PIC programming - how should I start (on Linux)?

[Mechatrommer]

The irony being that Windows is a pretty bad development environment. Everyone ends up having to install a ton of Unix emulation tools just to make it bearable.

what?! penguin strikes again.

[Maxlor]

Returning back to the actual topic: The PICkit3 hasn't been 100% reliable for me either. Sometimes, it needs a reset by unplugging/replugging the USB cable. But it's happening rarely, so it doesn't bother me too much. Whenever it has happened, the issue has always been communication being lost between MPLABX and the PICkit3, I've never encountered any kind of corruption or misprogramming.

as for XC8: yeah, the code it generates is bad (using the free version). But... it doesn't really matter, imo. If you run against the constraints because your code runs too slowly or doesn't fit into the flash, you can usually just increase the clock speed or use a PIC with more flash. If you're already using the biggest and fastest PIC, well, ARM's probably going to work out better for you, because the next firmware revision will need to have even more features.

As for the PIC downsides, realistically, they're true, but most of the time they don't matter. This little dev setup that Microchip built gives you a huge amount of flexibility, letting you work with everything from small 6-pin micros to 32bit chips, with no other investment than a PICkit3, which is cheap. The docs are excellent. The chips... well, most bugs are usually fixed by the 3rd or 4th silicon revision (I just wonder why I see the same old bugs all over again whenever they release a new chip...) And there are faster chips out there, and ones that are easier to program in ASM. But usually you don't have quite the same selection of different parts, which might lead to having to use a bigger package than you really need for example. And most other setups don't have quite the same ease of use (unless you wan't to step into Arduino-land.) What I'm saying is, there's tradeoffs at every corner, I haven't found the perfect ecosystem yet. PICs are pretty nice, not exactly the holy grail, but not rubbish either. I enjoy using them.

[dannyf]

As long as we are dealing with computers / software, there will always be bugs, Microchip or otherwise.

I would say that Micorchip mcus are quite bug free, based on my experience. If you want to see buggy chips, pick the erratas for some of the Luminary chips.

As to XC8, unless you have to (for newer chips for example), I would say stay with your older Hi-tech non-ocg compilers - they produce better code, even the standard version, than the xc8 in free mode.

[Monkeh]

Still not understanding the question.

Why would a third party company support your use of a tool?

One more try:

Of those companies that make a living developing code for mcus (an application shop), which one uses linux as official development environment?

ie. this question is trying to get to the demand side of the equation: who uses linux development environment?

I'm sure there are many; I don't work for them. A random forum is not the place to ask.

[nctnico]

Still not understanding the question.

Why would a third party company support your use of a tool?

One more try:

Of those companies that make a living developing code for mcus (an application shop), which one uses linux as official development environment?

ie. this question is trying to get to the demand side of the equation: who uses linux development environment?

One of my former employers used Linux for all embedded development. The company (>200 employees) got sold for 60 million euro a couple of years ago. Is that good enough?

[meerweten]

Starting with PIC's on linux isn't that easy, just tried it myself (due to problems with windows stability :BANG: )

Microchip actualy has a command line interface for the pickit 2 (don't know about the pickit 3, i only have the pickit 2 so don't bother looking for the pickit 3 support on linux), there are gui's out there on the big internet that work, but for most you need to start (run) them un root mode, cuss the pk2cmd is (on my computer) is only usable as a root user. but it took me 2-3 hours after i got it working, (even following a working tutorial)
the "handy" thing about the pickit 2 (and probably 3 to) is that you can just use it for all their chips (well support for the pickit 2 ended and no new devices are addad, but i don't need them)
in the pickit 2 there is a simple logic analizer included and a serial communication (didn't try them on linux yet, but works fine under windows).

i've tried working with the avr's but i always gone back to pic's, for the simple reason i can get them cheaper

[BloodyCactus]

I have no problem running MPLABX and PICKit3 on linux at all. Also run chipkit MPIDE /avrdude for the 'arduino' style pic boards with no issues.. shrug.

pic32prog works fine under linux, which supports pic32 chips using pickit2, which is nice if you have a pickit2 and not pickit3.