MPLAB - "program only" button

[DTJ]

Using MPLABX IDE 3V35....


Is there a way to single click program a device without having to run through the "make" cycle?

I'm programming a few boards an am using the "Make & Program Device" button bu tI have to wait 20 seconds or so each time to make the project. I looked in the customise tool bar options to see if I could find a way to drag a program button up the top but cannot see on.

I know I can set my PK3 up as a programmer to go but would rather not.

Any ideas?

[Ian.M]

Use IPE?

[andersm]

MPLAB X comes bundled with a separate programming app that probably fits your needs better.

[voltsandjolts]

Also, after installing IPE you can use a batch file, so just a double-click to program and verify:

Code: [Select]

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microchip\MPLABX\v5.20\mplab_platform\mplab_ipe
ipecmd.exe -TPICD3 -P18F2525 -M -F"C:\Firmware\myfile.hex" -K -E -C -Y
pause


[KL27x]

Well that's disappointing. I was wondering the same thing. Even after the build is done, it seems like X takes an extraordinarily long time to program and verify. I know about IPE, but that's a whole other maze of clicks to initially get going with just enough delay between them to be extremely annoying. Also... change password to nothing? No. Minimum password is 4 characters just to use IPE.

I'm working my way through the quirks and features of X right now, and I'm constantly forgetting what I was doing while trying to remember the maze of menus and waiting for things to happen.

There are a lot of new features, so far. I'm sure there are tons more I'll never learn about. But I find myself saving a few mouse clicks here, only to have to do a ton more, somewhere else. It is frustrating in that regard.

Like the tab spacing... Tab over to write a line of code, then the stupid thing acts like modern Word, automatically indenting the next line to the same spot. Which would be fine if backspace unindented. But instead, backspace moves the cursor back one space instead of all four, lol. Shift + tab doesn't do it either? So weird.

Forgive the rant and sidetrack, but I think we already got your answer, at least. 

[DTJ]

Thanks for the reminder about the IPE guys. I had not tried it.


After working out I could not find it as I'd selected to not install it years ago when I put MPLABX on my PC, I installed it an it works as required. Thanks as always to the group!



KL27x - I'd be lucky to be using 5% of the capability of MPLABx. I guess advanced users may need the options, I tend to not explore too far lest I stuff things up and can't get them going again.

[cv007]

The button you are clicking- 'Make and Program Device Main Project' also has a drop down selection (down arrow indicates) where you can 'Program Device for Production Main Project'. You can also add another button to the toolbar so you can have 'Program Device for Production Main Project' as a single button. Right click the toolbar, customize.

>I have to wait 20 seconds or so each time to make the project

That sounds more like a Clean and Build (although nothing I do ever takes more than 5-10 seconds even with this option). Make and Program... is more like 'Build Main Project and Program"- if there is nothing new to build no time should be spent building, so Make and Program is probably the better option in any case as it just makes sure you are programming the latest changes.

[KL27x]

'Make and Program Device Main Project' also has a drop down selection (down arrow indicates)

Welp. Indeed it does. It's a marvel, all the extra features they crammed into the GUI.

But I think my 32" monitor is too small for this. And I already use it at reduced resolution of 1920 x 1080, rather than 2560 x 1440. I could have used this for 10 years without realizing that dot was an arrow.

And, of course... no keyboard shortcut.

I realize it took me years to figure my way around 8. So nothing new, really. But many of the things I slowly learned with 8 were mindblowing awesome. I don't imagine that happening with X. (They probably just find a few extra pixels to stuff it on the GUI). So far the two things I love are that the entire line gets highlighted with one click, for cut/past operation. And floating windows. The comment/uncomment all-highlighted buttons are nice, but I could easily live without them. 

I also am sad that there is no navigating by alphabetical list of labels. 

For me, this "drop down arrow" and scolling down to select defeats the purpose. And I don't even want it to program multiple devices, where doing that each time would be silly. I might reassemble code many times, just to catch and fix errors as I go, for every one I program a test board. I don't see the big reason to combine make and program into one button, at all. From my perspective. I suppose it guarantees you can't forget to update before flashing, but it seems dumb to take this "terrible burden" off the coder. It seems pretty obvious that w/e you flash is w/e you last compiled. In 8, you could even enable automatic programming after every successful build, if you like. That was an option.

The X paradigm would be close to perfect if only it checked to see if any files have been edited since the last build. And if not, it would program, only. Then it would be just a program button with an automatic nanny-check.

[SiliconWizard]

'Make and Program Device Main Project' also has a drop down selection (down arrow indicates)

Welp. Indeed it does. It's a marvel, all the extra features they crammed into the GUI.

But I think my 32" monitor is too small for this. And I already use it at reduced resolution of 1920 x 1080, rather than 2560 x 1440. I could have used this for 10 years without realizing that dot was an arrow.

 

[KL27x]

Oooooh! Another thing I really like. Thank gosh for cdev pointing out that drop down arrow. Setting up P2G on a PK3 was ghoulish through IPE. Now you can dick with the settings in production settings, just once. And configure PK3 for P2G in this dropdown menu, boom done. I may never open IPE, again.

[DTJ]

The button you are clicking- 'Make and Program Device Main Project' also has a drop down selection (down arrow indicates) where you can 'Program Device for Production Main Project'. You can also add another button to the toolbar so you can have 'Program Device for Production Main Project' as a single button. Right click the toolbar, customize.

Crikey I didn't realise there was a drop down option - I'll check that out tomorrow. I'll also have another go at cutomising the toolbar.

I've been using the IPE solution today and its been ok.

Cheers.

[bookaboo]

Like the tab spacing... Tab over to write a line of code, then the stupid thing acts like modern Word, automatically indenting the next line to the same spot. Which would be fine if backspace unindented. But instead, backspace moves the cursor back one space instead of all four, lol. Shift + tab doesn't do it either? So weird.

You can ignore all your tab spaces then just Ctrl-Alt-F and it formats the whole script. I think this can be customised in Tools > Editor > Formatting but I just use the default.

Also for those who mentioned shortcuts:
Tools > Options > Keymap for hotkey shortcut config
Tools > Options > Editor > Code Completion for code autocomplete macros.