Robots - Notes - CC5X and PARTS Mark III Controller

This tutorial describes installing and using the free evaluation version of B Knudsen Data's CC5X C Compiler for PICmicro Devices, Version 3.2 along with the latest Microchip MPLAB IDE v7.51, to program the PARTS Mark III controller.

Installation and testing was done on a fresh installation of Windows XP Professional with SP2.
A "One Pin" LED circuit was connected to J1 Pin 40 (Port D Bit 0). The example program blink.c causes the LED to toggle from on to off at about 4.2 times a second. 

  1. Download and install Microchip MPLAB IDE
    MPLAB IDE v7.51 Interim Release – Full Zipped Installation http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/MP751.zip
     
  2. Download and install free evaluation version of B Knudsen Data's CC5X C Compiler - http://www.bknd.com/cc5xfree.exe
    Tip: Richard Stofer recommends installing cc5x in C:\CC5X to avoid embedded spaces in the path. It makes it a lot easier when running from the command line or from batch files. This is certainly true; however, for the purpose of this tutorial, the default is used.
     
  3. Create directory for project and place C program there. Example c:\proj1\blink.c

    In MPLAB IDE v7.51 do the following:
     
  4. Project > New Project
    Set "Project Name". Example Blink LED
    Set "Project Directory" to location where C program is stored. Example c:\proj1

  5. Project > Select Language Toolsuite...
    Set "Active Toolsuite:" to B Knudsen Data CC5X
    Set "Location" to C:\Program Files\bknd\CC5X\CC5X.EXE

  6. Project > Build Options > Project
    Set "Include Path, $(INCDIR):" to location of CC5X include files. Example "C:\Program Files\bknd\CC5X"
    Important! Add quotation marks around path and remove \ from end of path!
    Do not use C:\Program Files\bknd\CC5X\
     
  7. Project > Add Files to Project
    Navigate to directory where C program is store.
    Set "File Name" to name of C program. Example blink.c
    Set "Files of Type" to Source Files (*.C;*.ASM)
     
  8. Configure > Select Device...
    Set "Device:" to PIC16F877
     
  9. Project > Build
    If this is successful a "BUILD SUCCEEDED" message will be displayed.
    A hex file suitable for loading into the Mark III controller will be found in the project directory. Example c:\proj1\blink.hex

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Please email if you found any errors or have suggestions on how I could improve this tutorial.
Thanks to Dave HyLands for the starting place for this article.

If you have any questions or comments about this page please email me at: debots_replacethis_dinkdaze.org with at sign.