mikroBasic PRO for PIC 4.1

Microcontrollers brought about a new leap ahead - you do not need to worry any more about the circuitry between the microprocessor and the memory, as everything is encapsulated in an integrated circuit, the microcontroller (a.k.a. µC, MPU). Microchip manufactures the PIC line, and though you can always program them manually, it is much better and faster to use an IDE such as mikroBasic.

MikroElektronika develops very good IDEs. They produce environments for 8051 microcontrollers from Intel, for AVRs from Atmel, and PICs from Microchip. These have two different types of IDEs available, one for dsPICs30/dsPICs33/PICs24 and another one for PICs12/PICs16/PICs18. You can find IDEs for every brand in three programming languages - C, Basic, and Pascal. They are all very similar, the only difference being the language you use to perform the necessary changes.

This IDE is one of the best available. It is the most comprehensive IDE you can find, and right from the beginning you will notice that it has everything you may need. Its well-organized interface puts all the main tools within easy reach. On the top of the screen you will find the main menu, and the tool bar buttons under it, as usual. On the left, the Project Settings window allows you to modify the target device and the frequency, while the Code Explorer will give you quick access to functions and variables. On the right hand side you have the Library Manager, for variables, the Routine List, and the Project Manager. At the bottom, the Output Messages tool and the Quick Converter will help you find out equivalents between Decimal, Hexadecimal, and Binary values. This is the default layout, but opening the View menu you will have access to more windows, such as the Bookmarks, and the Macro Editor. Most windows and panels are dockable, so that you can personalize the IDE as you please.

A nice feature is the wide variety of built-in libraries that the program offers you to help you in your projects. For example, there are libraries for LCD, Graphics LCD, buttons, keypad, PWM, SPI, I2C, Manchester, One Wire, and more. For most of them some specialized hardware - either internal or external – is required, but in some cases you can emulate various interfaces, such as Software I2C, Software SPI, and Software UART, in case your PIC does not have the internal hardware needed.

Developers used to program microprocessors manually at first. Later, they used an assembler. But these techniques require time and can be difficult - just imagine a neural network developed in assembler. It is possible, but developing in a high level language like Basic is easier and faster. If you like the Basic syntax and want to develop for PICs, this IDE is for you.

v4.1 [Sep 27, 2010]
•Additional chips supported: PIC12F617, PIC18F13K22, PIC18LF13K22, PIC18F14K22, PIC18LF14K22, PIC18F45K22 and PIC18LF45K22
•GIF images supported in Project Manager and Active Comments
•Support for Package Manager
•Active Comments Editor
•Highlighting routine under cursor in Code Explorer
•Export project feature, useful for backing up project and all relevant files with one mouse click
•mikroICD support for K series of PICs
•Library manager loads MCLs faster
•More user options for optimization control
•Tools moved to panels. Now they are dockable and receive the Color Style from IDE
•Additional options included, users' wishes fulfilled, minor bugs fixed
•Code Assistant (CTRL+SPACE) loads faster
•Faster simulation of Delay_ms and Delay_us functions
•Code Explorer works faster for codes over 5000 lines
•Toggle breakpoints while ICD is running takes no effect
•New Project Wizard adds the main file at the end of the file list
•Active Comments in Examples for Development Systems and Extra Boards
•Select All does not take effect
•HID Terminal, missing implementation/implements keyword [mP, mB]
•HID Terminal, "Bus powered" option takes no effect
•Open Project Group can build a project before it is completely open
•Close Project Group - always ask for Save
•Introduced iv keyword for linking function as interrupt handler
•Rebuild all sources in project (switch -RA)
•More user options for optimization control
•Enhanced warning system
•Faster generation of COFF file
•Function goto table for functions above 64kBytes is not generated when function pointers are not used. Very useful for hi-end bootloaders.
•USB Library
•Touch Panel Library
•Aditional functions in ADC Library: ADC_Init and ADC_Get_Sample
•UART Library for PIC16F690, UART_read() does not read RCREG
•Ethernet Library - subnet broadcast flag added. userTCP and useUDP routine prototype is changed. Refer to help and distributed ethernet examples for details.