ICD, ICSP and Picbasic Pro

[Demon]

I disagree. MicroCode Studio Plus has in-circuit debugging.

I can't figure out how to make it work, but it's there. I tried using that MAX232CPE circuit too, connected to TX/RX with the same results.

Gonna try PGC/PGD and see what happens.

Robert


EDIT: D'OH! I had 1 cap and 1 wire from RS232 in the wrong place. Works like a charm now, using TX/RX too. The only downside to in-circuit serial debugging is that it interferes with any HSERIN/OUT, but it's awesome to find errors.

[Bruce]

The ICD feature in MicroCode Studio is totally different than Microchips ICD2.
Hardware & software wise.

ICD2 also doubles as a device programmer. That's why it uses the PICs'
programming clock & data pins. To use ICD2 you need MPLAB, the ICD2
hardware, and the PIC wired like shown in the ICD2 hardware diagram.

The MCS ICD feature uses the PIC onboard hardware USART to send debug
information back to the PC via the serial connection. When you compile your
code in the MCS editor using the ICD compile button, it automatically includes
additional debug code mixed in with yours to handle the ICD apsect.

The two are completely different.

[Charles Linquis]

I, too have tried to use the debuggers, but have had no success whatsoever. I'm either 1. Too dumb to understand the tutorials, or 2. Expecting it to work like it would if I wrote it.
In either case, I have found both of the debuggers useless. So far, my opinion is that Microchip's is hard to use because it is purely software, and therefore has a hard time dealing with hardware events (how DO you write stimulus files, anyway?), while the Microcode Studio version always gives me errors, such as "path too long" - even when I have moved all files to the root of my C: drive.

If someone has a "dumbed-down" explanation of the step-by-step use of a debugger, I would really appreciate it if they would post it.

I have several ICD2's and all my PIC circuits use 8720's or 8722's with MAX chips. I use MCStudio. If there is a better/easier debugger that I should be using, tell me and I'll buy it.

[Rob]

Hi,

I have successfully used ICD with MCSP on a particular program I have used in the past (on a 16F877A) and found it to be invaluable - it really cut down the time to market on one of our more extensive projects!

Using Bruce's circuit, you don't need an ICD2 for this, you can program and debug the software in circuit. You need to use the correct boot loader for the PIC you are using which is found in the MCLoader of MCSP program files. This needs to be programmed into the PIC with a programmer before placing the PIC into the ciruit.

The RX and TX pins are the right pins to use for communiaction in this circuit.

In the PIC program, you must type:
DEFINE LOADER_USED 1 at the top of the program

Choose specific points of the program that you wish to debug and type:
ENABLE DEBUG before it
then after that part of the program type:
DISABLE DEBUG

You then have to use the ICD Compile and Program Button to compile the program rather than just the Compile and Program button.

The "Loader Help Topics" in the Help section of MCSP contain all the necessary information for ICD including the circuitry between the PIC and the PC - check 'em out as they're very useful.

Hope these pointers help.

[Demon]

Again, apples and oranges. The loader is one thing and ICSD is another. I use in-circuit serial debugging from MCSP without using the loader at all.

Robert

[Rob]

The loader is one thing and ICSD is another. I use in-circuit serial debugging from MCSP without using the loader at all.

True - but if you program a bootloader into the chip, then program the chip in circuit you are testing that your hardware/wiring is correct.

Regards

Rob