16F88

sunkiss2130 · Joined: 31 Jan 2004 Posts: 1

Hello, I have an older version of the CCS PIC C compiler. It's the command line version that runs through MPLAB and I need a header file for the PIC16F88. It looks like I could just write my own but when I try to change the #device line to #device 16F88 I get an unknown device type error. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Tim
compeng@adelphia.net

Felix Althaus · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 3:16 am

Hi

Your problem is, that you also have to update the compilers device database, so the compiler would know how many RAM, ROM, what periferials, etc the new/unknown PIC has.
This is done with the PICEDIT (or similar, I can't remember what the exact name is) program.

mfg
Felix

PCM programmer · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 21708

To expand upon what Felix said,

A lot of people with older versions of the compiler will ask for
someone to email them a "header file", thinking that this will
give them the "keys to the kingdom" and let them use a new chip.

But it doesn't work that way. CCS puts all the really vital information
about the PIC chips into a file called devices.dat (used to be called
device.dat -- non-plural). This binary file has data on the amount of
RAM and ROM in the chip, as well as the addresses of the available RAM,
and what pins are used for each peripheral device, etc.

If you have PCW, maybe you can use the Device Editor to create
a new PIC for compiler. But the Device Editor for vs. 2.xxx of the
compiler was really primitive, compared to the modern version used
with the 3.xxx compiler. Vs. 2.xxx just may not be versatile enough
to let you create the Device Data for one of the latest PICs.

One work-around for this problem, is to examine the Microchip Line card,
and try to find a PIC in the tables, which is the supported by the compiler,
and is similar to the one you want to use. Then just compile your file
for that PIC. Possibly, some of the built-in CCS library functions will
not work. You might have to write your own functions for certain PIC
peripherals.

The only other solution is to upgrade. You can get the version of PCM
that integrates with MPLAB for $125 (US).
http://www.ccsinfo.com/ccscorder.shtml