> What about break point and trace capabilities? It used to be that MPLAB
only
> supported execution breakpoints, and no tracing. gpsim of course, has
execution
> and data breakpoints as well as cycle counter break points. gpsim also has
a
> trace mechanism cabable of capturing every simulated action. Come to think
of
> it, I really don't know of a simulation feature supported in MPLAB that's
not
> supported in gpsim. And if there is and somebody want's it bad enough,
then
> they're free to add it. But that's what GPL is all about, right?

The simulator can be useful, but the emulator is far more useful.  You get
fairly decent hardware trace and break point facilities, including most of
the stuff you mentioned.  Of course the big advantage is that it does this
in the target circuit without using up any pins.  The ICE-2000 is quite
reasonably priced and all around a pretty decent tool.  Anything less wastes
far more time ($$) than "saved" farting around with simulators or an ICD.
Unless you are a student or doing this for a hobby, justifying an ICE-2000
is a no-brainer.


*****************************************************************
Olin Lathrop, embedded systems consultant in Devens Massachusetts
(978) 772-3129, olin@cognivis.com, http://www.cognivis.com

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