Nope, official tools are still the better supported ones. And probably the easiest to use, really.
- Install MPLABX
- Install XC8
Should just work. At least it does on my debian 12 desktop, i don't think i did anything strange other than making the installer executable from non root
- Open MPLABX
- Create New Project
- Select the device
- Select the folder
- Untick MCC
Great! You have created an empty project
On the project view, right click on source files, add new, C source file
// --- insert configuration bits here, in a source file, before any include.
//Code generator for configuration bits at Window -> Target Memory Views -> Configuration bits
#define _XTAL_FREQ 4000000 //Whatever frequency your Oscillator is At - Required for software delays - See XC8 Compiler guide
#include <xc.h> //Do NOT include the device include file. Always include xc.h and only xc.h for device related stuff
void main(void) {
TRISAbits.TRISA = 0;
while(1) {
LATAbits.LATA = 1;
__delay_ms(100);
LATAbits.LATA = 0;
__delay_ms(100);
}
}
Hit debug for debug, hit make and program to release
Couldn't be simpler IMHO.
However, the newest XC8 released just before the holidays can be integrated with VSCode via the MPLAB Extensions... But it's still pretty much in alpha stage*, i don't have direct experience other than verifying code completition works. I have a couple of boards coming next week that i intend to make the firmware in it, to see when it's going to be a good time to abandon MPLABX
*currently no disassembly, i don't know if it's actually possible to compile in release mode, don't know if it's possible to change compiler parameters, don't know how to manage multiple configurations/pre-post build scripts, don't know if/how to combine projects for single build/combine of bootloader and application