RB3 / PGM Pin question - 16F877

[Steve H]

Hey all: I have a customer circuit with a 16F877 that runs on 5 volts. As I understand it I don't need to hook up the RB3/PGM pin from my ICD connector for programming at 5 volts. Correct?

Is the RB3/PGM pin used in any debugging operations?

In this curcuit (a simple application) - is there any reason to have RB3/PGM connected?


Thanks,

Steve H.

[PCM programmer]

ICD-type programmers use High Voltage programming mode, and the
PGM pin is not used in that mode.

If you have the CCS ICD-U40 debugger and the CCS IDE (PCWH), then
you can use pin B3 as a software UART output pin to send debug text
to the IDE. See the FAQ -- see the paragraph on the B3 pin:
http://www.ccsinfo.com/faq.php?page=icd_connection

So the answer is, you can leave pin B3 unconnected. Make sure you
have NOLVP in your #fuses statement.

[Steve H]

Thanks PCM - That paragraph on the FAQ page was not clear to me, but it now is.

:-)

Steve H.