Windows 7 / MPLab 8.2 and later

[Charles Linquis]

Has anyone found a solution to the issue that results from using Windows 7 and MPLab 8.2 or later?

If you aren't familiar, the compile and assy process works, but opens a blank command prompt window and then takes a very long time to complete. Is there a fix that doesn't involve using the virtual XP mode?

[Darrel Taylor]

It's not a Win7 issue.
But an MPASMWIN issue.

If you go to Start > Microchip > MPLAB IDE v8.43 > MPASMWIN
You'll see the same DOS window pop-up. (but you get the GUI too).
It does the same thing with WinXP.

I don't know why it takes so long either.
If you compile the ASM directly with MPASMWIN, it doesn't take nearly as long.

If it's to be solved within MCS, I think David Barker has to do it.

MPASMWIN has no problems from within MPLAB or Proteus. Still nice and fast, and no pop-ups.
<br>

[Charles Linquis]

Could it be one of the parameters passed between MCS and MPASMWIN? Is there some way or utility that I could use to see what is being passed?

[Darrel Taylor]

This is an oddball way of doing it, but...

If you rename the PBPW.exe file to something else.
And copy another program like Notepad.exe, and rename it PBPW.exe ...

Then when you compile, notepad will pop-up.
It's just there to stop the compile process, but leave it open.

Go to the folder with the file you are compiling, and you'll see a run.bat and run.pif.

Those contain all the parameters passed by MCS.

When you close Notepad, those files will be deleted.

Don't forget to restore PBPW.

hth,

[Art]

Hi Guys,
I still use an old MPLAB. Pretty soon I'll have to put a newer v of MPLAB
on my laptop because the current one doesn't support the Picstart Plus
and the laptop doesn't have a paralell or serial port. I have just ordered one of these:
https://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=4
It's not a real Picstart Plus, but I suppose it looks and acts like one to MPLAB.

Do you think the problem you are talking about will affect pic programming in MPLAB with Windows 7 or just making changes to the pic program?

[mackrackit]

Hi Art,

Curious about how old your MPLAB is. I got my PICSTART+ around ten years ago and MPLAB supported it then.

So far I have only used a PICKIT2 on Win7 and have not had any problems there.

[Charles Linquis]

As Darrel mentions, the problem is not with Win7, but with MPLAB versions later than 8.15a in conjunction with MCStudio.

Compiles work fine, but during the assembly process, a CMD window opens and it eventually completes successfully. I just takes a looooooooong time.

I have heard that Mchip is aware of the problem and will fix it in a soon-to-be-released version.

[Acetronics2]

Hi, Charles

Not only MCS !!! MPLAB takes quite the same time to "build" the Hex ... ( I tried the same program with both : no major difference !!! )

but I prefer the MPASM progress bar ... colours are nice ! ( lol )

and I still use XP SP 3 ...

Alain

[Art]

Hi Art,

Curious about how old your MPLAB is. I got my PICSTART+ around ten years ago and MPLAB supported it then.

So far I have only used a PICKIT2 on Win7 and have not had any problems there.

I'm using 5.70.00 dated 2001 on my desktop. There's no Programmer drop down menu in it.
I had an MPLAB version 6.xx on my hard drive from a while back though, and I got that working ok with PBP.