I use a PICSTART Plus programmer and MPLAB version 8.43. I don't use Windows anymore - I use antiX Linux M8.2 and WINE. I tried to use the open source tools (GPSIM, Piklab, etc.) but couldn't get everything I needed to work. On 3/8/10, Byron Jeff wrote: > On Mon, Mar 08, 2010 at 09:41:00AM -0500, yorkwils wrote: >> >> I've binned the idea of 16c71 as I now realise it is OTP. > > Good call. > >> I guess I can still use Gpasm but need to build a new programmer for >> 16f876 >> (or above) and find software to load it. > > Since you are willing to build, I will happily tell you about some DIY > options. > >> I'm using Linux (Ubuntu, Gutsy Gibbon 7.10 - I don't think this can access >> the repository any more). > > Definitely need to update. At least 8.10 is an LTR. > >> Can anyone give me a quick way to get going? What programmer design and >> software would be simple and best (I can do the electronics but I'm >> pretty >> dumb when it comes to loading software in Linux). > > Since the purchase route has been discussed already, I'm going strictly DIY > here. Fortunately it isn't too terribly difficult. > > Piklab may or may not be a viable option. One problem that I find is that > it can be difficult to track down the ton of libraries that large systems > require to build. It's one reason I prefer small modular systems. > > So let's start with the hardware. If you have access to a parallel port, > the unfortunate dying breed that it has become, then my Trivia PIC > programmer series is still workable. You can find it here: > > http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys > > Both low voltage and high voltage versions are there along with Brian > Lane's picprg programming software. The 3.01 version update I have on the > page will program the 16F876 with no problem. > > The one caveat that remains is the connecting cable. Keep it short to limit > problems. Two cabling systems that always have worked for me are the old > parallel port ribbon cables from the even older IDE multifunction cards. > You can see a sample on the left side of this picture: > > http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys/picdesigner/cables.html > > The other, which functions to a bit longer length, is to solder ethernet > twisted pairs onto a DB25 header. This works well when building the > programmer onto a breadboard. > > In any case don't spend a lot of time on it. At this point in time I don't > even consider these to be programmers any more. Their sole function in life > is to serve as a one time code dumper. You can even spend a 1/2 hour wiring > one up on a breadboard, use it, then dismantle. > > The reason is that I firmly believe that the most productive way to develop > is to use a bootloader. Since chips like the 16F876 are self programmable, > it only make sense to put code onto them so that they can program > themselves. > > There are numerous bootloading systems out there. While some use the > onboard USART: > > Tiny PIC bootloader: > http://www.etc.ugal.ro/cchiculita/software/picbootloader.htm > > There piklab support for this bootloader along with this tool here: > > http://sourceforge.net/projects/tinybldlin/ > > For programming it in Linux. The Tiny page also has pointers to a host of > other > bootloaders. > > Personally I'm partial to bootloaders that bit bang their interface. It > gives the advantage of being able to select what I/O to use to interface to > the host. That means that out of the way pins (such as MCLR when usable as > a selectable input pin) make an excellent choice because it costs virtually > no real estate on your target. Some examples are Wouter's WLoader: > > http://www.voti.nl/wloader/index_1.html > > Wouter's ZPL: > > http://www.circuitcellar.com/flash2002/Honorable/M285-abstract.htm > > Interesting because it actually programs the PIC by selectively resetting > it. > > And finally the one that I'm using now, a slightly modified version of > Frank Sergeant's Pikme bootloader: > > http://pygmy.utoh.org/pikme/index.html > > Which I updated to work with a 16F88. Both Wouter and Frank have written > software in Python using the pyserial module to interface to their loaders. > Both have also used very uncomplicated interfaces to the serial port to > connect. Frank's is little more than a couple of resistors. Wouter's > El-Cheapo interface uses a handful of resistors, zeners, and transistors to > interface. > > It creates a usable development environment without having to spend a ton > of cash or interface to a lot of complicated software. Plus the serial > interfaces on the bootloaders give an instant serial debugging port to work > from. > > The only real problems are the fact that bitbanged bootloaders are a bit > slow and that of course they suck up some memory from the application. > Frank's pikme doesn't run reliably using the 16F88 internal oscillator at > 9600 BPS. I had to slow it down to 4800 BPS to get it to work. > > And work it does. I'm using it right now to develop my self hosted forth > for the 16F family. run gpasm, use Frank's python tool to dump (I updated > it so that it runs with USB serial ports now), then run minicom to connect > to the project and run the application. No programmer in sight (I think the > TLVP is still sitting in a box in my car) and I have all the 16F88 tools > available for my use. > > So that's my two cents. Hope it's worth something to you. > > BAJ > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- Jason Hsu http://www.jasonhsu.com/swrwatt.html http://www.jasonhsu.com/swrwatt-c.txt http://www.jasonhsu.com/swrwatt-asm.txt -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist