Microcontrollers
Practical Session 0: MPLAB Tutorial
This tutorial will help you through the process of using MPLAB to create a program.
You start a new program by clicking of the "File" drop-down menu item and selecting "New". A new "Untitled" window will open and you will be able to start writing your assembly program inside this window.
When you have finished entering the program (or want to stop for a break) you need to save it. Click on "File", then on "Save As". In the "Save File As" window, type the name of the file into the "File Name" box (and delete everything else). You can also select the folder you want to save the file into as well.
You now need to create a PROJECT FILE. This will be used to keep track of all the files you, and the MPLAB IDE, create for your program.
Assuming that you have created your .asm file, click on the "Project" drop-down menu item and then on "New Project". Enter a name for your project (best to make this the same as your .asm file.) and click on "OK". Now, back in the Project window, click on "Edit Project", and a new window will appear.
The only part you need to change is reached by clicking on the .hex file in the "Project Files" box. (Don't worry that your .asm file is not yet included in this box - it will be later). You should now see the following window.
This shows the default settings for MPLAB.
As it stands it will not create a .hex file. (Unhelpful, I
agree). So go to the "Hex Format" line and click on the INHX8M button
to select this Hex file format. You might also like to click
the "Off" button for "Case sensitivity" as well. Now click
on "OK" and this window will close.
Back in the "Edit Project" window, click
on the button for "Add Node" (which will be in BOLD now).
Select your .asm file and click on "OK". Back in the "Edit Project"
window, your .asm file name will now be displayed (as in the screenshot
above).
You should now be able to open the "Project"
window and use "Build All" to assemble and link your program.
Final Configuration Checks
Select the "Options" drop-down menu and click on "Development Mode".
- Choose the "Tools" tab and click on "MPLAB Simulator". This will allow you to be able to see the ROM, RAM, and SFR windows. (Explained later).
- Select the "Clock" tab. Click on "XT Clock". It should be set to 4.00MHz.
- Select the "Configuration"
tab. Check that the "Watchdog Timer" is set to "None" (for
development purposes).
Check also that "Processor Mode" is set to "Microcontroller".
Click on "Apply" and then on "OK" to save
these settings.
After "Build All" you should be able to
open up ROM, RAM, and SFR windows on the screen all at once, but they will
overlap one another. To make it possible to read all the windows,
click on the "Window" drop-down menu and select the "Tile Horizontal" mode.
Now, click on the "Debug" drop-down menu item and select "Power On Reset". In the window that opens, click on "Randomize All Ram Locations" and then close the window. This will make it easier to see what is changing in the RAM window as your program is simulated. It's a good idea to do this every time you simulate the program.
©Peter Minns2003.
Updated 20.06.07 ML