PICBASIC Pro & MPLAB integration syllabus

[chris vp]

Dear PBP,

I understand the integration, work around or shall I say configuration is quite available around the net.
But as a starter It would be a good marketing tool for PBP if you can provide a consolidated syllabus or manual on the "How to integrate or use PBP under MPLAB".

From a diversified marketing perspective. I think It would be a good business stategy also to teach not only hobbyist but also pro how to integrate the two software. Or maybe a migration scheme that is....

This may sound unfair to MELAB hardware for all we know that it is quite perfect interms of use & reliability. But we can consider including 'How to" in using this hardwares under MPLAB.

As for MCS we might consider integrating into the manual in Using C. And Pickit usablility...

Im not sure about the legality on this idea but for business & user perspective this will benefit everybody around.


Also for consideration: Basing on the viewing data on this forum where 2 PBP & MPLAB thread subject is being asked. The viewing data is around 600+ next to the ASM topic which is around 900+ views.Also consider the days it was posted vs viewing number. Therefore we may conclude that this is quite something of interest.

[Acetronics2]

Hi, Chris

I do not understand very well what you are asking for ...

With you PbP legal release ... you get two interesting files you are supposed to read : Readme.txt AND Mplab.txt ...

Manual explicitly tells to read them ( p . 179 - about assembler used )


Also, Using PbP within MPLAB has been described here for YEARS :

http://www.melabs.com/support/mplab.htm

( Just typing "MPLAB" as a keyword in melab's site SEARCH window )

So, ... What kind of tutorial do you want to see ???


Over that ... why would Melabs RE-WRITE the MPLAB manual ... as Microchip already did it.
There are no special PbP dedicated commands in MPLAB ... after all.

Alain

[chris vp]

Hi Alain,

Yes I got your point. I posted this wish kist from a perspective of a new comer on this arena.
I started this programming stuff on uChips 2 years ago. Learning curve wise, way then I can say its flat. Because I didnt know this site exist, its just that few months ago a forum of this kind here in my country was make known to me by a test engineer working in uchip phil office.

From then on, I got to learn of edaboard, this site and other related site on basic programming.For the last two years I only read the PBP manual, a book by Jon Iovine, Karl Williams and by Mr. McComb. From this books I didnt get to know other IDE. You may say why I didnt visit the uChip site? yes I do & I read a lot but topics, but regarding PBP this are seldom posted on the site.

Now I got interested on simulation & debugging for the reason that while on a business trip I cant bring my hardware with me so to test my program I need something that is handy. Then this acquintance of mine from Uchip showed me MPLAB & his talent on machine laguage programming.

Now this arose my interest on MPLAB & ask myself how about using PBP on this IDE. So this is started my venture on this combo.

Another instance,...ICD wise I read a lot on this under MCS, as a new comer I need something to practice on before purchasing the MCSP (for practical reason) but pic16f628 cant be purchase here in our country. Now compare to MPLAB you name the model.

So I wont give all the reason why I got interested on this combination but one thing is definit, I find PBP simple to use but I find MPLAB has a lot of free options to offer, a lot of feature in one package and constant updates. Not to mention the open source nature of its pickit2 hardware and its IDE software.I believe this can be use now in other IDE.
Unlike before its development hardwares are fully integrate to MPLAB, why they are making this business move.

Time changes & business should cope with it. It is true no matter what tools you have it will all go down to the skill on how we develope programs. But if your tools can be flexible & robust you can have a lot of advantage on the arena.

So I thought of having this wish list posted to have one consolidated manual on this combo. If your a pro you wont find it necessary. But for the next generation of programmers...this is something better.

Like I said on my first post see the viewing figure.

[Michael Hyslop]

Mr Acetronics response is rather hard. He suggests a first time user has been slow because he missed a vital message about the initial setting up of the system which was printed on page 179. I will let other subscribers make their own mind up about whether they would have missed such a thing.
Everybody comes into this field with different levels of skill and experienced. I like many other people, judging by the searches in this field, found it not an easy job to integrate pbp and mplab, mine was a fresh new licensed copy. In any other sphere of commerce the marketing people would have made it easier for newcomers in what they hope would be an enjoyable experience with lots of paid for upgrades and hardware sold in the future.
It helps not one iota to suggest that the newcomer is somewhat unusual in not being able to follow a the procedure.
Thank you for reading this.

[Acetronics2]

Hi, Michael

Another reference can be found in the "Command line options", on page ... 18 of the Holy Manual.

sooo do not shout too loud ... !!!


Moreover ...

Open MPLAB Help for MPLAB IDE \ Integrated software \Third party Language Tools ( no secret path ... eh ! )

Horror ... !!! a link to Melabs site !!! ... where the info is.

Now ... What to think ???



Just some ones do not dare to read their documentation ... willing others to make the " boring work " for them.

The same ones who always receive the horrible " RTFM or RTFD " messages ... and cry to moderators for " unfriendly answers ".

We were told " be constructive or shut up " ( sic, it is THE thread title !!! ) ... many of forum elders have chosen to disappear ... ( true or not ?, MM the moderators ...)


Unlucky Newcomers ??? ... not really ! LAZY Newcomers ...


Just begin using the FAQ and SEARCH function of this Forum !!! 99% of the answers are there !!!

MPLAB integration for the first one of them ...

"rather hard" response ??? ...

Alain

[chris vp]

Gents

If lazy are we then we should have not come in here nor spend time tickling our brains on this IDE, compiler nor uChip things.

I could have spent my precious time working on something else in the chemical plant. Why spend some money working on this stuff and be lazy. Like I said from the first line of my post on this wish list forum............."I understand the integration, work around or shall I say configuration is quite available around the net."

Lazy enough is just an easy warrant without basis.....following MELAB how to's needs more than hitting the button for plug ins...but getting a development from start to end....for example:I learned how to run PBP on MPLAB not on this site but from a guy in N & V... if lazy to look for that.... why went as far to that site getting the materials I need.(correct me if I am wrong its more of an AVR site rather than uChip)

I dont know if the term "Knowledge Management" applies here but gents its how successful companies around the world sustain their competitive edge. Making consolidate repositories, manuals or brochure that is easy interms of use, access & retrival is part of that management system.(for error proofing purposes). This may extend beyond PBP & MPLAB integration... but to the software & hardware features as well.

So the key word here is compact compilation, "cant miss it" when you look for it, fast retrival....how many hours we spent browsing the rest of the forum to look for some answers to a single question in our brains when we just miss it somewhere in between forums, between books of different compilers? isnt it better if we can find it in one straight forward book...syllabus ...or in any media that is appropriate written by experts on this site.
(This will help them from answering same silly questions that get them bored)

We know that wishes do not exactly come true as we wish them to be. If it cant be done then it cant be...

Seems hard reactions in here is not necessary.

For now this is no longer a wish list I guess .....but a nightmare

[mackrackit]

Nightmare is correct.

It is a nightmare when someone answers a question and is then made out to be a "bad guy". If I ask a question and I am pointed to the place to find the answer I normally respond with a "thank you!".

[chris vp]

Gents

I think we should go on..let us see the brighter side of this forum.

Ill be sharing this one as an example of the resources I found..some sort of an example on this integration. I cant verify its content but like I said this helps me.

I cant understand the language of the site it self but the english write up itself seems the same from the guy I mentioned above from central america has been writing.

Just for reference. Hopefully there are a lot more of this kind of resources out there.

http://www.infohit.si/download/public/pic/pbp/mplab.txt

[chris vp]

@ Mack

Yes Dave....we should give due gratitude to people that help us in anyway. Your a witness on that from the other forum topic...

As to this wish list the perspective is more on commercial side which extends to robustness not only in the setting up of the softwares but to the hardwares as well .Saving aside side comments could have make the discussion less hard & reactive.

As an example: seeing my last response below might give some smile, grin or some sort of expressions in your face.........thats the real experience...that is where I first read that write up.

My deligence few weeks back in searching the net gain some fruit but not knowing I mis it out in the PBP program folder. Often than not... seeing file on the folders under program directory will give you "type=autorun.ico" inside so whom would think its a documentation anyway.

Learning from it thats where I come up to write this wish list in my own commercial perspective.
No intention of making other people look bad.


(ref.C:\PBP\MPLAB.txt as stated by Alain)

[chris vp]

All

Seems PBP 2.6 is out...and the instruction on how to run MPLAB is more straight forward compare to the previous version. I can really appreciate the MELAB move on this.

[mackrackit]

All

Seems PBP 2.6 is out...and the instruction on how to run MPLAB is more straight forward compare to the previous version. I can really appreciate the MELAB move on this.

I do not see it on Melab's web site??? Where is 2.6 hiding?

[ScaleRobotics]

It's kind of hushed while all the vendors get it in stock. But most vendors have it and are shipping it now. I have not seen a revision list. But have heard there is more support for many other PIC USB chips. I had asked a few months ago about support for the PIC18F26j50 family, and I got an email from Jeff at MeLabs that the PIC18F26j50 is now supported by v 2.60. (My v2.60 should get here tomorrow!).

[mackrackit]

Here I have been checking Jeff's site for it, guess I should go to one of the vendors...

But why am I complaining...I still have not figured 2.50 out yet ...

[chris vp]

Gents...maybe by this time you already found the topic in melab site.

for ref: http://www.melabs.com/support/mplab.htm

[mackrackit]

I bet you found that on the evil post #2 of this thread?

[chris vp]

......... .........

[Michael Hyslop]

Hi Alain
Thank you for your response. I accept your comment that the first mention of setting the program up has moved forward from p169 to p10 but my point is it should be on page 1 or even the front cover! When an experienced purchaser buys his software he uses the manual as a reference document when his own experience does not go far enough. He will already have located many sources of information, like this one, and worked out which ones suit him. However a first time user will have a huge hurdle to climb just remembering, or finding out, what all the acronyms mean.
The most important thing in his life is to be able to actually load, and in this case, integrate the software. Seeing it on screen and being able to press buttons is the first learning step and gives him the visual clues to be able to understand what the manual is aying.There is no point in any of the manuals and help files until he has done this. The already experienced of us will never complain when the first few pages of the manual are devoted to this, we will merely pass them by.
If you got a new car, never having seen one before, what you would most appreciate first is an explanation of what a key was, what it was for and where to put it. Having it buried on page 10 or page 169 amongst a lot of technical hyperbole about the machinations of the internal combustion engine is not clever.
Engineers are usually very good at clear thought but in the area of manuals they often fail. The sometimes used response of ‘well they should have known that’ is demeaning and should be avoided at all costs as I am sure everyone on this site will agree, if they don’t why are they on this site?
Thanks for reading this, sorry to labour the point but we must do what we can not to put off the newcomers.
Michael Hyslop