MPLAB is a proprietary freeware integrated development environment for the development of embedded applications on PIC and dsPIC microcontrollers, and is developed by Microchip Technology.
MPLAB Extensions for Visual Studio Code and MPLAB X for NetBeans platform are the latest editions of MPLAB. MPLAB and MPLAB X support project management, code editing, debugging and programming of Microchip 8-bit PIC and AVR (including ATMEGA) microcontrollers, 16-bit PIC24 and dsPIC microcontrollers, as well as 32-bit SAM (ARM) and PIC32 (MIPS) microcontrollers.
MPLAB is designed to work with MPLAB-certified devices such as the MPLAB ICD 3 and MPLAB REAL ICE, for programming and debugging PIC microcontrollers using a personal computer. PICKit programmers are also supported by MPLAB.
MPLAB X supports automatic code generation with the MPLAB Code Configurator and the MPLAB Harmony Configurator plugins.
MPLAB X
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| Developer(s) | Microchip Technology |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 6.20 / January 31, 2024; 11 months ago (2024-01-31) |
| Written in | Java (programming language) |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows >7, Mac OS X, Linux |
| License | Proprietary EULA |
| Website | MPLAB X Homepage |
MPLAB X is the latest version of the MPLAB IDE built by Microchip Technology, and is based on the open-source NetBeans platform. MPLAB X supports editing, very buggy debugging and programming of Microchip 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers.
MPLAB X is the first version of the IDE to include cross-platform support for macOS and Linux operating systems, in addition to Microsoft Windows.
MPLAB X supports the following compilers:
- MPLAB XC8 — C compiler for 8-bit PIC and AVR devices
- MPLAB XC16 — C compiler for 16-bit PIC devices
- MPLAB XC-DSC - C compiler for dsPIC family of devices
- MPLAB XC32 — C/C++ compiler for 32-bit MIPS-based PIC32 and ARM-based SAM devices
- HI-TECH C — C compiler for 8-bit PIC devices (discontinued)
- SDCC — open-source C compiler
Debugger bugs:
- Memory view crashes the whole IDE when searching for an address
- Step over sometimes steps in and step out doesn't work
- Disassembler view is buggy showing incorrect instructions
- Phantom breakpoints that can't be cleared
- Automatic firmware update sometimes fail requiring full erase of SNAP
MPLAB 8.x
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| Developer(s) | Microchip Technology |
|---|---|
| Final release | 8.92 / July 23, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-07-23) |
| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| License | Proprietary EULA |
| Website | www |
MPLAB 8.x is the last version of the legacy MPLAB IDE technology, custom built by Microchip Technology in Microsoft Visual C++. MPLAB supports project management, editing, debugging and programming of Microchip 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers. MPLAB only works on Microsoft Windows. MPLAB is still available from Microchip's archives, but is not recommended for new projects.
MPLAB supports the following compilers:
- MPLAB MPASM Assembler
- MPLAB ASM30 Assembler
- MPLAB C Compiler for PIC18
- MPLAB C Compiler for PIC24 and dsPIC DSCs
- MPLAB C Compiler for PIC32
- HI-TECH C
References
- Embedded C Programming and the Microchip PIC, Cengage Learning, 2004
- Designing Embedded Systems with PIC Microcontrollers, Newnes, 07-Nov-2009
- Programming 16-Bit PIC Microcontrollers in C, Elsevier, 2011
- PIC Microcontrollers: Know It All, Newnes, 30-Jul-2007
- Mechatronics with Experiments, John Wiley & Sons, 27-Jan-2015
- PIC Microcontrollers: An Introduction to Microelectronics, Elsevier, 2011
- Microcontroller Programming: The Microchip PIC, CRC Press, 19-Dec-2006
- Implementing 802.11 with Microcontrollers, Newnes, 18-Oct-2005
- "MPLAB Extensions for Visual Studio Code Extension Pack". Visual Studio Marketplace. 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
- PIC Microcontroller Projects in C: Basic to Advanced, Newnes, 08-Apr-2014
- Microcontrollers: High-Performance Systems and Programming, CRC Press, 28-Oct-2013
- ^ MPLAB SNAP In-Circuit Debugger (DS50002787A), Microchip, 2018
- Designing Embedded Systems with 32-Bit PIC, Newnes, 22-Aug-2013
- Programming 32-bit Microcontrollers in C: Exploring the PIC32, Newnes, 08-Apr-2011
- ^ MPLAB X Home Page, Microchip
- ^ MPLAB® XC Compilers, Microchip
- HI-TECH C compiler for PIC10/12/16 MCUs (PRO), Microchip
- Setting up the free compiler SDCC at MPLABX, Google Sites
- ^ MPLAB IDE Archives, Microchip
External links
| Microchip Technology | |
|---|---|
| Products | |
| Development tools | |
| Third Party | |