PICLAB 2.1 - readme.txt ======================= Product Name: MadLab PICLAB Version: 2.1 Release Date: 1st August 2004 Distribution: Commercial release. Unauthorised distribution prohibited. Contact Information =================== MadLab Ltd. Phone: +44 (0)131 661 4362 Unit 7, Abbeymount Techbase Fax: +44 (0)870 051 8057 2 Easter Road Email: info@madlab.org Edinburgh EH7 5AN, UK Web: www.madlab.org System Requirements =================== IBM PC or compatible 486 processor or better Windows 95 or later 10MB free disk space free serial port Packing List ============ PICLAB Programmer mains power adaptor RS232 serial cable installation disc Introduction ============ PICLAB Programmer functions both as a normal PIC device programmer, and as a tester board for running simple PIC programs. As a device programmer (where a programmed PIC is destined for some other board), it can program PICs with industry-standard hex files produced by assemblers and compilers, or flowcharts constructed using Crocodile Technology 1.5 and above from Crocodile Clips (www.crocodile-clips.com). Support for PICLAB Programmer is built in to Crocodile Technology and it can be controlled from within this application. PICLAB also includes an optimising BASIC compiler allowing you to write programs without the use of Crocodile Technology or needing to learn assembler. As a tester board, Crocodile Technology flowcharts can be downloaded into a PIC and run in situ. PICLAB Programmer features a number of on-board peripherals which can be controlled from the flowchart, with good correspondence between the operation of the virtual microcontroller on the PC screen and the physical microcontroller on the bench. PICLAB Programmer is designed to work with Microchip's 18-pin flash PIC family. These devices can be re-programmed without the need for a UV eraser and so are ideal in educational and development environments. PICLAB currently supports the following devices: PIC16F83, PIC16F84, PIC16F84A, PIC16F627, PIC16F628. Support for new flash PICs will be added in the future. Installation ============ The software is provided as a self-extracting compressed file. Simply run setup.exe and select the directory you wish to install the files into. If you are using PICLAB in conjunction with Crocodile Technology from Crocodile Clips, you can also select the directory to install support for this application. Note that the installation of Crocodile Technology 1.5 and above automatically installs PICLAB to your system but you should run "setup.exe" subsequently to install the latest version of PICLAB. This also makes it possible to use PICLAB as a stand-alone program and to program in BASIC. The default operation with Crocodile Technology is for PICLAB's window to be hidden from the user, which makes operation simpler for beginners. However if you wish to have access to PICLAB's advanced features from within Crocodile Technology then run PICLAB from the Start menu, select "CT Expert Mode" in the Options menu, and exit the program. The next time you download a flowchart from Crocodile Technology, PICLAB's window will appear. The installed file "piclab.pdf" is a complete manual for PICLAB. There is also online help built into the application. Note that version 2.0 (see directory "v2.0" on distribution disc) is a 16-bit Windows compilation and will run under Windows 3.1. Distribution Files ================== piclab.exe - PICLAB application piclab.hlp - application help file piclab.pdf - PICLAB manual readme.txt - this file programmer\piclab.cyt - Crocodile Technology template for PICLAB Programmer peripherals programmer\examples\catcher.bas - BASIC program to implement a burglar alarm programmer\examples\clap.bas - BASIC program to count claps programmer\examples\counter.bas - BASIC program to count up in binary and hex programmer\examples\lotto.bas - BASIC program to generate numbers for the National Lottery programmer\examples\reaction.bas - BASIC program to time reactions programmer\examples\tester.bas - BASIC program to test PICLAB Programmer programmer\examples\tones.bas - BASIC program to play different tones programmer\examples\music84.hex - object code file to play different tunes (16F84) programmer\examples\music628.hex - object code file to play different tunes (16F628) programmer\examples\music.asm - assembler source code programmer\examples\matilda.tun - Waltzing Mathilda programmer\examples\bluepetr.tun - Blue Peter programmer\examples\thebrave.tun - Scotland The Brave programmer\examples\flower.tun - Flower O' Scotland programmer\source\stub.asm - assembler source code for tester board stub and library programmer\source\stub.pjt - MPLAB project file for stub.asm programmer\firmware\piclab.hex - PICLAB Programmer firmware object code file The directories "v1.0" and "v2.0" on the distribution disc contain previous releases of PICLAB. Software Updates ================ Download the latest version of PICLAB from the MadLab website (http://www.madlab.org/piclab). The file "piclab.hex" in the sub-directory "programmer\firmware" is the latest version of the firmware for PICLAB Programmer. You can upgrade your PICLAB Programmer by programming a PIC16F84 device and then swapping the newly-programmed chip with the existing chip. Match the notch in the chip with the notch in the socket when doing this. Revision History ================ Version 1.0 released 1st December 2000 Version 2.0 released 1st August 2002 added support for PIC16F627, PIC16F628 optimising BASIC compiler with integrated editor PICBOT robot Version 2.1 released 1st August 2004 improved timing of RS232 routines compiled for 32-bit Windows Copyright & Trademark Notice ============================ PICLAB 1.x & 2.x and all related files and documentation are Copyright (c) 2000-2004 MadLab Ltd. All Rights Reserved. MadLab® is a registered service mark of MadLab Ltd. in the UK. All other trademarks or registered trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.