ICD Question

[abecker]

Can somebody point me to details on using the In Circuit Debugger? I assume I'll have to begin by purchasing the full-featured version. I now have v5.0.0.5
I also use the MEL Serial Programmer to program boards. Will I need a new programmer? I need a link to complete instructions and products list to get started with this.

[mpgmike]

The PBP/Microcode Studio version of debugging requires UART pins. The Microchip ICSP feature uses a suitable Programmer/Debugger like the PICkit4 or ICD4 (or the now out-dated PICkit3). If you have the PBP Plug-In installed in MPLABX v5.35, it may be able to debug. I know it can debug ASM code, never tried MPLABX with PBP though. If your code is Assembly, you could also just port the HEX file into MPLABX for debugging. There may be other options I'm not aware of.

[abecker]

mpgmike,

Thanks for the heads up on the MicroCode Studio. I gather from what you said that MicroCode Studio only functions with UART pins. If I understand to really see values of variables with PicBasic Pro one would have to wire up an LCD and print the "var" value (or use DEBUGOUT, etc.) to it in any format appropriate to view. This is what I do now but it does not implement breakpoints

I have contemplated the PicKit4 route and I have worked in C in MPLABX but not ever using PBP3 as a language source. I'm not "out of my depth" with C but my experience in that world comes from "Desktop Applications" side not PIC firmware. I personally find PBP3 more suited to the task of coding in an 8-bit world that doesn't rely heavily on computational muscle, strong typing and structures or tricky string handling, etc.

It looks like for all practical purposes I should just stick to my present creative ways to use DEBUGOUT in my lines of code or lacking that ways of blinking an led to show which way a branch occurred or the value of a "var." There are plenty of ways to skin a cat if a cat needs skinning (hope PETA isn't listening)

[mpgmike]

If you have a spare pin, you could put a "breakpoint" in the software and:

DO
PAUSE 1
WHILE Button = 0

[abecker]

Thanks for the tip!