Hello from a complete newbie to PICs

[AndyFreestone]

Now for the first really stupid question.

I "think" I've got the USB issue sorted out as Windows 7 can now see my EasyPIC v7 board.

I'd like to use PBP Basic as it seems far more intuitive to me than MikroBasic.

PBP Basic calls upon MPLAB IDE v8.85 which doesn't appear to support the EasyPIC v7 board.

I've also got MPLAB X IDE v1.70 which does support the EasyPIC v7.


Am I correct in assuming that PBP Basic will output some form of HEX file that any IDE program can then download into a PIC ?

As I said, I'm new to this - just playing at the moment

Andy

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
The EasyPIC7 is basically 3 things in one.
1) A general purpose development board. This is just hardware, chips, LEDS, buttons, jumpers, displays, sockets etc - doesn't know or care what compiler you're using.
2) A PIC Device programmer. This is used with the MikroE programmer application to program the .hex file into the actual PIC on the board. The programmer application doesn't care what compiler you used to create the .hex file.
3) A debugger. This works as an integrated part of the MikroE IDE so you can not use it with PBP. You mention MPLAB X but IF the debugger IS supported from within MPLAB X (which I doubt) you'd still have to use the MikroE compiler as a tool inside MPLAB X.

Now, PBP3 compiles your BASIC program and then uses the assembler from MPLAB v8.85 to assemble the program into a .hex file which you then programmed into the PIC in whatever suitable way. Neither PBP3 or MPLAB knows or cares about the EasyPIC7 board or its device programmer - all they do is generate the .hex file. You simply load the .hex file into the MikroE programmer application and program the PIC.

/Henrik.