Figured Out MPLAB X

[Art]

Step 1)
Familiarise yourself with the concept and lisencing for GNU software:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Ge...Public_License

Step 2)
Become rightfully pissed off with Microchip for selling something they made
absolutely no contribution toward the creation of, and non-compiance with GNU
for deliberately introducing difficulties compiling source after anyone has done so.
The former, they have every right to do, although morally reprehensible, and not at
all in the spirit of open source software. The later is a blatant GNU lisence breach.

Step 3)
Download the current version of XC16 for Apple Mac OS, or Windows directly from Microchip.
The current XC16 is version 1.33. Install MPLAB-X and XC16 normally.

Step 4)
Locate in Windows:
C:\Program Files\Microchip\xc16\v1.33\bin\bin\elf-cc1.exe

Locate in Mac OS:
/Applications/microchip/xc16/v1.33/bin/bin/elf-cc1

Back up this orginal file somewhere.

Step 5)
Take what already belongs to you, which is specifically GCC (XC16/32).

Open the original file from it’s original location with any hex editor program.

For Windows:
Find file offset: 0x161E7E, and change the original value 0x85 to 0x84.

For Mac OS:
Find file offset: 0x64CCC7, and change the original value 0x85 to 0x84.

Save the file, and you now have the pro version with every level optimisation.
Free as it was intended by it’s actual authors, who see none of the $1000 Microchip ask.

[Aussie Barry]

Hi Art,

Are you saying that by following the five steps outlined in your last post, a person will end up with a full version of XC8 - with all the bells and whistles?

Cheers
Barry
VK2XBP

[Art]

That example was for XC16 specifically, but I can also help with XC32.
These are both GCC (General Cross Compiler), and you already have the absolute right to use unrestricted, fully unlocked versions of them for free,
so long as you agree to the GNU license terms and conditions.

I can’t say the same of XC8, and can’t help with that either in public or private.
That said, they are both C, and it wouldn’t be a huge jump to use XC16 with a 16 bit pic.
Select the right device and you get zero overhead looping.

Mods/Admin may feel uncomfortable about this kind of thing as it is, and if so, I guess it will be deleted,
which is ok, but it won’t be because posting it was the wrong thing to do.

I told Microchip exactly why I cancelled my paid XC16 subscription, and received no reply. Were I ever to hear anything from them I didn’t like,
I’d run straight to the Free Software Foundation, who have the time, money, resource, and willingness to pound Microchip’s legal team into the mud.

[richard]

they might be on to you already , if you download ver 1.33 from the archive you now get ver 1.32b
and the hack does not fit the latest. which is ver 1.34

[Art]

I’ll have to get that!

Meanwhile, can you back up a version from 1.32b to 1.32?

Windows:
Same file location in Windows directory structure.

Find file offset 0x1623AE, change 0x85 to 0x84.

For them to have truly deliberately blocked a weakness, the new version would not have the 0x85 value in a close location (for the new version),
and/or changing it to 0x84 would have no effect. There’s a completely different method though, they would have had to stop both.

It’s probably best if certain words are never mentioned in this thread to it isn’t found,
such as the word that describes what happens to an egg shell when you hit it.

[Art]

You should have a message Richard, but the second method might also break XC8 (untested).
All integrity would be lost if that was posted in public.
If you can determine that is also GCC compiler it doesn’t matter, but I seriously doubt it.

If that no longer works, they have definitely found it, and I guess I can’t update

[Ioannis]

In their archive (http://www.microchip.com/development...nloads-archive) there are all software versions available since 1.0 for all software packages.

But I wonder, what are they doing? Is it legal to grab an open source and sell it 1K?

Ioannis