Microchip Technology

1 MPLAB X IDE User's Guide Notice to Development Tools Customers Important: All documentation becomes dated, and Development Tools manuals are no exception. Our tools and documentation are constantly evolving to meet customer needs, so some actual dialogs and/or tool descriptions may differ from those in this document. Please refer to our website ( ) to obtain the latest version of the PDF document. Documents are identified with a DS number located on the bottom of each page. The DS format is DS<DocumentNumber> <Version>, where <DocumentNumber> is an 8-digit number and <Version> is an uppercase letter. For the most up-to-date information, find help for your tool at 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 1. and its subsidiaries Table of Contents Notice to Development Tools 1. 1. Conventions Used in This Recommended 2. What is MPLAB X IDE?..8. Development Tools Ecosystem and MPLAB X Embedded Systems and MPLAB X MPLAB X IDE Support 24.

2 3. Before You 27. Review Installation 27. JRE and MPLAB X 27. Install the USB Device Drivers (for Hardware Tools)..27. Connect to a Target (for Hardware Tools).. 30. Install the Language Install MPLAB X 31. Launch the IDE and View the Shop the MPLAB X Launch Multiple Instances of the Launch Multiple Versions of the 35. Launch using Startup 4. 36. Selecting a Device and Development Downloading the Example 36. Installing and Setting Up the 37. Connecting the Opening an Example Project in MPLAB X 38. Examining MCC Generated Setting Project Running the 43. Debugging the 44. Setting 45. Stepping Through 46. Viewing Variable 47. Watching Symbol Values 49. Viewing I/O Viewing Device Memory (including Configuration Bits)..52. Programming a Other 5. Basic Development and Debug 56. Create a New 56. View Changes to 65. Open Project 66. 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 2. and its subsidiaries View or Make Changes to Project Set Up or Change Debugger/Programmer Tool Set Up or Change Language Tool Set Language Tool 70.

3 Set Other Tool 72. Add Files to a 73. Set Build Build a 85. Run 85. Debug 86. Control Program Execution with Step Through 94. Watch Symbol Values 94. Watch Local Variable Values 96. View Registers for the Project (I/O View).. 96. View or Change Device Set Configuration Values in the Configuration Bits Program a 6. 105. Work with Project Project Work with Project 7. Editor Editor Hyperlinks in 170. Editor Red 171. Variable Code 172. C Code C/C++ Code Error 175. 8. Development and Debug 176. Use the 176. View the Disassembly 177. View the Call 178. View the Call 178. View the Dashboard 179. Visualize 182. Improve Your Control Source Code using Local 182. Control Source Code using a Revision Control Collaborate on Code Development and Error Add Plugin 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 3. and its subsidiaries Hardware Tool Connections and Work with Third-Party Hardware 9. Compiler 194. Stack 202. MPLAB Analysis Tool 203.

4 10. 206. IDE Scripting ( ).. 206. CI/CD 216. 11. USB Driver Installation Operating System 247. NetBeans Platform MPLAB X IDE 248. 254. 12. Desktop 255. Status Grayed Out or Missing Items and 273. 13. MPLAB X IDE Windows and 275. MPLAB X IDE Windows 275. Action Items Breakpoints New Breakpoint Call Stack 283. Customize Toolbars 284. Dashboard 285. Disassembly 286. I/O View 287. Licenses 289. Manage Network Tools Memory Windows - 8- and 16-Bit 293. Memory Windows - 32-Bit 314. Memory Windows Associated 329. Message Output Pack Manager 334. Project Properties Projects 339. Tools Options Window, 343. Tools Options Window, 349. Trace 350. 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 4. and its subsidiaries Variables Watches 353. 355. 14. NetBeans Windows and NetBeans Specific Windows and Window NetBeans Specific 357. 15. Configuration Settings 358. AVR GCC 358. Arm GCC XC 360. 16. Revision 361. Revision F (January 2022).

5 361. Revision E (September 2019).. 362. Revision D (September 2015).. 363. Revision C (March 2014)..363. Revision B (October 2012).. 364. Revision A (November 2011).. 365. 17. 366. The Microchip Product Change Notification Customer 384. Microchip Devices Code Protection 384. Legal 384. 385. Quality Management 386. Worldwide Sales and 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 5. and its subsidiaries Preface 1. Preface MPLAB X IDE documentation and support information is discussed in this section. Conventions Used in This Guide The following conventions may appear in this documentation: Table 1-1. Documentation Conventions Description Represents Examples Arial font: . Italic characters Referenced books MPLAB IDE User's Guide Emphasized text ..is the only Initial caps A window the Output window A dialog the Settings dialog A menu selection select Enable Programmer Quotes A field name in a window or dialog Save project before build.

6 Underlined, italic text with right A menu path File>Save angle bracket Bold characters A dialog button Click OK. A tab Click the Power tab N Rnnnn A number in verilog format, where 4 b0010, 2 hF1. N is the total number of digits, R is the radix and n is a digit. Text in angle brackets < > A key on the keyboard Press <Enter>, <F1>. Courier New font: Plain Courier New Sample source code #define START. Filenames File paths c:\mcc18\h Keywords _asm, _endasm, static Command-line options -Opa+, -Opa- Bit values 0, 1. Constants 0xFF, A'. Italic Courier New A variable argument , where file can be any valid filename Square brackets [ ] Optional arguments mcc18 [options] file [options]. Curly brackets and pipe Choice of mutually exclusive errorlevel {0|1}. character: { | } arguments; an OR selection 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 6. and its subsidiaries Preface ..continued Description Represents Examples Replaces repeated text var_name [, ].

7 Represents code supplied by user void main (void). { .. }. Recommended Reading This document describes how to use the MPLAB X IDE. Other useful documents are listed below. The following Microchip documents are available and recommended as supplemental reference resources. Readme for MPLAB X IDE. For the latest information on using MPLAB X IDE, select Help>Release Notes on the IDE toolbar. The release notes contain update information and known issues that may not be included in this user's guide. Readme Files For the latest information on using other tools, read the tool-specific Readme files which also can be found by selecting Help>Release Notes . The Readme files contain update information and known issues that may not be included in the tool user's guide. Online Files Select Help>Contents Help or Help>Tool Contents Help on the IDE toolbar to find links to documentation for specific development tools. Or search the Online Technical Documentation webpage for MPLAB related documentation.

8 Device Data Sheets and Family Reference Manuals See the Microchip web site, , for complete and updated versions of Microchip device data sheets and related family reference manuals. 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 7. and its subsidiaries What is MPLAB X IDE? 2. What is MPLAB X IDE? MPLAB X IDE is a software program that is used to develop applications for Microchip microcontrollers, microprocessors, and digital signal controllers. This development tool is called an Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, because it provides a single integrated environment to develop code for embedded devices. MPLAB X IDE works seamlessly within the Development Tools Ecosystem of software and tools, many of which are completely free. Development Tools Ecosystem and MPLAB X IDE. The Development Tools Ecosystem consists of software and hardware tools designed to help you move from product concept through release. While MPLAB X IDE is definitely a development tool, the IDE can work with tools at all stages through access or integration.

9 Figure 2-1. Development Tools Ecosystem Table 2-1. Ecosystem Tools and MPLAB X IDE. Ecosystem Stage Ecosystem Tool MPLAB X IDE Connection Extra features with license? Discover MPLAB Discover Access from icon . Download and open a project. Discover Atmel START Import a START project. Configure MPLAB Code Configurator Install MCC plugin. Enable from icon . Configure MPLAB Harmony Install Launcher plugin. Enable from Tools>Embedded. Develop MPLAB XC C Compilers Use Built-in support. yes Develop GNU C Compilers (GCC) Use Built-in support. Develop MPLAB Xpress Download and open a project. 2022 Microchip Technology Inc. User Guide DS-50002027F-page 8. and its subsidiaries What is MPLAB X IDE? ..continued Ecosystem Stage Ecosystem Tool MPLAB X IDE Connection Extra features with license? Develop MPLAB Device Blocks for Download and open a project. Simulink Develop MPLAB MINDI Analog Add to digital simulation by using MPLAB. Simulator MINDI.

10 Develop Microchip Studio for AVR/SAM Import a Studio project. Debug Evaluation Boards Use Built-in support. Debug MPLAB Debuggers Use Built-in support. Debug MPLAB Data Visualizer Use Built-in support. Enable from icon . Qualify MPLAB XC C Compilers (TUV Use Built-in support. yes SUD). Qualify MPLAB Analysis Tool Suite Use Built-in support. Enable from yes Tools>Analysis. Production MPLAB IPE Get more programming features by using MPLAB IPE. Production MPLAB Programmers Use Built-in support. Production Microchip Programming Center Access from icon . Production Third-Party Programmers Get more programming features by using 3rd party programmers. Embedded Systems and MPLAB X IDE. For those new to embedded system development, the following overview sections are recommended. An Overview of Embedded Systems An embedded system is typically a design that uses the power of a small microcontroller, like the Microchip PIC . or AVR microcontroller (MCU).