Failure to program PIC24FV16KM202

Charlie U · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:51 pm

Richard (?) at CCS helped solve this problem several months ago. It requires editing the device file and changing the programming algorithm. It's a bit of a tale, but I am running off a generator and my normal shop where my FW development computer is located, is filled with exhaust fumes. I can't do anything about that, but I am working on my office computer with the latest update of the compiler, 5.027. It appears that the correction to the programming tool that Richard identified, did not make it into the latest release. I have the information about the correct tool to use, but when I try to edit the device file and save the change, I receive a warning from the Device Table Editor that simply states "File Access Denied". The file device.dat file appears to be accessible, but for some reason, CCS can't write to it. Any ideas?

Thanks
Charlie

dyeatman · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 1933 Location: Norman, OK

where is the file located and is it write protected?
What operating system?
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Charlie U · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 4:32 pm

Hi,

I am using W7 pro 64 bit. The file is C:\Program Files (x86)\PICC\DLL\5.027\devices5.dat, I think?

dyeatman · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 1933 Location: Norman, OK

are you running the CCS program as administrator?
Try right clicking on chipedit.exe in the PICC folder then run as administrator.
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Charlie U · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2014 10:06 pm

Thanks for the reply. Too late tonight. Power is back on, but I will try your suggestion in the morning

Thanks
Charlie

gpsmikey · Joined: 16 Nov 2010 Posts: 588 Location: Kirkland, WA

Something to watch for also - make sure windows is not putting what you are doing in the "virtual store" (Google it). It does that when it thinks you should not be putting things in certain places and it puts them in a "virtual store" under your account, but does not tell you about it. Not all programs seem to handle that correctly - I have run into issues with that before.

mikey
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old engineering saying: 1+1 = 3 for sufficiently large values of 1 or small values of 3

Charlie U · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 7:26 am

Thanks for the suggestions. The administrator method worked. Only problem was that I kept receiving error messages about no disk in drive D? I had just finished writing a CD with some photos, but can't figure out why Chipedit would be looking at my DVD.

I'll look into the "virtual store" concept as well.

Thanks
Charlie

Charlie U · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:55 pm

Silly me, I upgraded to the latest version (5.028) of the compiler in hopes that some of the programming problems that I had been suffering were corrected. What a mistake! After several hours of frustration and an hour on the phone with CCS support, trying different combinations, moving from computer to computer (XP and W7 both 32 and 64 bit) we just decided to wipe out the C compiler on the XP machine and start over. As I did this, I realized that I have been using this machine to develop code for at least 12 years, if not longer. I have never uninstalled the C compiler and IDE, I just let the installer over write and update. There must have been some old file buried in the directory that was causing my problems. After uninstalling, rebooting, reinstalling and one more reboot, all is well. My advice at this point is to occasionally wipe out the compiler and IDE then reinstall fresh.

gpsmikey · Joined: 16 Nov 2010 Posts: 588 Location: Kirkland, WA

Use some of the cheaper hard drives out there (do some research) and you will have plenty of chances to do a "clean install" when the drives fail !! Evil or Very Mad

mikey
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mikey
-- you can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !
old engineering saying: 1+1 = 3 for sufficiently large values of 1 or small values of 3

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19480

Met drives like that.....

A thing perhaps worth saying, is that the problem being described, is 'inherent' in the current update system.

Problem is that if you use the 'new' (V5) install system, and automatic upgrading, even if you keep older compilers, it tends to 'pollute' the older installs...
If (for instance), you build a new project, then try to go back and compile this with the older compiler, you will find it uses the 'include' files from the newer version. Un-install, and go back to an older version, and a few later files will be retained....

I've found the only reliable way to work 'clean', with the IDE, is as follows:

1) When you install a new version, install it to a new directory (PICC5026 for example).
2) As soon as this is installed, delete/rename the file 'ccsdownload.exe'. This then stops the 'automatic updater' from running.
3) Every few weeks, just check for new versions, and install these into their own directory if required.
4) Build your project in a directory as you currently like.
5) If you want to compile with a different version, then delete/rename the .ccspjt file for this project, and the .pjt file if present. Now open the compiler you wish to use, and select the main source file. Then select 'options', 'Include Files', and make sure it is set to the devices and driver files for this compiler version. Compile.

This then creates a new .ccspjt or pjt file (for older compilers), using the compiler selected, _and_ using the include files for this compiler.

Doing this, I can go back and compile a project with an older compiler, and the result is the same output file, as was originally produced. Just using the 'use specific compiler version' tickbox in the IDE, _does not_ do this....

CCS needs to rethink the way the update is handled, and the way that historic versions work. With things like Microsoft compilers, I can have half a dozen different versions installed, and genuinely step 'back' to an old version, and have it produce exactly the same code as when it was originally used. Anyone working with software development, _requires_ this ability, and the current system does not provide this, without significant 'fiddling'...

gpsmikey · Joined: 16 Nov 2010 Posts: 588 Location: Kirkland, WA

Yes - that is definitely NOT "user friendly" to have it "mix and match" when doing updates. I also have a number of different utilities that, as long as I install the versions in separate directories, let me have them function independently. There are often very valid reasons to maintain several versions of something on a system and they need to be able to be used independent of each other.

mikey
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mikey
-- you can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !
old engineering saying: 1+1 = 3 for sufficiently large values of 1 or small values of 3