PIC Toolkit MK3 FAQ V 1.0
By Ian Stedman, 1st December 2004.
Introduction
This frequently asked questions
file attempts to address the commonly asked questions from the EPE
chat zone and magazine.
Table of Contents
List of TK3 Documentation
Problems running TK3
Programming
problems & Device support
Using
the assembler
Questions on the hardware/PCB
TK3
Documentation
Note: most of this documentation is
also available within the TK3 program itself
The following documentation files are available:
PIC Breakpoint documentation: explains what
PIC breakpoint is about.
PIC Breakpoint release notes
A list of possible reasons for programming errors,
useful should things go wrong.
Notes on the built in assembler syntax
Notes on the configuration of PICs.
Applicable for both assembling and programming to reduce the risk of
errors.
How to convert TASM to MPASM.
Information on
this useful built in tool.
TK3 program directory structure.
TK3 Disassembly tools. How to use the
built in disassembly tools.
General notes on TK3
Miscellaneous functions. An explanation
of the various support tools within TK3.
Setting up TK3. As the name implies,
how to setup TK3
TK3 Version history
Problems
running TK3
Does TK3 work with Windows
XP?
Yes it does. TK3 has been tested with Windows 95, 98, ME, NT
4.0, 2000 and XP.
You do not need administrator rights with Windows NT/2000 or XP to run
the program.
TK3 crashes with an
error upon loading, what should I check?
- Ensure that there is a file
called inpout32.dll that is
32 KBytes in size the same directory as the TK3 executable
(TK3prog.exe).
- Do you have the Visual Basic
Runtime installed?
(clicking
this above will work if you are on the Internet).
Copy
the files from the zip archive to C:\Windows\System32 or
C:\Winnt\System32, the path varies depending upon your operating system.
- When you downloaded the program from the FTP site (or copied from
CD-ROM) did you copy the program and all
associated
files into the same directory?
TK3 needs the numerous text files that accompany the program to work
properly.
- inpout32 must be dated 040602 or later, earlier versions will not
work.
TK3 has the latest version
I read
somewhere that you needed to use a program called port talk or allowio
to make TK3 work with Windows NT/2000/XP,
where do I download it and how do I use it?
With the current release of the software, this is no longer applicable.
Where can
I get the latest version of TK3 from?
The preferred method is to goto the EPE website, click 'Project Index' then click 'Downloads'.
Once the file lister application loads, Click the 'PIC micro controller source codes',
scroll down to 'Toolkit TK3'
then follow the
information on the right to download the files using your web browser.
If you are familiar with ftp, use the following link:
ftp://ftp.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/pub/PICS/ToolkitTK3
Programming problems & device
support
What devices does TK3 support?
At the time of
writing, TK3 V3.0 supports the following devices:
PIC12F629,
PIC12F675,
PIC16F627,
PIC16F628,
PIC16F83, PIC16F84, PIC16F84A, PIC16C84,
PIC16F870, PIC16F871, PIC16F872, PIC16F873, PIC16F874, PIC16F876,
PIC16F877,
PIC16F873A, PIC16F874A, PIC16F876A, PIC16F877A.
PIC18F242, PIC18F252, PIC18F442, PIC18F452 (new)
How can
you modify TK3 to work with a new PIC device?
It depends!
The recent additions to TK3 to support the PIC16F87xA variants has
required new programming algorithms to be developed.
In theory, this should make additional variants that use the same
programming algorithm, work by editing the TK3PICTypes.txt
file.
For example, adding support for the 16F84A just required editing the
aforementioned file.
TK3 was originally based around the programming algorithms used in the
16C84 series devices, it has since been extended to support
newer devices.
Note that some devices may not
yet be suited to TK3, such as the 16F62xA
For
more information on the programming algorithms used, refer to 'In-circuit
serial programming (ICSP) guide' from
Microchip(a 4.5Mbyte download).
How can I
read the contents of a device?
Click the 'PIC to Hex' or 'PIC to MPASM' buttons in the
disassembler section to read a PIC.
I get
errors when programming, what should I check?
- This may seem obvious but have you connected the TK3 board to a
power supply and switched it on?
- Is the printer cable plugged in?
- Is the PIC placed in the socket the correct way round, especially
important for the 18 pin PICs.as on the EPE PCB this socket is reversed?
- When you try to program the device, does the programming LED come
on briefly?
- Click the 'Check PCB' button, have you set the correct I/O port?
- Click the 'Check PCB' button, have you 'Set the PC/PIC Timing
Factor' button?
- Follow the instructions within the 'Check PCB' window, try
checking the voltages on the board.
- If Code Protect is on errors will arise. Use the 'Send/Read
config data' screen to verify code protect status.
Using the assembler
Questions on the hardware/PCB
Are there any
errors in the PCB design?
Yes, in the original EPE design, the programming pins to the 8 pin PIC
socket were incorrect. The wire links between
GP0 and GP1 need to be crossed over.
What are the various test points, TP1 to
TP9 on the PCB for?
The 9 test points are
as follows
TP1, Data input, TTL levels.
TP2, Clock input, TTL levels.
TP3, Reset, TTL Levels, Logic 1 default.
TP4, Programming Control, 1 = programming enabled (LED ON), 0 =
programming disabled (normal mode).
TP5, Read/Verify, TTL levels.
TP6, Check power, should be a logic 1.
TP7, Buffered version of TP1, data, should be the same logic level.
TP8, Buffered version of TP2, clock, should be the same logic level.
TP9, programming voltage. When the programming LED is on, there should
be +12V here, when the LED is off, there should be 5V here.
To locate the test points, you should refer to page 701 of the
October 2001 edition of EPE, where the PCB layout is shown.
What power
supply do I need to run the board?
Any 7-15V DC power supply will do.
A readily available, cheap, 300mA DC adapter set to 12V output will be
more than adequate.
The adapter output does not have to be regulated as the TK3 board
has built in power regulation.
TIP: If you have the EPE
designed PCB, looking at the board with the printer connector away from
you, the left hand terminal is 0VL
and the right had terminal is +V.
What are correct voltages for TTL devices?
For 5V TTL series (excluding HC, HCT and CD4000 CMOS) they are
as follows:
Direction
|
Logic 0
|
Logic 1
|
Input
|
<0.8V
|
>2.0V
|
Output
|
<0.4V
|
>2.4V
|
For CD4000 series CMOS devices operating at 5V it is:
Direction
|
Logic 0
|
Logic 1
|
Input
|
<1.67V
|
>3.33V
|
Output
|
<0.1V
|
>4.4V
|
Note: The maximum voltage
should not exceed 5.0 Volts and the minimum voltage should not be less
than 0V (i.e. negative).
THE END