DEBUG on 18F4620

[sinoteq]

Maybe we should talk to Microchip and ask them to make a PIC with NO internal hardware except A/D converter. Then they could spend all money on codespace

When selecting a PIC, functions, performance and price has to be matched. This DEBUG project became a bit big for a 16F877A and I only pay 2.5 USD more for the 18F4620 so why not?? As for using DEBUG in the new PIC, the idea was to reuse the old program without changing too much. Functions in PBP, as I see it, are here for the user to use, if you want small and fast write ASM.

The only change I had to do was some ADC settings and change in the MPLAB file, I am happy, my product is happy and the only thing to remember is to change the MPLAB file everytime I upgrade. This is also true for all the changes you have to do if you want the CONFIG settings to be included in you program but that is an other story. Maybe we really should talk to Microchip about some things.

mike

[Darrel Taylor]

It just might be a good idea for somebody to talk to microchip about this one.

The DEBUG in the .inc file, does not point to the DEBUG config bit as one might expect. That bit is defined as ...
<pre>_DEBUG_ON_4L EQU H'7F' ; Enabled<br>_DEBUG_OFF_4L EQU H'FF' ; Disabled</pre>
Instead, it points to register FD4h.
<pre>DEBUG EQU H'0FD4'</pre>In the datasheets, FD4h is shown as ... 2: Unimplemented registers are read as ‘0’.

If it's an unimplemented register, why define it in the .inc file.

My guess is that it is used by the "ICD2 executive" program when in debug mode. And, I'm also guessing that the DEBUG equate, is in there by mistake, because the ...

P18F2525.INC
P18F25K20.INC
P18F2620.INC
P18F4525.INC
P18F45K20.INC
P18F4620.INC

files, all have the same problem. These chips all have the same basic Core, so the .inc files were probably just copies of each other, with small changes for each chip. Propagating the error along with it.

Perhaps if they knew about it. You might not have to make the changes after the next Upgrade.
<br>

[mister_e]

BUT as it cause a problem to a third party software and not in their own... i guess they'll never do any change.

I don't have access to my ICD-2 here, but it would be interesting if someone can perform an ICD test and use DEBUG just to see how it goes on this PIC by commenting the DEBUG equate, and on ather PIC #... in the 18F serie wich the DEBUG_ON DEBUG_OFF fuses.

[Darrel Taylor]

Also interesting, would be to disassemble the ICD2 Executive and see how many of those other Un-Implemented registers actually do something too.

DT

[mister_e]

Just installed MPLAB 7.40 today... problem is still there. Have'nt access to my ICD-2 again.