Robert Rolf wrote:
> Gerhard Fiedler wrote:
>> So for me, it looks like the ICD2 chip got reflashed only when
>> switching between majorly different devices. I doesn't even seem to
>> get reflashed when switching between e.g. 18F6680 and 18F458, and it
>> doesn't seem to get reflashed when switching between programmer and
>> debugger modes.
>>
>> Which brings my reflash-count way down, and 1000 reflashes probably
>> lasts me longer than the devices the ICD2 supports will be on the
>> market.
>>
>> Or am I missing something?
>
> Yes.

No, you are.  Gerhard is write.

> I guess I just assumed that the debugger mode had no
> programming capability because of the following message that
> pops up when you select ICD2 as debugger.
>
> "
> MPLAB IDE No longer allows MPLAB ICD 2 to be loaded as a
> programmer and a debugger simultaneously.
> Do you wish to unload MPLAB ICD 2 as programmer before
> loading as a debugger, or do you wish to cancel?
> "
>
> I never even noticed that is actually HAS a 'program'
> option under debug. DOH! (too used to the hotkeys).

Programming in debug mode is different from using the ICD2 as a programmer.
If you program the chip in debug mode, it only runs with the ICD2 connected.
You have to program the chip for real (using ICD2 in program mode) so that
it can run stand alone.

> If 'debug' mode can both debug AND program, why does
> it produce the misleading warning message?? Maybe other
> families (I use 16F*) need two versions of firmware code
> to be loaded into the ICD2?
>
> Thanks for saving my flash lifetime since I can
> now program & debug with one firmware load.

You are still confusing the ICD2 "operating system" download with
programming the target chip.  The ICD2 firmware only needs to be
reprogrammed when changing between PIC families.  It is not reloaded when
switching between debug and program mode, and it is also not reloaded when
programming the target chip, whether in debug or program mode.  In other
words, if you are working on a single PIC project at a time, then the ICD2
firmware is reprogrammed at most once per project.  1000 writes is a great
many when used that way.


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