PBP3 download trial and purchase links

[Richards]

Hi all,
I wanted to try out PBP3 but can't seem to find a working download.
And when I press purchase I see "Out of stock".
Can anybody help me?

I tried these links:
https://picbasic.co.uk/
https://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/content.php/8-PICBASIC-Compiler
https://www.crownhill.co.uk/melabs-picbasic-pro-compiler.html
https://pbp3.com/downloads/PBP3_Setup.exe

[aerostar]

https://melabs.com/

[Ioannis]

For a strange reason I had to reload the page many times before it showed up.

https://store.melabs.com/prod/PBP/PBP3-4.html

But it works.
Ioannis

[Richards]

https://melabs.com/
https://store.melabs.com/prod/PBP/PBP3-4.html

Gives me continuously error
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

[Ioannis]

The link I posted is showing this at my end:

9465

Ioannis

[Richards]

I tried it now many many many times on 4 pc's (2x Win7, 2x Win10) and 3 Cell Phones without any luck.
Why should it be so hard to open a single webpage?

I can now find another working webpage that offers PBP3.1
https://www.mecanique.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=52
I (https://www.mecanique.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=52)s this the same software?

[Ioannis]

It is another company that makes the IDE and co-operates with Melabs.

You can also buy from them or https://www.crownhill.co.uk/02863.html (our boss that offers us this forum for free, Mr. Lester Wilson).

Ioannis

[Richards]

At the url page I read: "Availability No stock".

When I select "ADD TO WISH LIST" I still get the message PBP3, "No stock", £250.

[Ioannis]

I am sorry for the difficulties you face.

I am still able to access the main Melabs page here: http://store.melabs.com/cat/PBP.html for direct order.

You can also contact Lester Wilson at [email protected] to clarify why you cannot add to basket the product at his site.

Where are you located?

Ioannis

[lester]

Hi
Sorry about the no stock situation

We will correct that. Just awaiting some info from melabs

[Richards]

@Ioannis, I am located in the Netherlands.
@Lester, Thanks for the help.

1. Will this PBP3.1 work with MicroCodeStudio and which version to use and where to buy eventually?

2. Way back in the past I saw that with a USBwizard they could program 28pins and 40pins USBchips.
I don't know which version that was.
I read that PBP3.1 supports 20pins USBchips (18F14K50) but does it work in the USBwizard too?

[Ioannis]

The package of PBP 3.1 includes the Micro Code Studio IDE, so no worries about this.

But you have to stick with MPLABX 5.35 and NOT any newer version.

USBwizard, you mean the MIKROE one?

Ioannis

[Richards]

Ok, PBP 3.1 incl. MCS.
Ok, MPLABX 5.35 only.
(But can I have two MPLABs version installed and let PBP 3.1 only work with MPLABX 5.35 version?)

Not MIKROE(don't know what that is) but: PullDown->View->"EasyHID USB Wizard".

[Ioannis]

About USB I have the least experience so cannot help on that. Hopefully some other kind member may know more.

The MPLABX can coexist with older 8.xx versions. Checking my Program Files (x86) folder, Microchip installs MPLABX on separate folders, so I am pretty sure you can have different versions at the same time. Have not tested that, as I had no interest so far. Just make sure PBP compiler is directed to the proper MPLABX assembler.

Ioannis

[Richards]

Just make sure PBP compiler is directed to the proper MPLABX assembler.
Directed to MPLABX while installing or in settings?

How does the license work knowing that I will change(from Windows7 2010 Alienware laptop) to another laptop(Windows11) soon, then the license is transferable?

And how do software & new Microchips updates/upgrades work?

Sorry for so many questions, I'm new to this.

[Ioannis]

The license is good for three installations as I recall. So no problem with this.

Once you install the PBP and the MPLABX 5.35, the only update you may do is on the compiler itself if and when there will be one. MPLABX will not be updates as the PBP does not support any newer than 5.35 version.

From the settings of the MCS IDE/View/Compile and Program Options, you have two buttons (Default Path and Find Manually...) to direct IDE to the correct MPLABX assembler.

My settings are these on the attached screenshot.

Ioannis

[HenrikOlsson]

How does the license work knowing that I will change(from Windows7 2010 Alienware laptop) to another laptop(Windows11) soon, then the license is transferable?
Although Ioannis is correct in that you are indeed allowed to activate PBP on more than one machine don't forget to use the PBP Activation Manager to "deactivate" the license on that Alienware laptop before dispoing of computer in order to free up that instance of the license.

[Richards]

From the settings of the MCS IDE/View/Compile and Program Options, you have two buttons (Default Path and Find Manually...) to direct IDE to the correct MPLABX assembler.

My settings are these on the attached screenshot.

In your screenshot I can only see the "Default Path and Find Manually" of the PBP compiler and not, as you mentioned, path to the MPLABX assembler.

@HenrikOlsson
I hope that I wil be in time to use the PBP activation Manager to deactivate the license because when problems happen it's already to late like a drive crash.

Can I work offline with this PBP license?

[HenrikOlsson]

If the drive crashes and you're not able to deactivate the license I'd contact MeLabs and ask them for help. Given their record I'm sure they'll help you out.

The Activation Manager needs internet access during the activation process. Once activated the compiler will work without internet connection. There IS also a way to "manually" activate the license on a machine without internet access.

If/when MeLabs shuts down business I hope they will release a version of the compiler that has the license activation removed completely.

[Ioannis]

In your screenshot I can only see the "Default Path and Find Manually" of the PBP compiler and not, as you mentioned, path to the MPLABX assembler.

I am not sure what you want to see in the path.

You just select either manually or by default. You will not see the actual path.

Ioannis

[HenrikOlsson]

Someone is overthinking and overcomplicating things. This is not Linux :-)

The confusion likely comes from the following:

From the settings of the MCS IDE/View/Compile and Program Options, you have two buttons (Default Path and Find Manually...) to direct IDE to the correct MPLABX assembler.

In the referenced dialog you do set the path to the compiler, ie PBP and not the assembler. There is a checkbox to tell it to use MPASMX assembler instead of the old MPASM assembler but no way to set the path to IT.

When PBP3 installs it automatically launches a tool that should find the path to the assembler. That tool is available in the PBP3 Start Menu folder after installation and can be run manually if needed.

Just run the installer and follow the instructions.

[Richards]

It all makes sense now, thanks to you both.
Could be that while installing and using the software I wil need some help.
I'm now waiting patiently to buy PBP3.1 online

[HenrikOlsson]

You still not been able to purchase it?
My guess is sales of PBP is pretty low these days so it's a pitty that someone who actually wants to buy it seems to not be able to...

In the meantime you can download and install MPLABX 5.35 from here:
https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/MPLABX-v5.35-windows-installer.exe

[Ioannis]

The direct link http://store.melabs.com/cat/PBP.html works just fine for me.

Sometimes, I do not know why, the page needs 6-10 time of refreshing to load completely (I am on Opera if that matters), but can order just fine.

Ioannis

[Richards]

I already installed MPLABX 5.35 correctly.

On two computers I installed opera to buy and download PBP3.1 that also did not work.
9470

Even on my Android phone I get...
9471

[Ioannis]

Try to insist on, refreshing page many times.

I had to do this 15-20 times to succeed!

Ioannis

[richard]

If/when MeLabs shuts down business I hope they will release a version of the compiler that has the license activation removed completely.

me too... and judging by spam content that is going unmoderated on the official forum it may be not that far off

[Richards]

I've tried it about 30 times.

[Ioannis]

OK... Any news from Lester?

Ioannis

[Richards]

No sadly no response yet other than on 15 september the post #10 of this thread.

[Ioannis]

Maybe if you contact directly Charles Leo, owner of Melabs?

Ioannis

[HenrikOlsson]

Strange - and sad. Very sad.
I would have given up already and went to a competing product.

Crownhill (the company that hosts this forum) did have their own compiler. It's now end of life but available free of charge (though it looks like you need to register to actually download it):
https://www.crownhill.co.uk/category-41.html

The Positron compilers (seems to be a spin-off or continuation of the Proton compiler) is another attractive alternative:
https://sites.google.com/view/rosetta-tech/home

If you're targeting 2only" the PIC18 series then Swordfish might be interesting:
https://www.sfcompiler.co.uk/swordfish/

Then we have the offerings from MikroE:
https://www.mikroe.com/mikrobasic-pic

Personally I've been somewhat interested in Positron but have not tried it yet.
I'm sure there are others that I've missed.

[Ioannis]

The MikroE seems also to slowed down development.

There is also this, the Great Cow Basic, open source:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/gcbasic/

Ioannis

[richard]

None of them are in any way a close fit to what you have learned from pbp so it will be a big learning cure only to sink into another programming cul de sac.
its C all the way down for me

[Richards]

@HenrikOlsson & @Ioannis
Thanks for the software alternatives.
I was not aware of most of them.

@richard
"None of them are in any way a close fit to what you have learned from pbp..."
PBP is better?


Maybe if you contact directly Charles Leo, owner of Melabs?
Ioannis
How can I do that?

[richard]

PBP is better?

You would need to define what better means to you
pbp has no Strings, no floats, no ability to select between signed and unsigned procedure's
pbb cannot do 32 bit math on anything but pic18 chips and then only if you compile for longs
pbp has a very limited range of variable types and no inherent ability to use user defined memory structures
pbb cannot use pointers [address of objects in memory] natively
pbp is very efficient, can have user defined functions, works well with limited memory chips
pbp allows assembly code to woven in seamlessly
pbp has a good forum with heaps of example code
pbp has lots of ways to side step its limitations due to its very open architecture

[Ioannis]

Email him here:

Charles Leo

[email protected]

Ioannis

[Richards]

@richard
Thanks for the short summary of all Pro's & Con's of PBP.
I will keep that in mind when choosing a software package.

@Ioannis
Thanks for the contact info.

[Ioannis]

MikroE said that they have put all of their resources to the Necto environment and left other products a bit behind, but will pick from where they left them.

I guess is the same old story repeating again as Melabs. Product does not sell as it used to be, so they leave it...

Ioannis

[Richards]

I have some more questions if I may:


The link I posted is showing this at my end:

9465

Ioannis

a) Can someone send me a screenshot of the Products page of the website?
I also want to purchase the manual and can't see the price and if it is selectable as paperbook or digital.


The package of PBP 3.1 includes the Micro Code Studio IDE, so no worries about this.


b) I remember reading somewhere that MicroCodeStudio can be purchased separately, but why sell it separately if it's already bundled in PBP3.1?

c) I am using the microchip 18F47K40 that is not (yet) supported by PBP3.1 according to the PBP-chiplist (https://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/content.php/420-Supported-Devices).
Can this chip, and maybe others in the near future, be added to the software as supported chips?

[Ioannis]

I have some more questions if I may:
a) Can someone send me a screenshot of the Products page of the website?


The compiler includes the pdf manual that you can print on your printer if you like, or in a near print shop. I think it might be cheaper that way. Also in the latest compiler there are some text readme files that add more info to the manual. But then again here is the latest compiler version (3.1.6), the latest manual (dated back to 2015) and some notes: https://pbp3.com/download_current.html


b) I remember reading somewhere that MicroCodeStudio can be purchased separately, but why sell it separately if it's already bundled in PBP3.1?


The difference is in the P as MCS is free and MCSP, the plus (+) version, is paid. It animated in-circuit debug and also a microcode loader (kind of a bootloader). I guess not very much needed. You can send some variables to a serial port and monitor the flow of your program. Also bootloaders are available I guess.

From the Mecanique.co.uk site https://www.mecanique.co.uk/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=20_60:

More ICD Model Files than the standard version
An ICD Model Creator Wizard - create your own ICD Models!
Single commercial and educational license
MicroCode Loader Software



c) I am using the microchip 18F47K40 that is not (yet) supported by PBP3.1 according to the PBP-chiplist (https://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/content.php/420-Supported-Devices).
Can this chip, and maybe others in the near future, be added to the software as supported chips?

That list is obsolete as there was an update of the compiler and now supports the 47K40 chip, among few more newer. Here is the updated one: https://pbp3.com/devicelist.html

But I am pretty sure there will be no other updates in the future. The last version of the compiler was 3.1.6.

Ioannis

[Richards]

MCSP, the plus (+) version, is paid. It animated in-circuit debug and also a microcode loader (kind of a bootloader). I guess not very much needed. You can send some variables to a serial port and monitor the flow of your program. Also bootloaders are available I guess.

Thanks for the info although I didn't know what the above functions means but nice to know there is even more possible ;-)