Flowcode v4.2 Beta Testing

[Benj]

Hello

I would like to announce that we now have available a pre-release beta version of Flowcode v4.2.

If anyone would like to help us with testing this release before it is made public then please contact me via email or PM and I will send you the download details.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hallo Benj

The 4.2 beta ,i dont have in normal modus problems in the moment;so i think all bugs are here fixt.

The ICD mode,there i cannot see any "local Variables in" the variable window.

Please can jou give me background-knowledge why the progamming time for the same projekt:

with ICD modus 2 min 6 sec
without ICD modus 1 min 2 sec
with PicKit3 10 sec

is?

Regards Wolfgang

[Steve]

Unfortunately, the value of local variables cannot be viewer in ICD mode. You will need to use a temporary global variable to hold their values.

The programming times you show seem very strange. Are the programming times for the whole compilation process, or just for using PPP to get the code into the chip?

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Steve

The time is "just for using PPP to get the code into the chip",
The compiling time is 15 sec (I7 cpu 950) ; *.fcf = 121kb >> *.hex = 31 kb

Regards Wolfgang

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Steve

In the *.c , there is config BOOST_C or H_TECH_C .

Where i found the settings for Compiler-option and parameter > HI_TECH_Compiler e.g. C:\Program Files\....................
Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

Yes we have been looking into supporting the HiTECH compiler with v4.2. You can help us to test the modifications to allow this to work if you like. This would be very useful for me to have another person looking at this.

If you want to try this out then you can download the trial version of the HiTECH compiler from their website or download the latest version of Microchip's MPLAB which contains an install for the HITECH compiler.

You will then need to update your compiler and linker settings appropriatly via the Chip -> Compiler options window.

16F Compiler
Location = C:\PATH_TO_HITECH\PICC\PRO\9.65\bin\picc.exe
Params = --CHIP=%p -N48 %f.c

18F Compiler
Location = C:\PATH_TO_HITECH\PICC-18\PRO\9.63\bin\picc18.exe
Params = --CHIP=%p -N48 %f.c

18F Compiler for Matrix USB Bootloader devices - ECIO, MIAC, FF...
Location = C:\PATH_TO_HITECH\PICC-18\PRO\9.63\bin\picc18.exe
Params = --CHIP=%p -N48 %f.c --CODEOFFSET=0x800

Linker
Location = C:\PATH_TO_DONOTHING\DoNothing.exe
Params =

I have attached the DoNothing.exe file so you can use this in your linker setting.

If you decide to give this a go then there is one warning that HITECH does not like filenames that contain numbers, that are too long or contain spaces, full stops etc.

Let me know how you get on.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Benj

Here my first experience with HI-Tech

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

It looks like the patch didnt update the internals.c file correctly. At least thats what happened on my installation here. If you uninstall and then reinstall using the full version then your program should compile correctly. I remade your program icon for icon and it is now compiling correctly here. Thanks for helping to test this.

Your Hitech details will even be retained in flowcode so you dont have to re-enter them.

Let me know if you find anything else.

[Benj]

I then found out that if you add the chip configuration data then you get a compilation error message. At least I did here let me know if you get the same thing.

To fix this error I have created a replacement FCD file for the device and also created the following code in the supplementary code defines window.

__CONFIG(1, 0x02FF);
__CONFIG(2, 0x1E1F);
__CONFIG(3, 0x85FF);
__CONFIG(4, 0xFF81);
__CONFIG(5, 0xC00F);
__CONFIG(6, 0xE00F);
__CONFIG(7, 0x400F);

The values correspond to the boostc configuration words in the C file. Once you have assigned config data to the device, you can use the Chip -> View C code menu to look at what this should be. The values are also shown on the bottom left hand side of the ppp expert config screen so you can take them from here if you don't want to dig into the C.

I originally thought that the config settings were in a format similar to boostc but it appears at least the 18F devices do not take kindly to this. At least not on my home machine with the latest HiTECH.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Benj

1.) i have do a new , complete , installation of v4.2 (not patch) on start v4.2.

After i install the newest hi-tech the small code compiling show "return = 0",but in my real code show the screen-capture.

I think it is not so easy changing to hi-tech-compiler.

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hi Wolfgang

Would you mind attaching this program. I would like to see if I can see whats going wrong.

There are also a lot of warning messages there regarding strings but they are harmless and the ocde produced will work correctly.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hallo Benj

No problem.
*.c is build with boostc and work ok in real hardware.

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Great thanks for that Wolfgang

All of the errors are caused by connection points that are right at the end of macros. As there is no semi colon after the connection point label the compiler sees this as an error. I will see if I can fix this. For now adding a dunny input read etc after the connection point label will work to allow your program to compile. Attached is a version of your program that should compile correctly.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hallo Benj

1.)If i compile with the HI-Tech-comp. , i found not a *.asm for running in proteus.(if i take the *.cof i become a asm-error)at the start
2.)Wich way jou are going to found the "error points" position in the *.fcf file and put in the dummi ; because i work on the file and i want change it ?

in the *.c file i can locate with the line-number i think, but find it in the *.fcf is for me very difficult.

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

You can make HITECH generate a assembler file but thats all it will produce. You will need to rerun the compiler again using the normal settings to obtain a hex file.

Compiler Parameters to generate Assembler...
--CHIP=%p -N48 -S %f.c

To reference the linne number back to the flowchart is quite simple. Just look up the line number in the C code then find out which macro you are in by looking at the start of the C goto label or another landmark.

The problem is when you have a label such as FCM_JUMP_A: followed directly by a } close bracket. So this happens at the end of while loops, desicions, switch case statements and macros etc.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hallo Benj

I have fixt my code with put in a dummy for:
}
^ (195) expression syntax
^ (312) ";" expected
and i have return code = 0 , but if i compile to chip,my hardware dont work.
I change compiler-option to boostc , compile to chip,the thame code work on my real hardware.

To build a *.asm file,please can jou give me exactly compiler settings;because i have problems with build.

If i can help jou more , feel free.

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

Have you inserted the config data into the supplementary code window?

__CONFIG(1, 0x02FF);
__CONFIG(2, 0x1E1F);
__CONFIG(3, 0x85FF);
__CONFIG(4, 0xFF81);
__CONFIG(5, 0xC00F);
__CONFIG(6, 0xE00F);
__CONFIG(7, 0x400F);

You must also ensure that the config settings are correct for your hardware, I think the current settings use a HS oscillator with PLL disabled. If you want tell me what you require for the PPP expert settings and I will work out the numbers for your setup.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hallo Benj

After i put in " the supplementary code" , compile to chip , i can show a reaction on my lcd-display , but not the correct one.
The blinking ledΒ΄s are out of work.

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

The numbers for your config settings are as follows.

__CONFIG(1, 0x06FF);
__CONFIG(2, 0x1E16);
__CONFIG(3, 0x81FF);
__CONFIG(4, 0xFF80);
__CONFIG(5, 0xC00F);
__CONFIG(6, 0xE00F);
__CONFIG(7, 0x400F);

Let me know how you get on.

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Benj
Unfortunately no success .

Regards Wolfgang

[Benj]

Hello Wolfgang

I have now tried your program using a 8MHz crystal and so an overall clock speed of 36MHz. The only thing I changed in your program is the clock speed in the project options window was dropped from 40000000 to 36000000. The program ran correctly and the LCD is working.

I now have a version of Flowcode that generates the config data for HITECH. Did you try embedding that config data into the supplementary code window. Otherwise you are programming a hex file with no config data even if you are assigning it via PPP. In your current version the config data is only included with the BoostC compiler so the HITECH config must be hand coded.

[electronix]

Where can i download the 4.2 BETA??

[fresh]

Where can i download the 4.2 BETA??

You must write benj a PM or mail.

[electronix]

Thanks.
I see, ok I`ll do it straight away then

[saschech@gmx.de]

Hello Benj

What is the difference between a "c-code-macro" and the "Use supplementary code" in the project option?
In both cases , i put in the code , i found the code in the hex file.

Compile to chip in flowcode i have no success ; if i load the pic over MPLAB > PICKit3 it works , but my first line in the lcd-display show incorrect symbols.

Regards Wolfgang