Programming multiple pics with multiple programs

[wdmagic]

I like to use headers for programming, designed into the circuit from the beginning. you could have a set of headers and use a interface board between your programmers and regular board. You could use 1 programmer and use bus switches to determine which chip is programmed. a simple 628 chip with a button select and a couple leds could drive the bus switches.

Also if you dont want to do this and still want to use 3 programmers, then any of the pins tied togeter use a jumper, remove jumper to program.

[Luckyborg]

How were you envisioning switching between programs? As far as I can tell the field programmer only holds one program at a time. For my circumstances it isn't practical to bring our products to a PC, and I don't think I would trust my production floor to swap SD cards all the time without losing them or just inserting the wrong one at the wrong time. Do you know of any other model programmer that allows for something similar?

Luckily on my design none of the data or clock pins are tied together, so that only leaves the MCLR pins between two chips I would either have to jumper like you both mentioned or just program one at a time. I would have to think about which is more practical/economical.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Any other ideas are also appreciated.
Thanks
David

[mackrackit]

I have not tried it yet, but Microchip will pre-program chips when ordering.

[Luckyborg]

At this point I probably should look into that, see what they charge per chip.

Thanks