the mplab x integrated programming environment€¦ · august 2013 the mplab x integrated...

August 2013

The MPLAB X Integrated Programming Environment

A look at Microchip's stand-alone programming application: MPLAB X IPE

Friday, 9 August 13Although you can program devices from Microchip's MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE), the dedicated MPLAB Integrated Programming Environment, or IPE, offers many more programming features and, if programming is your only task, running this application is faster and comes with less overheads.

© 2013 Microchip Technology Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. The MPLAB Integrated Programming Environment Slide 2

What is the IPE?

Friday, 9 August 13The Microchip MPLAB X IPE is a multi-platform application that can be run independently to the IDE and which is dedicated to the task of programming Microchip PIC devices. It offers more programming features than the IDE, especially for production programming. Since it only deals with programming, it is a small and responsive application. The IPE works with the MPLAB ICD3, PICkit3, PM3 and REAL ICE; however, note that the MPLAB PICkit3 is not recommended for production programming.

The IPE is contained within the MPLAB X IDE package, so if you have downloaded the IDE, this programming application is already installed.

In the next slide, we'll first look at using this application for a simple task, such as programming a device using a precompiled HEX file.


What is the IPE?

Programming application Multi-platform Dedicated to programming Suited to production programming tasks





What is the IPE?


Works with: MPLAB ICD3, PICkit3, PM3 and REAL ICE





What is the IPE?


Works with: MPLAB ICD3, PICkit3, PM3 and REAL ICE

Comes as part of the MPLAB X IDE package





Basic Programming

Friday, 9 August 13After connecting any hardware debuggers you plan to use, run the IPE application.

Ensure your target device is selected. You can use the Family selector to narrow down the devices listed in the Device selector.

Ensure the programmer tool you wish to use is selected from the Tool selector. Click Connect to connect to this tool.

I will click Erase to return the device to an unprogrammed state, although there is a setting to have this automatically performed before every programming operation. Click Blank Check if you want to ensure the device is unprogrammed.

Select the HEX file you wish to program by clicking the Browse button next to the Source field. You can also use the File > Import menu to open the same dialog. Then click Program to program the contents of this HEX file to the device.

The device is verified after programming, but I will explicitly confirm the programming operation by clicking the Verify button.

My device has been successfully programmed.

Select the device Select the programming tool and connect Load your HEX file from your host PC Basic operations are assigned to buttons

Program the device with the loaded HEX file Erase the device so it is unprogrammed Read the device and display in the memory view Verify the device content matches the HEX file Blank Check to ensure the device is unprogrammed


Basic Programming

Friday, 9 August 13After connecting any hardware debuggers you plan to use, run the IPE application.

Ensure your target device is selected. You can use the Family selector to narrow down the devices listed in the Device selector.

Ensure the programmer tool you wish to use is selected from the Tool selector. Click Connect to connect to this tool.

I will click Erase to return the device to an unprogrammed state, although there is a setting to have this automatically performed before every programming operation. Click Blank Check if you want to ensure the device is unprogrammed.

Select the HEX file you wish to program by clicking the Browse button next to the Source field. You can also use the File > Import menu to open the same dialog. Then click Program to program the contents of this HEX file to the device.

The device is verified after programming, but I will explicitly confirm the programming operation by clicking the Verify button.

My device has been successfully programmed.


Advanced Mode

Friday, 9 August 13The IPE application has two modes: production mode, for regular use and which we used in the previous slide, and advanced mode, to configure the programming environment. Select from the Settings menus > Advanced mode. Entry to this mode is protected by a password so production operators cannot inadvertently change settings during a production run. By default the password is 'microchip', but controls within the login dialog allow this to be changed.

Once advanced mode is active, the IPE window is updated to show setting category buttons on the left.

Several categories specify environment settings, such as Power, which allows adjustment of the operating and programming voltages as well as other power-related controls.

The Memory category has controls which adjust the memory locations which are programmed or are preserved.

The Settings category contains miscellaneous settings.

The Production category controls which options will be available in production mode. Here you can restrict production operators from using features if they should not need access to them. You can also specify a limit to the number of times programming is permitted, and report generation.

The SQTP category specifies serialized programming options that will look at in more detail in a later slide.

The Environment category allows you to save the current settings, and again, we will investigate this later.

The Operate category displays the normal operating window so that you may perform programming operations in this mode without having to log out.

Use the Log Out button to exit advanced mode and return to production mode.

Production mode for normal operation


Advanced Mode











Production mode for normal operation Advanced mode for:

Settings Which production mode features are available


Advanced Mode












Advanced Mode












Memory Values

Friday, 9 August 13The IPE provides a memory view to allow values to be observed and changed. This view is shown by default, but its presence can be toggled using the View > Show memory menu item. Use the selector to show the values corresponding to different memory spaces within your device. If you would like a larger view, right clicking on the view and select Undock from the popup menu.

Note that the memory view displays the values that are waiting to be programmed into the device when you next perform a Program operation; it does not necessarily show the values already programmed. If you do want to see the values currently programmed into a device, click the Read button. The contents of the device are then shown in the memory view.

For testing purposes, it is sometimes insightful to fill a device's memory before programming the HEX file. You can perform this action from the IPE. Right click on the memory view and select Fill memory from the popup menu, or choose this same menu item from the View menu. You can fill memory with a fixed value, a sequence of values, or randomized values. You can also specify the memory range that will be filled. If you find that your program is sensitive to the value contained in one or more memory locations, you can manually set these locations by double clicking the desired location in the memory view and typing in the new value.

Once you have the initial values as you would like them, you must hit the Program button for them to be programmed into the device.

If you want to clear the values waiting to be programmed to an unprogrammed state, click View > Clear all memory. This resets the values and memory view, but does not affect the device until it is reprogrammed or erased.

When you program a device, there are options which dictate those locations that will and will not be programmed. The controls for these are found in the Advanced mode, Memory category. You can see here that the tool can decide which locations are programmed. Alternatively, you can manually specify this information. You can also indicate memory ranges that must be preserved and never programmed.

Memory view shows data to be programmed Set initial memory values

Fill with value, value sequence, or random values Manually modify individual locations

Use Program button to write to device Read button copies device memory to view Advanced mode memory settings specifies:

The memory range programmed The memory range preserved


Memory Values

Friday, 9 August 13The IPE provides a memory view to allow values to be observed and changed. This view is shown by default, but its presence can be toggled using the View > Show memory menu item. Use the selector to show the values corresponding to different memory spaces within your device. If you would like a larger view, right clicking on the view and select Undock from the popup menu.

Note that the memory view displays the values that are waiting to be programmed into the device when you next perform a Program operation; it does not necessarily show the values already programmed. If you do want to see the values currently programmed into a device, click the Read button. The contents of the device are then shown in the memory view.

For testing purposes, it is sometimes insightful to fill a device's memory before programming the HEX file. You can perform this action from the IPE. Right click on the memory view and select Fill memory from the popup menu, or choose this same menu item from the View menu. You can fill memory with a fixed value, a sequence of values, or randomized values. You can also specify the memory range that will be filled. If you find that your program is sensitive to the value contained in one or more memory locations, you can manually set these locations by double clicking the desired location in the memory view and typing in the new value.

Once you have the initial values as you would like them, you must hit the Program button for them to be programmed into the device.

If you want to clear the values waiting to be programmed to an unprogrammed state, click View > Clear all memory. This resets the values and memory view, but does not affect the device until it is reprogrammed or erased.

When you program a device, there are options which dictate those locations that will and will not be programmed. The controls for these are found in the Advanced mode, Memory category. You can see here that the tool can decide which locations are programmed. Alternatively, you can manually specify this information. You can also indicate memory ranges that must be preserved and never programmed.


Serialized Quick Turn Programming

Friday, 9 August 13Serialized Quick Turn Programming, or SQTP, allows one or more memory locations in a number of devices to be programmed with unique data. This data might be used by the code on the device as an ID number, password, or some other device-dependent property. If you are using this programming feature, when you write code for your device, you must consider an address and size for the serialized data. Your program will access this data, but not define it.

The data and their locations are stored in SQTP files. If you do not have such files, you can use the IPE to generate these. To do so, in Advanced mode, click the SQTP category. Values can be generated that are random, random based on an initial seed, or sequential. Make sure you specify the device address where you would like these values located---this must match the address your program uses to access them. Also specify how many bytes wide you would like the value to be, and how many devices will be using this data. For some devices, you can specify the memory space and alternate access methods for this data. Click Generate to create the SQTP file.

The file created is a plain text file that is readily viewable. It closely follows the Intel HEX file format and can even be edited if required; however, do so with caution. As you program devices using this file, the file is updated to indicate which device has been programmed. Make sure you do not overwrite updates made by the IPE or the position in the programming sequence may be lost.

Once you have a SQTP file, you can load it from the IPE using the Browse button next to the SQTP field. Load also the HEX file to be programmed. Now each time you program a device, it will be programmed with the HEX file and the next serialized value in the SQTP file. You will see the serialized values in the memory view after the SQTP file is loaded, and see them change each time you program a device. Note that the Results panel of the main dialog shows the number of times a device has been successfully programmed, which may be useful when you are programming multiple devices. In the Advanced mode, Setting category, there is also a control to disable operation of the IPE once the SQTP file data has been exhausted.

Programs unique data into each device







Programs unique data into each device IPE uses SQTP files to specify this data

File can be generated by the IPE (Advanced mode)









;04001800000C000CCC:04001800020C000CCA:04001800040C000CC8:04001800060C000CC6:04001800080C000CC4:040018000A0C000CC2:040018000C0C000CC0:040018000E0C000CBE:04001800100C000CBC

seq_2_2_c.num







;04001800000C000CCC:04001800020C000CCA:04001800040C000CC8:04001800060C000CC6:04001800080C000CC4:040018000A0C000CC2:040018000C0C000CC0:040018000E0C000CBE:04001800100C000CBC

seq_2_2_c.num

semicolon indicatesa programmed value





To use SQTP: Load HEX & SQTP file from your host PC Program








Environments & Settings

Friday, 9 August 13The IPE has a large number of settings and it is unreasonable to configure these each time you use the application. Environment files can be used to save the state of the IPE and reloaded at a later time. Once you have the settings the way you would like, go to the Environment category in the Advanced mode. Specify a name for your environment. Choose the pm3 extension if you are using the MPLAB PM3 or the pen extension for any other programmer. Enter a description to help you recall the purpose of the settings. If you have specified an SQTP file, that should appear in this dialog, but you may load one here if required. Click Save to PC to create the environment file.

Provided importation of environment files is permitted in production mode, you can load an environment file from the File menu > Import > Environment, at any time.

If you are using the PICkit3, you can specify the settings for its programmer-to-go feature in a similar way. Load your HEX file and set up the IPE as you wish, then click the PICkit3 Programmer-to-Go button in the Settings category of Advanced mode. The settings and files you have specified will then be used by the PICkit3 for all subsequent programming which uses the programmer-to-go feature.

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Now that you have seen many of the IPE's features, take a few moments to explore this full-featured programming environment, which can let you do more, and do it faster, when it comes time to program your devices.

Programmer state can be saved to an environment file Save file in Advanced mode, Environment category






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Load environments from File > Import







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Load environments from File > Import Save settings for PICkit3 programmer-to-go







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the mplab x integrated programming environment€¦ · august 2013 the mplab x integrated...

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