PICkitPlus for Linux - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 05:19:16 pm
content: So, it is autumn in the UK … time to share progress. Some new regarding PICKitPlus - the software the uses the Microchip PK2 and PK3 to program new and legacy microcontrollers from Microchip.We are very pleased to announce the release of the Linux version of PKCMD: PKCMD-LX. This is the Personal Computer version, designed to run on flavours of Linux, both 32 and 64 bit. This was a huge investment by us. But, these are exciting developments for the software as it shows what can be with the PK2 and PK3 programmers!PKCMD-LX can be used for reading and writing Microchip’s PIC range of microcontrollers, using the Pickit 2 or Pickit 3 device programmers. PKCMD-LX provides the best experience for the Linux user, developers and the professional developer community, and as a command-line utility is can be easily integrated into your scripts.We decided not to write a GUI for PKCMD-LX as there are too many different Linux distributions and we feel that the user community will be very capable of making a GUI for the software.PackagingPKCMD-LX is packaged as an AppImage. Using an AppImage enables the development team to provide native binaries for Linux users the same way we do for other operating systems. An AppImage enables the development team to package the PKCMD-LX application for common Linux operating systems, e.g., Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, RHEL, CentOS, Fedora etc.The PICKitPlus AppImage comes with all dependencies that cannot be assumed to be part of each target system and will run on most Linux distributions without modifications.Almost all major distributions are compatible with AppImages, without requiring the user to make modifications to the base system. AppImages are portable. You can place the AppImage on a USB flash drive and run it from there, on any machine, if you wish.Supported Linux DistributionsDistributions known to be compatible version require libc (minimum levels of the OS) and these include:• Arch 2011.08.19• CentOS 7.8.2003 (released in 2020)• Debian 7 (Wheezy)• Fedora 15 (Lovelock)• Gentoo 11.2• Mint 11 (Katya)• openSUSE 12.1• Slackware 13.37• Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty)Distributions that do not use libc (such as Abyss, Alpine, Sabotage, Vanilla and Void) will not run PKCMD-LX.Free Compatibility-test ProgramA compatibility-test program is available free of charge on our website: Download our free download to see if the full product is compatible with your computer and Operating System:http://www.pickitplus.co.uk/distros/open/pkcmd-lx-compatibility-test.tar.gzGet the softwareVisit our websitewww.pickitplus.co.ukto obtain the software, and, to get the latest part database see:https://github.com/Anobium/PICKitPlusAgain, thank you for everyone's support to keep this project going!Evan

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 05:38:18 pm
content: well, was about time, that Microchip cares about the Linux users; I didn't buy me a Pickit so far because of the lack of use on Linux; but the sprut Brenner8 is discontinued and has some pain with newer PIC16.in the end it's nice for me to have the option, but otherwise I almost entirely switched to ARM, and for smaller stuff still AVR

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 07:11:29 pm
content: That's ridiculous, why not use a windows virtual machine

author: bingo600
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 07:33:24 pm
content: How long have you been sitting on this release ??• Debian 7 (Wheezy)Latest Debian as of today is 10• Mint 11 (Katya)Latest Mint as of today is 20• Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty)Latest Ubuntu is 20What went wrong ??/Bingo

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 09:50:49 pm
content: Quote from: ebclr on October 24, 2020, 07:11:29 pmSo you are suggesting using a big ass virtual machine just to run a programmer/debugging tool?That would beridiculous.And everything else (IDE, compilers, etc.) works natively in Linux already.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 09:57:41 pm
content: Quote from: bingo600 on October 24, 2020, 07:33:24 pmIt is even worse than that. Not supporting the latest version but an LTS would be still OK and totally understandable.However, Debian 7 is EOL since May 31, 2018, Ubuntu 11.04 was EOLed on 28 October 2012 (!!!), Fedora 15 26.6.2012, etc. In fact, the only thing that is still supported on that "supported" list is that CentOS. Everything else is dead and not supported (not even security updates anymore!), for years.Seriously, why to even bother to release something like this when nobody will be able to run it? Is that some sort of a sick joke? Or are Microchip's in-house developers using decade old Linux systems with no security updates (since the OS is EOL since ages ago) for work?

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2020, 10:07:19 pm
content: Website is currently dead also.

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 01:51:32 am
content: QuoteQuoteThey clearly said these versions or later , which is better than releasing software than NEEEEEEDS the version released yesterday.

author: johnh
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 05:29:37 am
content: Works for me

author: bingo600
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 06:13:28 am
content: Quote from: DimitriP on October 25, 2020, 01:51:32 amStrange ... I just made a search forlaterin the posts in this thread, the only hit i got was in your post.Did i miss something ??/Bingo

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 06:58:55 am
content: These are the minimum versions of the distributions.How long we been sitting on it? It is totally new written by us using LISP.

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 07:03:56 am
content: Quote from: janoc on October 24, 2020, 09:50:49 pmSharing some insights.We did a lot of market research. And, using VMs to program and debug was not one of the use cases that was high on the list. The need for OS specific support, like a Linux version for Linux operating systems was the requirement, a Pi version for Pi OS etc - that is the ask we get all the time.

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 07:05:13 am
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on October 24, 2020, 10:07:19 pmReally? Works ok today and for others.Evan

author: LootMaster
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 07:13:11 am
content: Quote from: HB9EVI on October 24, 2020, 05:38:18 pmThis is American company flexing its muscles with another American company...You get punished in the end by the tentacles of this behemoth.Lay down now and maintain your claim for privacy...Let them have the money... They seem to obey the outcry...

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 07:16:31 am
content: Quote from: janoc on October 24, 2020, 09:57:41 pmI listed the minimum versions required. I will update the post.This is a huge investment to develop this software. We have had the support of many to make this happen. So, not a sick joke and we have nothing to do with Microchip - we are an independent team of developers based in the UK.We have an ever growing number of users that use our software and hardware products. We work and support our users to make using Microchip product easy.:-)

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 07:45:27 am
content: Why should one use PickitPlus over Mplab IPE?

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 08:18:08 am
content: Great question.MPLAB IPE today supports a huge range of programmers ( to cover the range of Microchip programmer products) and a huge range of chips. However, IPE does not support the PICkit2 and/or PICkit3 programmers for many newer chips.PICKitPlus provides support for PICKit2 and PICKit3 for the chips listed here:http://www.pickitplus.co.uk/Typesetter/index.php/Supported-Parts.The Linux solution is a download and program paradigm - very simple to use, and, there is no requirement for internet when using.Does this answer your question?And, a few insights:PICKitPlus can be used from within MPLAB-IDE to program chips. I have posted on this in the past.And, there is no technical constraint within the PICkit2 or PICkit3 programmers to prevent IPE from programming the newer PICs. For the rational of why Micrcohip do not support PICkit2 and/or PICkit3 programmers within IPE we would have to ask Microchip.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 11:08:23 am
content: Quote from: Anobium on October 25, 2020, 08:18:08 amMplab IPE does require an internet connection?

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 11:09:16 am
content: Quote from: Anobium on October 25, 2020, 07:16:31 amThat won't tell people much because libc changes quite frequently and while you might be able to find an old version as an installable package, it may not be easy/possible.A better way to express the requirements is to say:"Application requires libc version X.Y.Z", we have tested it on Debian X, Ubuntu Y, ... (starting with the latest versions) and just say that people may be able to run it on a different version but that it is unsupported and they are on their own.When you say that something is supported on a specific version of Linux will make people assume that is what you have tested it ononly(because that's what pretty much all vendors of proprietary software do) and that everything else is a gamble. And when that "supported" version is almost a decade old, that gives a really strange impression - that's why the reactions.Linux users are used to the fact that distros are not binary compatible because of the different library versions so people are sensitive to things like this. That's very unlike the Windows ecosystem where you say "works on XP (or later)" and people automatically and correctly assume that it will most likely work in Windows 10 too.Quote from: Anobium on October 25, 2020, 07:16:31 amThat's good to hear, I have assumed you worked for Microchip. And apologies for the "sick joke" comment.

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 11:26:24 am
content: Quote from: Karel on October 25, 2020, 11:08:23 amAssuming the update the programmer firmware is required, yes, you may ( this depends on whether you have been able to cache all the possible permutations of firmware for the specific Microchip programmer selected to used) need the internet. The programmer firmware will be updated when you change chip family and there are 23 8-bit chip families, and many more firmware across the whole range of chips.

author: Anobium
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 11:37:07 am
content: Quote from: janoc on October 25, 2020, 11:09:16 amGreat advice. Thank you.We have provided the compatibility tester application to enable folks to validate the software. This compatibility tester application was one of the deliverables of the Alpha testing.Re the story with Microchip, seehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/pickit-plus-for-pickit2-and-pickit3-programmers/The piece in quotes is from the 8-bit BU VP.:-)

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2020, 01:03:49 pm
content: Borked link! Try:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/pickit-plus-for-pickit2-and-pickit3-programmers/