good use of this software for a simple application sending just plain text to PC (debugging purposes and eventual final use with my board) and receiving from time to time simple ASCII codes from the PC.

d) It seems that even Jan Axelson have been using some basic software initially supplied by Microchip (is it USBCH9.ASM or something like that?) I couldn't find it after searching for long time.

Sorry, is my first time with USB and I work in Assembler. And yes, I have read USB rev 2.0.

Help appreciated.

 

[arhi]

b) LEDs blinking on the PIC side, and on the PC's screen I should see what?

You need some sort of USB terminal that will connect to USB port and read/write. I personally use HIDTerminal.exe provided with MikroC compiler (it is available in demo version too) but i'm not too satisfied with it. an generale, you would have to create your own driver for win to communicate between your app and the usb device ... some prog packages (VB, VS etc) have functions that will allow you to "talk" with usb directly but I personally never tried. The other way is to "make your device present itself as recognisable device", for e.g. serial adapter, so then the win will autoinstall drivers as you connect your device and then you can use standard serial libraries on windoze (or hyper term) to talk to your pic. This is imho better then writing your own driver on the windoze side, but it requires more development on the pic side. I never tried that neither but I'm pretty sure you can find some examples on how to tell windoze your pic is usb2serial adapter. for e.g. here is the microchip example on how to do just that:
https://www.microchipc.com/sourcecode/#pic18f4550usb

your pic will tell windoze it is standard serial port, windoze will create new port and you can connect to it using hyper terminal

 

[atferrari]

Plain USB wanted

You need some sort of USB terminal that will connect to USB port and read/write. I personally use HIDTerminal.exe provided with MikroC compiler (it is available in demo version too) but i'm not too satisfied with it. an generale, you would have to create your own driver for win to communicate between your app and the usb device ... some prog packages (VB, VS etc) have functions that will allow you to "talk" with usb directly but I personally never tried.

Yes, that is what I am looking for.

Is it possible to obtain HIDTerminal.exe for free?

 

[mister_e]

you just need to download MikroC demo software. HID terminal is part of their IDE.

https://www.mikroe.com/en/compilers/mikroc/pic/download.htm

 

[Pommie]

Microchip had a HID control for VB that was downloadable from their site. It doesn't seem to be available anymore. I still have the install file if it is of any interest. I think it was withdrawn due to problems with .net.

Mike.

 

[atferrari]

Good, Mike. Sure I am interested.

What were the problems? Anything that could means problems to me? Win XP & SP2, MPLAB working in assembler.

Pleased to hear of alternatives...!

 

[Pommie]

I was using the 16c745 in asm. The HID control worked fine for me but I think that was before SP2. I just tried installing the control (XP Pro SP2) and it won't install.

I'm having problems attaching it but the same file is available from this page. (HIDCOMM_b.exe)

Mike.

 

[atferrari]

And now what, Pommie?

Downloaded & installed, but I can not find an EXE (other than that of setup).

Should be one after installing? How to launch it?

At lost. Yes I ignore almost everything about PCs, more and more as time passes by.

Thanks for being so helpful as usual.

 

[Pommie]

After it is installed it should appear as a component in VB. Try adding a component and see if it is in the list. It is exactly the same as using the MSCOMM control.

Mike.