Will PBP work in Vista64?

[Countryman]

I am deciding on which PIC Basic compiler to buy and have downloaded demos of both MikroBasic and PICBASIC Pro. The former runs perfectly but PICBASIC gives the error message; "PBPDEMO\PM.EXE cannot start or run due to incompatibity (sic!) with 64-bit versions of Windows". I have tried running as 'Administrator' and setting the app to run in XP compatibility mode but with no success.

Is there a solution or should I buy the MikroBasic product?

Thanks.

[Ioannis]

At least on my vista 32 is ok. I really love to hear about 64.

Ioannis

[mister_e]

I would suggest you to submit a ticket to Melabs tech support. They're really kind and answer pretty fast. Probably they know a workaround?

[email protected]

[ScaleRobotics]

At least on my vista 32 is ok. I really love to hear about 64.

Ioannis

Yes, it is working on my 64 bit Vista with Micro Code Studio Plus.

[mister_e]

Out of curiosity, at your first post did you used MPLAB or what? If it's MPLAB 8.2, you may have some problem indeed, but it's not a Melabs issue, you may try MPLAB 8.15, which is available on Melabs website.

[Countryman]

Yes, it is working on my 64 bit Vista with Micro Code Studio Plus.

Interesting! My copy of 'MicroCode Studio' launches fine and it is only when I click on 'compile program' that I get the error as attached. Did the programme work 'out of the box' in Vista64 for you?

Cheers.

[mister_e]

try using MPASM as assembler to see what happen.

[Countryman]

Out of curiosity, at your first post did you used MPLAB or what? If it's MPLAB 8.2, you may have some problem indeed, but it's not a Melabs issue, you may try MPLAB 8.15, which is available on Melabs website.

Hi Steve,

I do have MPLAB 8.10 installed on the machine but what effect does that have? I downloaded the demo and it (just) installed 'MicroCodeStudio' and (I guess) the PICBASIC demo stuff. No mention was made of having to have 'MPLAB' already installed.

Confused R us!!

[mister_e]

If I'm right, and as per your error message, PM assembler is build in 16 bit, and Vista 64 can't cope with 16 Bits. MPASM assembler (which come with MPLAB) should be build in 32 bits, this is something Vista 64 should handle.

Well, that's my own and personal understanding of it. I never use PM as assembler, but MPASM.

I guess one day Melabs may release PM in 32bits, or just suggest to use MPASM instead OR have MPASM installed in.

In MicroCode Studio, click on View > Compile and program option >> Assempler and check 'use MPASM' box. That should do the trick... finger crossed.

[Countryman]

If I'm right, and as per your error message, PM assembler is build in 16 bit, and Vista 64 can't cope with 16 Bits. MPASM assembler (which come with MPLAB) should be build in 32 bits, this is something Vista 64 should handle.

Well, that's my own and personal understanding of it. I never use PM as assembler, but MPASM.

I guess one day Melabs may release PM in 32bits, or just suggest to use MPASM instead OR have MPASM installed in.

In MicroCode Studio, click on View > Compile and program option >> Assempler and check 'use MPASM' box. That should do the trick... finger crossed.

Hi Steve,

It worked (I think)! I carried out your suggestion and the prog went off and found 'MPASM'. It couldn't find my programmer though (PICkit 2) but I guess that this is a seperate issue. I loaded one of the demo files and, after I made a few changes and re-named it, it went off and generated an 'asm' file. This opened fine in MPLAB IDE.

If 'PM.exe' doesn't work and I am using 'MPLAB' to generate code do I actually need to buy 'PICBASIC' or merely 'MicroCode Studio'? There's a big difference in price!!

Many thanks for your patient help, it is greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[mister_e]

You can use MicroCode Studio free version. Unless you purchase a specific bundle, PICBasic Pro compiler come with the Free Version of MicroCode Studio. MicroCode Studio is just the code editor.

MicroCode Studio PLUS offer the ICD feature + Bootloader firmwares. To start, you may don't need those feature.

You could still do everything in MPLAB if you want, but still you need to buy PICBASIC compiler. MPLAB have some feature that MicroCode Studio don't have. On the Other hand, MicroCode Studio have some feature that MPLAB don't have, first one being Serial communicator + Ability to add a new programmer with command line.

In MicroCode Studio, you want to manually point the IDE to your MPASM installation folder. usually c:\program files\MicroChip\Mpasm suite

Same thing when you add a third party programmer such as PICFlash, PICKIT 2 and so on.

Now if you hesitate between PICBASIC and PICBASIC PRO... if you have the cash for PICBASIC PRO, then do it, it will save you load of headaches.

[Countryman]

You can use MicroCode Studio free version. Unless you purchase a specific bundle, PICBasic Pro compiler come with the Free Version of MicroCode Studio. MicroCode Studio is just the code editor.

MicroCode Studio PLUS offer the ICD feature + Bootloader firmwares. To start, you may don't need those feature.

You could still do everything in MPLAB if you want, but still you need to buy PICBASIC compiler. MPLAB have some feature that MicroCode Studio don't have. On the Other hand, MicroCode Studio have some feature that MPLAB don't have, first one being Serial communicator + Ability to add a new programmer with command line.

In MicroCode Studio, you want to manually point the IDE to your MPASM installation folder. usually c:\program files\MicroChip\Mpasm suite

Same thing when you add a third party programmer such as PICFlash, PICKIT 2 and so on.

Now if you hesitate between PICBASIC and PICBASIC PRO... if you have the cash for PICBASIC PRO, then do it, it will save you load of headaches.

Thanks Steve, this has helped a lot concerning my purchasing decision.

[mister_e]

Great,
hope to see you here again soon.