Microchip PICKit3

Are these things just utterly useless? It would appear* that the USB
handling in MPLAB-X is poorly tested. Might be that "grab reset on
the DUT" is the problem.

*can't really tell which end of the cable is at fault - although
the "IDT" grabs it nine out of ten falls.

There is even an app note not to use the PICKit3 "for production".

An ICD3 works just fine.

-- 
Les Cargill

On 20-Aug-15 8:26 PM, Les Cargill wrote:
>
> Are these things just utterly useless? It would appear* that the USB
> handling in MPLAB-X is poorly tested. Might be that "grab reset on
> the DUT" is the problem.
>
> *can't really tell which end of the cable is at fault - although
> the "IDT" grabs it nine out of ten falls.
>
> There is even an app note not to use the PICKit3 "for production".
>
> An ICD3 works just fine.
>



Mine seems to behave itself quite well. I occasionally have to unplug / 
replug but it only happens when I've let my PC hibernate or power down.

I'm using W7 + MPLABX. My main gripe is how slow MPLABX is to program 
the device and the need to close & restart it when odd things happen.

Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> wrote:

> Are these things just utterly useless? It would appear* that the USB
> handling in MPLAB-X is poorly tested. Might be that "grab reset on
> the DUT" is the problem.

IME all the Microchip debuggers I've used (PK3, RealICE, old starterkit 
integrated debugger) have been kind of unreliable. The most common issue 
is that MPLAB X suddenly just can't communicate with them anymore until 
I've pulled the USB cable and reconnected them. Whether the problem lies 
with MPLAB X or the devices I can't tell. This is on OS X with PIC32s.

-a

Kluge wrote:
> On 20-Aug-15 8:26 PM, Les Cargill wrote:
>>
>> Are these things just utterly useless? It would appear* that the USB
>> handling in MPLAB-X is poorly tested. Might be that "grab reset on
>> the DUT" is the problem.
>>
>> *can't really tell which end of the cable is at fault - although
>> the "IDT" grabs it nine out of ten falls.
>>
>> There is even an app note not to use the PICKit3 "for production".
>>
>> An ICD3 works just fine.
>>
>
>
>
> Mine seems to behave itself quite well. I occasionally have to unplug /
> replug but it only happens when I've let my PC hibernate or power down.
>
> I'm using W7 + MPLABX.

W8 and MPLABX here. The device does same on Win7, tho.

> My main gripe is how slow MPLABX is to program
> the device and the need to close & restart it when odd things happen.
>

No complaints that direction here.

>
>
>
-- 
Les Cargill

Anders.Montonen@kapsi.spam.stop.fi.invalid wrote:
> Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> wrote:
>
>> Are these things just utterly useless? It would appear* that the USB
>> handling in MPLAB-X is poorly tested. Might be that "grab reset on
>> the DUT" is the problem.
>
> IME all the Microchip debuggers I've used (PK3, RealICE, old starterkit
> integrated debugger) have been kind of unreliable.

Once it makes a connection, it seems to work. The ICD3 works great. I
guess the two have different heritage.

> The most common issue
> is that MPLAB X suddenly just can't communicate with them anymore until
> I've pulled the USB cable and reconnected them. Whether the problem lies
> with MPLAB X or the devices I can't tell. This is on OS X with PIC32s.
>

The IPT software has different ( better ) results, which sounds to me 
like it might be MPLABX.


> -a
>

-- 
Les Cargill

Hi Les,

I had the same trouble as you...until I accidentially found that it
doesn't like USB-hub PCI cards. Plugged it on an onboard USB
connector...since then it works like a charm.

HTH,
Wolfgang

-- 
From-address is spam trap
Use: wolfgang (dot) mahringer (at) sbg (dot) at

Wolfgang Mahringer wrote:
> Hi Les,
>
> I had the same trouble as you...until I accidentially found that it
> doesn't like USB-hub PCI cards. Plugged it on an onboard USB
> connector...since then it works like a charm.
>
> HTH,
> Wolfgang
>

Thanks, Wolfgang - I would not be surprised at all, but the
onboard on the machine I use does not make the PICKit3
happy no matter what. This against Win8.1 or Win7something.

Other people in the building are/were using  a PICKit3 with
native USB just fine ( on different machines ).

I'm merrily whirring away with an ICD3.

-- 
Les Cargill