mikroICD overview 4

Hardware 4

Software 5

Using mikroICD 6

Program writing 6

Setting up the project for ICD debugging 7

Program compilation 8

Writing program to MCU 9

Starting mikroICD Debugger 10

mikroICD Debugger Options 11

Practical example of using mikroICD 12

mikroICD Debugger Options 16

Real-Time Debugging 16

Breakpoints 16

Watch Window 18

Disassembly view 19

EEPROM Window 20

View Code Window 21

View RAM Window 22

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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mikroICD overviewmikroICD is designed for debugging purposes. It enables you to monitor on your PC

the state of all registers within the built in microcontroller while it operates in real envi-

ronment. To use this feature successfully, it is necessary to own the appropriate hard-

ware and software for communication and programming.

HardwaremikroICD is a part of PICflash programmer and as such it is built in all development

systems designed by MikroElektronika (EasyPIC5 EasyPIC4, BigPIC4, PICPLC8Aetc.). In addition to that, mikroICD is a part of a stand-alone PICflash programmer as

well. It has a double purpose. It is used for PIC microcontroller programming as well as

to check program execution in real environment (debugging). In both cases, chip which

is programmed can be built in the target device (soldered).

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PICflash programmer built

in EasyPIC5 development

system.

Target device connected to stand-alone

PICflash programmer.

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The microcontroller is connected to the programmer via RB6, RB7 and MCLR pins.

In case the programmer is used only for programming, immediately after downloading

the hex code, built-in hardware automatically breaks connection with these pins which

can be further used as per program.

In case it is necessary to test and debug a program in real environment it is actually

necessary to monitor the state of all registers within the microcontroller. Debugger

also offers more sophisticated functions such as running a program step by step (sin-

gle stepping), stopping (pausing the program execution to examine the current regis-

ters state) by means of breakpoint etc. In that case, since the mikroICD communi-

cates with the PC all the time, the RB6 and RB7 pins cannot be used for the target

device operating.

Software

In order to enable you a successful use of mikroICD, MikroElektronika has developed

additional software which must be installed on PC:

PICflash v7.02 (or later) is a program designed to operate along with PICflash pro-

grammer hardware. You can download it for free from our web site www.mikroe.com.

It is used to select the microcontroller to program and set up its modes.

Drivers for the PICflash programmer operation. This software enables communica-

tion between PC and PICflash programmer’s hardware.

Compilers: mikroC v6.0 (or later), mikroBasic v5.0 (or later) and mikroPascalv6.0 (or later). Such programs are used for compiling high-level program languages

into executable file (HEX code). All these compilers are designed by MikroElektroni-

ka and support ICD debugger. Their demo versions can be downloaded for free from

our web site too.

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Using mikroICD

mikroICD is supplied with most of compilers designed by MikroElektronika. This man-

ual illustrates the way it operates in mikroBasic. The same applies on compilers

mikroC and mikroPascal.

Program writing

First of all, you should create a new project and write a program within it.

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MikroICD Main Window

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Setting up the project for ICD debugging

In order to set up your project for using mikroICD and Software simulator, you have

to select the appropriate options in the Project Setup window.

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Select Release build type in case you do not

want to use mikroICD after programming.

Select mikroICD Debug build type in case you

want to use mikroICD after programming.

If you want to use software simulator after programming,

select the Software Simulator option.

If you want to use mikroICD debugger after pro-

gramming, select the second option.

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Program compilation

Prior to download into MCU, the program should be compiled into machine code. This

process is called program compilation. In order to start it, press the appropriate short-

cut buttons or select one of the following options from the Project drop-down menu:

Build [Ctrl+F9] If the project consists of one file

Build All [Shift+F9] If the project consists of several files.

Build+Program. [Ctrl+F11] If you want PICflash programmer to be automatically

activated after compiling. In this case, the compiled

program will be automatically loaded into the MCU

program memory.

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Build options

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Writing program to MCU

After successful compilation, it is time to write the program to PIC microcontroller. It

can be done in two ways- by pressing [F11] or selecting Tools > PicFlash Program-mer from the drop-down menu.

PICflash program window will appear and the compiled program will be automatical-

ly written to MCU. After that, the window will be automatically closed.

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PICflash Programmer activation

PICflash Main Program

Window

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Starting mikroICD Debugger

After successful PIC programming you have to start mikroICD by selecting the StartDebugger option from the Run drop-down menu.

Since this moment, mikroICD enables you to directly monitor the state of all registers

within the microcontroller. In addition, starting the mikroICD makes more control

options available to you. Some of the most frequently used are: Step Into, Step Over,Run to Cursor and Step Out.

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Start Debugger option

Watch window enables monitoring MCU

registers and program variables.

Yellow line indi-

cates that micro-

controller is run-

ning.

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mikroICD Debugger Options

mikroICD has several integrated options listed in the table below:

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Name Description Function key

Debug Starts Debugger. [F9]

Run/Pause debugger

Runs or pauses program execution and debugging. [F6]

Toggle Breakpoints

During debugging, program is executed until a breakpoint is reached. At that point, the Toggle Breakpoints option sets new breakpoints or removes those already set at the current cursor position. To view all the breakpoints, select Run >View Breakpoints from the drop-down menu. Double click on an item from the list locates the breakpoint.

[F5]

Run to cursor Program is executed until the cursor position is reached.

[F4]

Step Into

Executes the current C/Pascal/Basic (single- or multi-cycle) program line, then halts. If the program line is a routine call, steps into the routine and halts at the first instruction within it.

[F7]

Step Over

Executes the current C/Pascal/Basic (single- or multi-cycle) program line, then halts. If the program line is a routine call, enters the routine and halts at the first instruction following the call.

[F8]

Flush RAMFlushes current PIC microcontroller RAM. All RAM memory values will be changed according to values in the Watch window.

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Stop Debugger

Stops Debugger. [Ctrl+F2]

Step Out Executes all remaining program lines within the subroutine. It halts immediately upon exit from the subroutine.

[Ctrl+F8]

Disassembly View

Instead of program written in high-level program language (Basic in this very case), the assembly version of the same program will appear. Each program line written in Basic is divided in assembly instructions executed by the microcontroller.

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Practical example of using mikroICD

Here is a step-by-step illustration of the operation of mikroICD:

Step 1: Example program writing

First of all, you have to write a program. In this example, it is a simple program which

demonstrates the operation of LCD display.

program Lcd_demo

dim text as string[20]dim i as byte

main:text = "mikroElektronika"ANSEL = 0 ' Configure AN pins as digitalANSELH = 0 ' on PIC16F887Lcd_Config(PORTB,3,2,1,0,PORTB,4,6,5) ' Lcd Init EasyPIC5Lcd_Cmd(LCD_CLEAR) ' LCD command “clear display”Lcd_Cmd(LCD_CURSOR_OFF) ' Send command “cursor off”for i = 1 to 16Lcd_Chr(1,i,text[i-1]) ' Print txt to LCD, 2nd row, 1st columnnext i

end.

Step 2: Setting up the example project for ICD debugging

After program compilation, you can proceed with its execution in two ways:

If you want MCU to execute the program at full speed by not

affecting the operation, select the Release option in Project

Setup Window.

If you want MCU to execute the program by using debugger,

select the mikroICD Debug option in the same window.

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Program example

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Step 3: Example Program Compilation

In order to compile the example program into machine code, select the Build option

from the Project drop-down menu.

Step 4: Writing example program to MCU

The compiled example program

(HEX code) is automatically written

to the microcontroller by selecting

the mE Programmer option from the

Tools drop-down menu.

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Step 5: Running mikroICD

The example program is now written to the microcontroller. Its execution in real envi-

ronment can be monitored by using

mikroICD debugger. To start it, select the

Start Debugger option from the Run drop-

down menu or click [F9] button.

Step 6: Line-by-line program execution

The example program will be executed line by line by pressing the button [F8]. It

means that every time you press the button [F8], MCU on the target device will exe-

cute one program line and halts afterwards.

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During operation, the program

line being currently executed is

colored blue by default.

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The state of all registers within the PIC microcontroller can be read from Watch Win-dow.

As can be seen on the picture above, the program has reached the 15th line after

LCD initialization. That line is used for writing characters on LCD:

Lcd_Chr(1,i,text[i-1]).

If you press [F8] (Step Over) again, the program will execute

specified function and “m” will be written on LCD.

If you press the same button again, program will remain in

the same loop for writing characters and the letter “i” will be

written just after the letter “m”. Now, there is “mi” on your

LCD.

If you continue pressing [F8] (Step Over), the third let-

ter will be written on LCD. By proceeding with it, you

will reach the end of the loop, as well as the end of

this simple program. The result will be the word

“mikroElektronika” written on your LCD.

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Monitored registers

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mikroICD Debugger Options

Real-Time Debugging

By using commands Step Into [F7] and Step Over [F8], program will be executed line

by line. It results in slow program execution and as such is convenient for shorter pro-

grams. Unlike them, the commands Run/Pause Debugger [F6] and Run To Cursor[F4] are much faster since they execute program in real time. The speed of execution

is determined by the microcontroller own clock.

By pressing [F6] or selecting the

Run/Pause Debugger option,

mikroICD is temporarily halted and

the microcontroller executes the

loaded program at full speed. After

another press on the same button

mikroICD is reactivated and the pro-

gram execution stops at reached loca-

tion.

By pressing [F4], the microcontroller

will proceed with program execution

at high speed until it reaches the line

selected by cursor.

Breakpoints

When using mikroICD, each program line can be marked with a breakpoint. It is an

intentional stopping or pausing place in a program, put in place for debugging pur-

poses. Therefore, the program is interrupted by encountering a breakpoint. There are

two kinds of breakpoints-hardware and software breakpoints. The only visible differ-

ence between them is in the speed of program execution until the specified program

line. Hardware breakpoints are placed inside the microcontroller chip and provide

considerably faster program execution. Number of hardware breakpoints is limited-

16-bit PIC microcontrollers have only one, whereas those 18-bit PIC microcontrollers

have up to 3 such breakpoints. If all hardware breakpoints are used, each next break-

point will be software one. The total number of software breakpoints is unlimited.

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Breakpoints are placed in the program by clicking the space to the left of the program

line or by pressing [F5] which marks the line selected for breakpoints by the user. By

selecting the Run command [F6], the microcontroller executes program from the cur-

rent location (colored blue) until it reaches a breakpoint (colored red). After a break-

point is reached, debugger halts.

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Program line being

currently executed

Breakpoint in

the program

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Watch WindowDebugger Watch window allows you to monitor values of variables in the program as

well as the contents of SFRs while the program is running. As soon as the program

is written to the micocontroller, this window automatically appears on the screen. If

you remove it and want to show it again, select the Debug Windows > Watch Win-dow option from the View drop-down menu.

Watch Window displays data in three columns: register or variable names, their val-

ues and memory addresses.

Double click on some variable opens the Edit Valuewindow in which you can assign a new value to it. On

such change, it is possible to select data format (deci-

mal, hexadecimal, binary, floating or character).

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Add selected value

to the list

Debugger - START

Debugger RUN/PAUSE Debugger STOP Step into [F7] Step over [F8]

Run to cursor [F4]

Step out [Ctrl+F8]

Remove selected

value from the list

Change format of

selected variable

Selected

variable

Add all variables to

the list

Remove all variables

from the list

Watch Window view option

Edit Value Window

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Disassembly view

During compiling, each program line written in high-level program language is

replaced by one or more assembly instructions. To display program in assembly

language, select the Disassembly View option from the Debugger drop-down menu.

In this case, simulation and debugging are performed in the same way as if the pro-

gram is written in high-level language.

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Program written in high level language...

...the same program written in assembly language

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EEPROM Window

mikroICD EEPROM Window is available from the drop-down menu View > DebugWindows > EEPROM. It shows current values written into PIC internal EEPROM

memory.

There are two action buttons in this window used to access EEPROM- ReadEEPROM and Write EEPROM..

Read EEPROM reads memory locations from the chip and shows them in

EEPROM window.

Write EEPROM writes data from EEPROM window into PIC internal EEPROM

memory.

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EEPROM Window

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View Code Window

The contents of the PIC microcontroller program memory (HEX code) can be

viewed from the mikroICD View Code Window available from the drop-down menu

View > Debug Window > Code. There is one action button in the upper left corner

of this window referred to as Read Code. By clicking it, mikroICD will read the code

from PIC and display it in View Code Window.

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Code Window

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View RAM Window

mikroICD allows you to view the contents of the microcontroller’s RAM memory in

RAM window available by clicking the Debug Window > RAM option from the Viewdrop-down window. Unlike the Watch Window, all memory locations are displayed in

the table. The content of each RAM location is displayed in hexadecimal format and

may be changed any time during operation. Changed values are directly written to

the microcontroller by clicking “Enter”.

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RAM Window