dsPIC33A support?

[dmendesf]

Anyone knows if dsPIC33A support is planned for future releases of CCS compiler?

[Ttelmah]

Ask CCS.
I'd say probably a while. Understand these are 32bit CPU's with a
FPU. However since the core is compatible with the PIC32, It should be
possible for CCS to support these. I wouldn't be at all surprised though
if this becomes a new 'PCE' compiler.
It is not just a small change to support these.

[empty]

It may take a while if they decided to support this new family.
CCS doesn't give any support to PIC32 devices as they're MIPS or ARM architecture
based microcontrollers.
The dsPIC33A is different, it has a 32-bit CPU using Harvard
architecture, basically the same thing with other PIC/dsPIC devices.
I hope we'll see a full support of these devices.

[Ttelmah]

Agreed. It is actually even more compatible than that, the instruction core
matches the 16bit units. However a lot of the peripherals are different, which
is why I suspect they may launch it as an alternative, rather than just an
extension to PCD. Crossing things that they do decide to support these
on a new version of the existing compiler.
However given how radical the changes are, I'd be very careful for a few
versions if they do do this.....

Asking them is the thing to do.

[dmendesf]

Asked them a few days ago. Still no answer... Probably a tough decision at this point.

[Ttelmah]

Yes,
They are probably asking themselves just how hard/easy it would be.
Touching timber things....

[temtronic]

As in any business decision about a product, you have to consider time and effort vs actual ,probable sales.
I'm sure someone, somewhere in the world could do the math. Take sales of that series PICs then look at their market share for say the PIC18F series. If similar, then a compiler my be a worthwhile venture.
One problem is do you hire more coders or take existing ones away from say 'support' or 'bug detail' ?
I don't know if any of the current compiler code could be used 'asis' for the new version or a total 'from the ground up' is necessary ? Hate to think of the manhours it'll take !
Those in active business know how long it took them to get their product into the market and true costs. So was it worthwhile ??
Frankly I don't see how CCS stays up to date considering all the new PICs !!

[Ttelmah]

The key on these is that the core instruction set is fully compatible to
the existing 16bit chips. So the compiler needs no changes at all. The
differences' are the peripherals.
Makes it a lot easier.