Dave Johnson wrote:

> I thought the "tris" instructions were being phased out, I remember
> reading a recommendation not to use them, anyone know the scoop on
> this?

  I thought *someone* would bite.  It's an old furphy, and goes with the
"truth" story.  In short:

 * the TRIS instruction will *never* cease to function on any version of
any device which currently supports it.  Just imagine most of your user
base getting mad all at once?

 * the TRIS instruction is present in *all* 12C and 16C devices, and get
this: *including all the new ones*!

  I have no experience with the 17C and 18C series, so can't say for
these.  Anyone comment, or know of an exception to the above?

  It's an extremely vital instruction which the designers would be dead
foolish to omit on any device, let alone the 12C5xx/ 16C5xx series(!).
The 18C/F devices I gather have no memory banking, so on them it becomes
a macro.

  The term "phased out" in this context means "When we invent a non-
banked memory device, it won't require this instruction".  I believe the
traditional term is "doublethink".
--
  Cheers,
        Paul B.