On Mon, 7 Feb 2000, Darrel Johansen wrote:

> Caisson wrote:
>
> > By the way: ever tried to create data for a EEProm ?  My version of MPLAB
> > allways tries to show a *assembly*-listing of the EEProm-data (program
> > memory window) ...
> >..
> > But, because it's "free" software, we are not expected to complain.
> >
> > Ah well,  we just have to live with it ---  live *without* it I mean :-)
> >
> > Regards,
> >   Rudy Wieser
>
>
> For MPLAB-SIM the choice was to make a tool that could help productivity
> without attempting to simulate all of the subtleties of the hardware.  If you
> look at the assembler/simulator being developed by the GNUPIC group, you'll see
> the result of opening up the software, as some have requested.  It's an
> admirable effort, but it's a much bigger task than most probably anticipate,
> and to get complete up-to-date support for all the tools listed above, is
> tough.

If I may, Darrel, (since I don't work for microchip, I don't have to be as
nice - and I really despise complainers).

If you don't like MPSIM (specifically, or MPLAB in general), you have many
choices.

 - You can go off and write your own simulator
 - You can join the gnupic project and help with gpsim
 - You can fork out $$ for umps
 - You can buy an emulator from one of several different sources

If you're getting paid to develop code for pics and you're frustrated with
MPSIM, then buy an emulator. It will save you money in the long run.
Except for the demo program I downloaded about a year ago, I can't really
comment on UMPS. But again, if you're getting paid to develop for pics,
then I'd suggest you check it out.

If you're a hobbyist just getting into pics, then MPLAB/MPSIM is perfect.
If you're a hobbyist that's been developing pic code for a while, then
you're most probably aware of its limitations (and capabilities).

Now to clarify one point made by Darrel, the gnupic project is NOT a
result of microchip 'opening up it's software'. It has been evolving in
various forms over the last few years. Most recently, there's been just a
hand full of us writing software for it. And I've been doing almost all of
the simulator portion (and I'd appreciate help ;)). I started gpsim
because I was frustrated with a few missing features in mpsim:

  -- Too slow
  -- Limited stimulus support
  -- Limited peripheral support
  -- Toooo sllooowww

These are hardly justifiable reasons to go off and write a simulator, but
there are some additional external factors that have motivated my decision
as well. (For example, I needed something to take up all of this free time
I keep on finding myself having ;).

I'd much rather see patches to gpsim than complaints about mpsim.
Seriously! In terms of simulator functionality, gpsim is probably
somewhere between 20 and 50% as capable as mpsim.

Scott

PS. Check out http://www.dattalo.com/gnupic/lcd.html to see something
we're working on for gpsim.