Microchip toolchain!!!! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 02:38:04 am
content: MPLAB X and related crap have converted me to AVR.I have to launch it five or six times in a row to get it to run without a "mouse glitch" - it thinks the mouse pointer is about 100px above where it really is!The editorsucks.Command line utilities range from nonexistent to shit, so no replacing the damn thing with vim and a Makefile.It talks to my PicKit 3 if I ask it politely enough, otherwise it farts out some error message about COM objects.The compiler's error messages are written in ancient Greek and it can't optimize its way out of a wet paper bag unless you pay them $!!! for the better version.And the best part...... itshits log and lock files all over my home directory. (No, it's not crashing.)Microchip, WTF do you call this? At least AVR has avr-gcc and avrdude.</rant>

author: senso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 02:44:04 am
content: Lucky you, my MPLAB X can't even talk to the pickit, I have to use the standalone program, it works if I disable the keyboard, its a know bug since the launch of the betas, the solution, is good luckEdited to correct a typo.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 02:47:54 am
content: Quote from: senso on August 03, 2013, 02:44:04 amSeems to be a common theme in PICland.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 02:58:03 am
content: I blame Richard and the other members of the Head family.

author: WarSim
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 03:49:09 am
content: You most likely don't want to here this.I have hade zero IDC3 or PICKIT3 issues since I changed to MPLabX for MAC.Most likely because all my previous issues resolved down to the Windows Registry methods for controlling USB resources.It is unlikely the Microsoft fanboys will accept this, but there it is.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 04:02:44 am
content: If they can't get their software to work on all platforms they shouldn't offer it on all platforms. (And then I'd have adifferentreason not to use them...)

author: senso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 05:01:03 am
content: Maybe its because the programmer shows up as a freaking HID device, not, it couldn't be a COM...And just to be fair my first pickit3 never worked under ubuntu..

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 06:26:06 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on August 03, 2013, 02:47:54 amI dunno. I've been using MPLAB (pre- X versions) as well as MPLAB-X, under Win XP and Win 7.While I agree the MPLAB-X software seems to be bloated beyond belief, just like Winblows, at the same time, I haven't had any major troubles with it.Seems to work well with the PICKIT2 and PICKIT3, although obviously I prefer the PK2 by far.And I don't have near the qualifications or balls to start (or join) a PIC vs (__insert micro brand here__) fight, I'm just saying that for me, it's worked well over the years (starting in about 1995 or so).So, maybe luck does enter into the picture. To have bad luck, you gotta have good luck, right?

author: kaz911
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 10:44:14 am
content: Quote from: Skimask on August 03, 2013, 06:26:06 amI was working with their old MPLAB and compilers - but I have moved on to TI - since one (still bloated) IDE/Compiler supports most of their devices. No need for separate compilers for each target platform with the (new) cost that Microchip wants for them now pr year.

author: Spunky
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 12:05:20 pm
content: I've been using MPLAB for a while, no problems at all. But then I'm not tempted to try and do it on a mac, or with 3rd party hardware. ICD3 seems to be rock solid and cheap enough so that's fine for me.

author: jfuller000
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 05:28:50 pm
content: The "logfiles all over home directory" problem is fixable - in MPLAB X, under Tools, Options, Embedded, Diagnostics change the log file to /dev/null (I had to click the mislabelled button next to the textbox to be able to change it, it didn't let me just overwrite the text).Just setting the log level to OFF isn't enough because it still creates the files, but just leaves them empty.This also deals with the .lck files that MPLAB X creates (I don't know if getting rid of lockfiles might create issues in multi-user environments).However, "integrated programming environment" still throws log and lock files in the home folder, even with this change (I can't see any options to change the log location in IPE).

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 05:31:18 pm
content: Really? Mine is set to log to its own separate directory in a more proper place (~/.mplab_ide/dev/v1.85/var/log/MPLAB.xml) - it seems to be ignoring that setting. I'll try changing it anyway when I'm back to my computer.Or does IPE still run and shit log files in the background when you click "program device" in the IDE? I'm not sure which program the files are from - most are empty (not just the lock files, even many of the XML files are totally zero-byte empty), and the rest just say<log></log>...I am more than a bit amused that the select button in your screenshot is still labeled "jButton"...

author: jfuller000
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 06:40:14 pm
content: Aah! The version I'm running is an older version. I'm running v1.70 (Not intentionally, I just hadn't got round to updating).No logfiles after clicking "make+program device" either (with a PicKit3 but no target attached).Oh, and something else for the annoyance list - I can't seem to stop it recreating the MPLABXprojects folder in ~, despite changing the "projects folder" option.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 06:49:04 pm
content: I get the impression a lot from cross-platform applications that Windows developers are completely unaware that peopleusetheir home folders on other OSes, rather than putting everything in My Documents.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2013, 08:36:25 pm
content: At least they fixed the Java 7 issue.Alexander.

author: senso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2013, 03:05:29 am
content: Searching for something else, came across this, broken snprintf in the new compiler, workaround is revert to old lib/compiler or just patch some compiled libsThats it, who wants two brand new pickit3 with 10-15 pic24, dspic30 and a couple pic32mx150?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2013, 03:25:47 am
content: Quote from: senso on August 04, 2013, 03:05:29 amThe chip I'm using right now would squeal with terror if I tried to shove snprintf into it.... My memory is so tight now that the compiler runs out of space if I change a certain single integer from a nice number (halfway between powers of two) to something nasty.That's usually how I find myself with 8-bit MCUs, too, I don't really bother with the bigger ones. I just go straight to 32-bit if 2K or 4K ROM isn't enough.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2013, 03:34:32 am
content: Quote from: senso on August 04, 2013, 03:05:29 amI will admit, I'm a fan of the DSPICs, often enough to put up with the damn toolchain to use them. And I like PIC32 because it's MIPS, I'm quite comfortable with MIPS assembly.But I have bought my last 8-bit standard non-DS PIC.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2013, 08:00:44 am
content: I had no problems running Pickit 2 with MPLAB. And I love dspic33f's and pic24h's. And I will never ever use any of Microchip's shit again because probably every other thing they manufacture/sell is crap (including analog stuff like DACs).

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2013, 02:43:05 pm
content: Some of their precision op amps are pretty decent.Now, what made a company that mostly does digital chips decide to make chopper amps?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2013, 02:48:18 pm
content: They also have some decent LDO regulators. I don't mind their analog parts, apart from the DAC/ADC parts that are cheap for a reason.

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2013, 02:59:09 pm
content: I remember years ago, coming across a microchip branded ICL7135, one of those old school 7 segment adc drivers used in old panel meters

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2013, 06:41:27 am
content: Come to think of it: they also have some quite cheap and rather decent quality reference voltage source (MCP1525 and MCP1541)

author: andersm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 01:04:56 pm
content: While the quality of Microchip's software is best described as..varying(something that seems to have carried over from their processors), I do give them a big thumbs up for supporting all three of the major desktop OSes. While I don't like MPLAB X particularly much, I haven't run into the problems described by the OP. However, there's a fairly regular stream of posters on their forums describing similar issues. I haven't had much problems with the toolchains either, but that may be because the PIC32 tools are mostly made by others.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 01:08:29 pm
content: Quote from: andersm on August 07, 2013, 01:04:56 pmYes, they get one from me for that, too.

author: WarSim
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2013, 04:08:46 pm
content: I just had my first problem that initially looked like a programer problem. I was getting the unplug USB message, device not found, program fail messages. After going through he process of eliminating hookup errors, ground differ vial, breadboard noise, etc.In the end it was my mistake. I swapped out the DIP PIC and used the wrong VCore Cap on reassembly. Blue dipped ceramics with black markings, a bad choice for bread boarding.I can now see why people are having issues with the programer. The error messages are not helpful at all. It seems to have a valid issue and panics. Gives an error message that doesn't clearly point towards the problem. The suggested rectifications in this case was completely useless.