New PBP3 user

[muddy0409]

Hi all.
Just upgraded to PBP3 silver

On compiling a simple pgm, I get the following...

ERROR: Unable to execute MPASMX.

Any clues?

[muddy0409]

ok, looks like I gotta use MPASMWIN, so I unchecked the USE MPASMX in the assembler selection.
MPASMWIN should now be my assembler, so will give it a try.

[muddy0409]

ok, A little bit of jiggery pokery looks like its going.
Thanks.
Am now printing on a LCD

[muddy0409]

All seems to be working OK.
Just one more question:
In my old MCS 2.60 when selecting COMPILE PROGRAM the programmer (MELABS usb model) loads up all ready to PROGRAM VERIFY from the programmer popup.
However, in the MCS attached to BP3, at the completion of the COMPILE PROGRAM action, the programmer loads up, but I still have to OK the assembly completion POPUP before I can tell the programmer to PROGRAM.
Is there a way to automate this operation the same as in 2.60? I have looked thru the help in both MCS and MEPROG but can't really see anything pertaining to this. Probably wouldn't recognise the way to do it anyway, even if it was spelt out.

Thanks.

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
I don't have that programmer so I'm just guessing here but try changing Edit -> Compile and Program Option -> MPASM Close After Assembly.

/Henrik.

[muddy0409]

I have tried that. It comes up with

Error in parameter "/s".

Dunno what that means.

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
Do you get the same error if you click the [Compile] button instead of the [Compile and Program] button?
I'm trying to determine if the error message is comming from the compiler, the assembler or the programmer software.

EDIT: Ok, it's most likely from the assembler.....
The /s parameters is what controls the MPASM progress window. Looking at an older version of the MPASM documentation they don't mention that parameter/switch at all though. My guess is that the version of MPASM you have installed is too old....

Find the MPASMWIN.exe and double click it. What version does it say in the titlebar? My MPLAB installation is 8.85 and the MPASM version within it is 5.45 and I don't have the issue you mention.

You can download an installpackage including MPLAB 8.90 from MeLabs download page. If your MPASM version is older than 5.45 I suggest you do that and try again.

/Henrik.

[muddy0409]

5.49

Didn't the MPASM suite come with the PBP3 download, only 3 weeks ago? That should have been the latest then?

I does say for win 9x, I want to keep the same version on my Win7/64 laptop and my XP pro desktop PC.
I may have even left the older version active on the lappy for that reason. So if that is the case, this version has been working as I want it, on the desktop for years. So that would suggest the assembling instruction from PBP3 is the problem. I will just shoot out into the workshop and check that what I just said is correct.

This whole problem is no big deal, it is, after all, just 1 more mouse click. I just wondered why the difference.

[muddy0409]

Hmmmm...curiouser & curiouser.

The desktop (XP pro) has the same version of MPASM, installed in 2013.
PBP3 was installed 2 weeks ago.

The programmer does what I want on the PC.

The laptop Win7/64 has the same MPASM also installed in 2013
PBP3 was installed 2 weeks ago.

PBP 2.60 works the way I want, on both machines.

To my simple way of thinking, the only difference is the WIN versions. XPpro vs Win7/64

Oh dear!

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
Yes, if you download the package including MPLAB/MPASM then you might not get the latest but you should get one that should work.
You mention an older version being left on the laptop, is it possible that you've got MicroCodeStudio setup to point at that older version?

There's a tool called PBP_MPASM_Connector.exe (in PBP3\MPASM-MPLAB_Setup\). Run it and make sure that it points to the current version of your MPASM installation and not the old one.

I run PBP3 on two W7 64bit machines (and previously on one XP machine) and I haven't seen this /s parameter error - which again may have nothing to do with your initial question regarding the programmer.....

/Henrik.

[muddy0409]

There is no PBP3\MPASM-MPLAB_Setup anywhere.

PBP_MPASM_Connector.exe is in MPASM_suite.

Ran that with no difference in the outcome.

Dammit, I just will put up with the extra mouse-click required.
Thank you so much for all the hair pulling. I just hope you don't lose any more sleep over this.

Shit, these things are great when they work as you expect & want them to, ain't they?
I s'pose I'm just getting too picky in me old age.

Thanks again Henrik.
We will undoubtedly run into each other again, the next time something crops up, if I don't switch these damn things off permanently first.

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
That doesn't sound right.....
On my system there's C:\PBP3\MPASM-MPLAB_SETUP\PBP_MPASM_Connector.exe Obviously you might have PBP3 installed somewhere else but I can't see how the PBP_MPASM_Connector.exe would end up in the MPASM Suite installation folder....

Simply running it won't change anything. If you have multiple versions of MPASM installed you must make sure that the path to the correct version is what the tool points to. If the tool point to the older version you have on your system then that is what PBP will invoke for assembly and you'll get the /s parameter error - that's theory anyway.....

/Henrik.

[muddy0409]

Did have 2 versions of MPLAB.exe, 5.49 installed feb 2013 and 5.03 inst mar 2006

deleted the early one and reran the mplab setup then checked the close thing in PBP3 assembler edit.
ALL NOW CORRECT

So should I delete the full MPASM stuff and install the latest? But I am rather inclined to now leave well enough alone. Ya think?

[HenrikOlsson]

Great!
Personally I'd leave it alone until I see a specific reason (like lack of support for a specific chip) for updating.
I don't know if 5.49 even might BE the latest.

/Henrik.

[muddy0409]

Boy o boy.
I finally decided to do something that someone agrees with.
Yep, I will leave well enough alone. I only use the smaller 16F and some 16C chips that all appear to be supported.
Thank you so much for listening and helping.
If I can be any help to you in future, please do not hesitate to contact me. That should give us both something to laugh about??

Thanks again.

[Acetronics2]

So should I delete the full MPASM stuff and install the latest? But I am rather inclined to now leave well enough alone. Ya think?

Hi, Peter

as the latest 8.92 MPLAB IDE is working pretty fine ...

why not install it "as is " ... ???

That would avoid any surprise in the future ...
and you wouldn't have to ask yourself if the "xxxxxer" version is the correct one or not ...

Just my two cents ...

Alain

[muddy0409]

I think I will leave well enough alone.
Thanks Alain.