Thanks I think I got it sorted now,I think I've figured out how to get the pickit2 working with microcodestudio, it seems to be working fine anyway, but i wont know properly until I make up my test board.
I reckon your right though, its best to try and figure out MPLAB, it might be a way better proposition in the end? I take it that its similar (ish) to MicrocodeStudio?
sorry for being a pain in the butt but I guess thats me lol