Microchip Technology PICKIT 2 PROGRAMMER-TO-GO User manual

PICKIT™ 2

PROGRAMMER-TO-GO

USER GUIDE

1 Introduction

The PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go functionality allows a PIC MCU memory image to be downloaded

into the PICkit 2 unit for later programming into a specific PIC MCU. No software or PC is required to

program devices once the PICkit 2 unit is set up for Programming-To-Go. A USB power source for the

PICkit 2 is all that is needed.

Information in this guide covers:

USB Power for PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go

Supported PIC MCU Devices

Memory Image Size Limitations

PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go Wizard Walkthrough

LED Status Codes

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

2 USB Power for PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go

The PICkit 2 unit hardware prevents it from being powered by the target through the ICSP connector

VDD pin. Therefore, it must be powered by a 5 Volt supply through the USB mini-B port at the top of

the PICkit 2. Many options exist for providing power. Some of these include:

Any available PC USB port or USB hub port. (No USB communication is necessary; it is only

used to provide power)

A USB host port on a portable device.

A USB power adapter or charger with a USB mini-B connector, either from an automotive

power jack or an AC wall plug.

A portable battery charger or power source for cell phones or other portable devices with USB

mini-B connector.

A custom battery pack that supplies regulated 5 Volts into the PICkit 2 USB port.

2.1 Power Requirements

The USB power source used should meet the following minimum criteria:

Is able to supply at least 100mA of current to the PICkit 2 unit.

Provides a steady, regulated 4.5 Volt to 5.5 Volt output at a load of 30mA to 100mA. A 160

Ohm resistor between the USB power output and ground gives a quick check of the low end

30mA voltage. Use a 47 Ohm resistor to test voltage at about 100mA.

2.2 Example Battery-based Portable USB Power Sources

The following two products are shown only for the purpose of illustrating the options available for

portable PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go USB power sources. They are neither specifically endorsed nor

recommended by Microchip Technology Inc.

Note:

Any battery-based power sources should be disconnected from the PICkit 2 unit when it is

not in use. Otherwise, the PICkit 2 unit will drain the power

source battery.

Note:

Most portable chargers/power devices with their own batteries will not give an indication

when their internal battery voltage gets low and the output drops below 4.5 Volts. Therefore

it is up the user to be sure the device’s battery has sufficient remaining capacity to power the

PICkit 2

above 4.5 Volts.

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

2.2.1 Bluegears b-mobile Emergency Cell Phone Charger

This device is a small mini-B USB power source that can recharge its internal battery cell from a USB

port via the PICkit 2 mini-B USB cable. The Bluegears part number is BG01145. The flip-open cover

reveals a USB mini-B male plug that connects directly to the PICkit 2 unit USB port.

Figure 2-1 shows the device recharging itself off a USB port.

FIGURE 2-1: BLUEGEARS B-MOBILE

Informational Points:

Rechargeable via USB port.

Small form factor.

Connects directly to PICkit 2 unit.

Approximate retail cost: $10 (US)

Manufacturer website: www.bgears.com

Potential Limitations:

Supplied voltage may not be much higher than 4.5 Volts even

when fully charged. Not recommended for use when PICkit

Programmer-To-Go is powering the target VDD.

Does not “pass-through” USB data when connected to both a

USB port and a PICkit 2 unit.

Rechargeable battery is not replaceable.

Figure 2-2 shows the Bluegears b-mobile being used with a PICkit 2 unit for Programmer-To-Go

operation. For the curious, the white button turns on a built-in LED flashlight when pressed.

FIGURE 2-2: B-MOBILE POWERING PICKIT 2 UNIT FOR PROGRAMMER-TO-GO OPERATION

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

2.2.2 Energizer Energi To Go Mini USB Cell Phone Charger

This portable cell charger device runs off two standard AA batteries, and connects via a short cable to

the PICkit 2 unit. Several versions of this product are available. The one that is compatible with PICkit

2 is part number CEL2MUSB for “mini USB” cell phones.

FIGURE 2-3: ENERGIZER ENERGI TO GO

Informational Points:

Uses field-replaceable AA batteries.

Provides between 5.0 and 5.5 Volt output;

suitable for powering a target from PICkit 2.

Approximate retail cost: $20 (US)

Manufacturer website: www.energitogo.com

Potential Limitations:

Looks for a battery by pulsing USB voltage

output, which may cause PICkit 2 reset

problems. See NOTE following.

Separate cable may be lost.

FIGURE 2-4: ENERGI TO GO POWERING PICKIT 2 PROGRAMMER-TO-GO

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

3 PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go Supported Devices

All devices in the following families supported by the PICkit 2 Programmer software are supported for

Programmer-To-Go operation. However, due to limited memory in the PICkit 2 unit the Programmer-

To-Go function is limited in the size of the memory image that can be loaded. Table 3-1 lists supported

device families and program memory limitations.

TABLE 3-1: PROGRAMMER-TO-GO SUPPORTED DEVICES

Program Memory Size Limitations2

Supported Families Supported Parts By Bytes By Maximum Used Address

Baseline All1no limit3no limit3

Midrange All1no limit3no limit3

PIC18F All1107264 bytes 0x1A2FF

PIC18 J-Series All1111872 bytes 0x1B4FF

PIC18 K-Series All1107264 bytes 0x1A2FF

PIC24 All1106560 bytes 0x1157F

dsPIC33 All1106560 bytes 0x1157F

dsPIC30 All1103872 bytes 0x10E7F

dsPIC30 SMPS All1no limit3no limit3

Note 1: Supports all family parts that are supported by the PICkit 2 Programmer application. See menu Help > ReadMe for

a list of part supported by the application. Large memory parts are supported; what is limited is the size of the

program code that can be programmed by PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go.

2: Device EEPROM data, UserIDs, and Configuration memory are taken into account in these size limitations. For

the sake of simplicity, only the Program Memory size determines if the memory image will fit. Different device

families have different memory overhead requirements affecting the maximum size limitation.

3: These families have no practical memory size limit as no devices in the family exceed the actual limit.

Note:

The Energizer Energi To Go product pulses the USB voltage output to detect a connected

device, as shown below. This may cause the PICkit 2’s internal microcontroller to

improperly reset, as its Brown Out Reset (BOR) is not enabled. The BOR is not enabled

because it interferes with PICkit 2 VDD error detection.

Symptoms of the PICkit 2 not coming out of reset properly are that it does not blink the

Target LED twice to show it is ready for programming. If this happens, unplug the Energi To

Go from the PICkit 2 and plug it back in. Once the blue LEDs on the Energi To Go are

blinking, it will not pulse VDD again when reconnected.

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

3.1 Increasing the Memory for PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go

The memory in the PICkit 2 unit available for Programmer-To-Go code storage may be doubled, thus

doubling the Program Memory size limitations shown in Table 3-1.

To expand the memory it is necessary to replace the two 24LC512 64KB EEPROMs on the PICkit 2

PCB at U3 and U4 with two 24LC1025-I/SM 128KB EEPROMs. This increases the total EEPROM

memory from 128KB to 256KB. It is important to note that the 24LC1025 EEPROMs require the A2

pin tied to VCC for proper operation per the datasheet. The PICkit 2 circuit board has the A2 pads

connected to ground. Therefore, when replacing the 24LC512s with 24LC1025s, the A2 pin must be

lifted so it does not contact the pad, and wired to the VCC pin of the part.

It is also necessary to modify the PICkit 2 Programmer INI file so the software is aware of the expanded

EEPROM space. Follow the steps below to complete and use a memory upgrade for your PICkit 2 unit:

1 Open the PICkit 2 case by prying it apart with a small flat screwdriver at the three indentations

along the seam at a long edge of the case.

2 Remove the 24LC512 serial EEPROMs at reference designators U3 and U4 from the PCB.

3 Lift the A2 pins of two 24LC1025-I/SM serial EEPROMs so they do not contact the circuit

board pad when placed on the PCB.

4 Solder the two 24LC1025 EEPROMs in place at U3 and U4 on the PICkit 2 PCB.

5 Solder a wire from the lifted A2 pin to the VCC pin on both 24LC1025 EEPROMs.

6 Ensure the PICkit 2 Programmer application is closed

7 Open the INI file (C:\Program Files\Microchip\PICkit 2 v2\PICkit2.ini) in Notepad or

another text editor.

8 Find the following line in the INI file:

PTGM: 0

9 Edit the value to 1 as shown below and save and close the INI file

PTGM: 1

The PICkit 2 Programmer application will now recognize and use the doubled memory for PICkit 2

Programmer-To-Go in the PICkit 2 unit. It will indicate the INI file edit was successful by displaying

the following text at the bottom of the Programmer-To-Go Wizard dialog “Welcome” screen:

“256K PICkit 2 upgrade support enabled.”

IMPORTANT

When replacing the PICkit 2 serial EEPROMs with 24LC1025 devices, the A2 pin of the 24LC1025

devices MUST be lifted and connected to the VCC pin or the 24LC1025 serial EEPROMS will not

work.

An upgraded 256KB PICkit 2 unit may be used successfully with PICkit 2 Programmer software that is

still configured for the default 128K, though any downloads will be limited as per a 128KB unit.

However, the reverse is not true. A PICkit 2 unit with the default 128KB may not be used successfully

with PICkit 2 Programmer software that is configured to use the 256KB upgrade, even if the code size

is within the 128KB limits.

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

3.2 Other Limitations of PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go

PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go only supports the WRITE programming operation. It cannot be set up to

READ, VERIFY (only), or BLANK CHECK a device. Note that an ERASE can essentially be set up by

leaving all the PICkit 2 Programmer software buffers blank.

If Programmer > Verify on Write is checked, then PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go will verify the device it

programs. The PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go verify is accomplished by calculating a checksum of the

programmed device and comparing it with an expected value.

3.2.1 PIC18F: Preserve EEPROM Data on Write Limitation

When programming a device with the EEPROM Data memory region “Enabled” checkbox unchecked,

PICkit 2 will write Program Memory, User IDs, and Configuration words but preserve the existing

EEPROM Data memory in the device.

For most PIC18F devices, this may be done with PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go.

However, on some of the PIC18F devices the EEPROM Data memory must be read from the device

first, then reprogrammed with the other memory regions. For these devices PICkit 2 Programmer-To-

Go does not support preserving the existing device EEPROM Data. An error will be given in the

software if the user attempts to set up such an operation for an affected device.

4 Setting up PICkit 2 for Programmer-To-Go Operation

Before downloading a memory image to PICkit 2 for Programmer-To-Go operation, the PICkit 2

Programmer software options and buffers should be set up as desired during Programmer-To-Go

operation. In fact, it is highly recommended to test programming a target device from the software first,

with all desired options, to ensure the device programs as expected before downloading an image to

Programmer-To-Go.

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

4.1 Set Up Programming Data and Options

A checklist of steps includes:

1 Ensure the PIC MCU part number you wish to program is the active device.

Use the Device Family menu to select the proper family first. It must show up at the top of

the Device Configuration area of the PICkit 2 window. If a target part is not available to

connect to, select Programmer > Manual Device Select. This allows the part number to be

selected from a combo-box.

2 Load the memory image to be programmed into the PICkit 2 buffers.

This may be done via File > Import Hex or by a READ operation on an existing device.

3 Set the PICkit 2 Programmer software options as desired.

The following options affect Programmer-To-Go operation. For detailed information on an

option, please consult the PICkit 2 User’s Guide via Help > PICkit 2 User’s Guide

Programmer > Verify on Write

Programmer > Hold Device in Reset

Tools > Enable Code Protect

Tools > Enable Data Protect

Tools > Use VPP First Program Entry

Tools > Fast Programming

The “VDD PICkit 2” device VDD box determines the provided VDD voltage, if PICkit 2

will power the device.

4 Test programming on a target device from the PICkit 2 Programmer software.

4.2 The Programmer-To-Go Setup Wizard

Once the memory image and programming options for intended target device are set up and tested, start

the Programmer-To-Go Setup Wizard via Programmer > PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go…

The wizard dialog will open to the “Welcome” screen. Click Next > to go to the “Programmer Settings”

screen.

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

4.2.1 Programmer Settings Screen

The Programmer Settings screen allows the user to verify the memory image buffer settings, and select

the target VDD power options to be used. An example is shown in Figure 4-1.

Buffer Settings

Device: Shows the selected target device. OSCCAL and BandGap values will be

preserved on applicable devices.

Buffer data source: Displays the source of the current buffer memory image to be used.

Code Protect: Displays whether the device will be programmed with protection options

Data Protect: enabled or not. If these options are not set in the imported hex file, they may

be enabled via the Tools menu.

Memory Regions: Indicates whether the entire device will be programmed, if device EEPROM Data

memory will be preserved, or if only EEPROM Data memory is to be written.

These options are determined the by the state of the Program Memory and

EEPROM Data “Enabled” checkboxes on the main application window.

Verify Device: The device will be verified after programming by Programmer-To-Go if

Programmer > Verify on Write is checked.

FIGURE 4-1: WIZARD PROGRAMMER SETTINGS SCREEN

PICkit™ 2 Programmer-To-Go Users Guide

Power Settings

PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go may optionally power the target device, though usually a target will have

its own power supply. It is recommended to use PICkit 2 Programmer-To-Go with a powered target

instead of powering it off PICkit 2.

Target has its own power supply: Select this option if the target will not be powered from PICkit 2.

The minimum supported voltage for programming the device will

be displayed. If the device has a high Bulk Erase voltage but

supports a low voltage row erase method, a checkbox will be

present as shown in Figure 4-1. Check the box if the target VDD

will be below the voltage shown.

Power the target from PICkit 2: Select this option to power the target from the PICkit 2 VDD pin.

The VDD voltage is set by the “VDD PICkit 2” Voltage box in

the main application window.

CAUTION

When powering a target from PICkit 2, ensure the USB power source provides sufficient Voltage and

current for programming the device. Depending on the power source used, PICkit 2 may not be able to

provide the desired VDD Voltage to the target. The maximum VDD the PICkit 2 can output is about

200 to 300mV below the USB power source voltage.

Target current and capacitance limitations are the same using Programmer-To-Go as for USB

operation. A maximum of 25mA is available to power the target, and target capacitance must not slow

the VDD rise time to longer than 500us.

If all Programmer Settings shown in the dialog are appropriate, click Next >.

4.2.2 Download to PICkit 2 Screen

This screen provides a summary of the settings from the previous screen, and indicates whether or not

Tools > Fast Programming and Programmer > Hold Device in Reset are enabled. For most situations,

both these options should be enabled.

Note:

If the Low Voltage Row Erase method is used with a target device, code protected devices

cannot be programmed. Programming a protected device requires a Bulk Erase operation at or

above the given VDD threshold.

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