Microcode loader not loading programme

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bitfogav
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Microcode loader not loading programme

Post by bitfogav » Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:50 pm

Hi guys, I'm having issues getting the Microcode loader (from within the sf IDE) to upload my code to any PIC..

Let me try and explain my process, I have loaded the UMC bootloader onto a 18F1330, using the UMCLoader ini file and exe to make a bootloader,
I have added my own code to set the pins to digital, OSC setting and device following the process on the main page (UMCLoader).
I have checked that the UMCLoader is correctly configured as a programmer within the sf IDE,
If I remember the configuration is setup by default when you install the sf IDE, the options for the UMCloader are set as "$long-hex-filename$ -dPIC$target-device$ -iprogram".

If I have the UMCloader set as my default programmer and press the following F10 to compile and programme my PIC, I keep getting the following message box,
telling me that I need to reset the PIC, I have tried to reset the PIC several times, and tried to do it within a certain time after pressing F10.. Even if I use the UMCloader gui in manual mode, setting the correct baudrate and com port. I get the following:
guierror.png
guierror.png (29.95 KiB) Viewed 5130 times
Now I understand that there must be some kind of communication/hand shake issue between my PIC and PC, because If I press the Programme button on the gui UMCloader,
then my serial interface led flashes, but then I'm back to the same error message (press reset).
I have also tried another PIC 18F452 and uploaded the preset UMC bootloader from within the LoaderHEX folder which is installed with the sf IDE, and that has the same results as above.

So I thought I would try something else, If I use windows command prompt on my windows 8.1 and point the hex file with comport at the UMCLoader.exe using a command line, then my code is uploaded to my PIC, and as long as I reset the PIC, the code is uploaded and runs with no issues. I have tried this process on two different PIC's and this works correctly. so that must eliminate my UMC bootloaders, serial, circuit, PICs and code.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as to why the UMCloader gui will not upload.

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David Barker
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Re: Microcode loader not loading programme

Post by David Barker » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:02 am

The "UMC Firmware" button needs to be in the down state when using firmware designed for it...

bitfogav
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Re: Microcode loader not loading programme

Post by bitfogav » Mon Mar 14, 2016 6:42 pm

Something so simple! :roll: I must have missed the mode setting in the documentation. Thank you David, that solved the upload problem.

Is there a list or documentation of parameters anywhere that can be passed to the umcloader.exe, for example what do the following mean or do?:

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$long-hex-filename$ -dPIC$target-device$ -iprogram

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David Barker
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Re: Microcode loader not loading programme

Post by David Barker » Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:36 am

$long-hex-filename$ => pass fully qualified hex filename to loader
-dPIC$target-device$ => PIC device
-iprogram => start programming, don't show loader interface
-b<baudrate> => COM buadrate
-c<COM> => COM port

bitfogav
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Re: Microcode loader not loading programme

Post by bitfogav » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:10 pm

Thank you David.

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