Just Another Pic Programmer (question).

[rob...@hotmail.com]

  Hi all,

I posted this question on Jallist and Jallib. 

Some time ago Rob Hamerling mentioned that the new version of MPLABX will no longer support the PICKit3. You can use other software (PICKitPlus, PICKitMinus) but these are all Windows applications and not usable for Linux users. There are also other open source programmers like Openprog: http://openprog.altervista.org/OP_eng.html#Top

I like to keep things simple and so I started JAPP (Just Another PIC Programmer) to see if I could make a simple programmer only for PIC Microcontrollers. The idea is that it connects to a USB port and does not act like an HID but as a COM port. In order to control is you just send commands in text to this comport. Works for Linux, Mac and Windows. The only thing you need is Python as to send some info over (or you make your own application). I am just starting and it will take quite some time to complete this. I have some help from Rob Hamerling who created a Python script to extract the relevant programming info for all PICs from the MPLABX XML files, the same files that are used to generate the JAL device files.

Since it will take quite some time to finish this - it is a project I sometimes spend some time on -  I could develop it in an Agile way and upload the next version to a GitHub account I have, each time supporting more PICs. The only thing you would need is a second PIC that you program that replaces the PIC on the board. Currently I am using a PIC18F26J50 since I need more than 32k of ROM.  I also want to make a PCB layout to ease the build of it. 

I was wondering if there is any interest in this programmer.

Kind regards,

Rob

[Evan Venn]

I would ask why?

The PICs are essentially not being developed.   The number of products being released are very low. Two this year.

Microchip committed to supporting  the products in March 2022.  They have given no commitment to new PICs.

Northern Software have ceased all PIC related developments.

We will only develop new capabilities under a specific Statement of Work with contractually bound payments.

We have offered all our source code back to Microchip for release as Open Source with support for new PICs.  We did this as a test of strategic direction... the response was 'not our strategic direction'.

My advice think about any investment of time.

GCBASIC strategic direction.  AVRDX microcontroller.   This should tell you even more.  :-)

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[vasi vasi]

Microchip evolving to closed source tools and limited capabilities for the free stuff... If I remember right, there was a movement against Open Source in the previous American administration (actually, it started from the Obama Administration when there were fears that the "3D printing revolution" will affect the Occidental industry), some key persons tricking the President that the technological advancement of the China is based on the Open Source.

BTW @Evan, will your GCBasic offer support for larger arrays than 256bytes and float type of data for AVRs?

Because right now I changed it with LunaAVR...

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Vasi

[vasi vasi]

Rob, if you ask me, go for it! For as long as PICs will be available!

We need that programmer.

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[vsurducan]

Evan, there will be a moment in your life when you will do things just for fun, no matter that nobody will need them except you.

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[vsurducan]

Btw, how's going with the Raspberry pi hat programmer?