ds30 Loader GUI can't write flash

[NicolasNSE]

Hi,

I programmed my PIC12F1840 with ds30 Loader successfully, the HEX-file was imported successfully but after being parsed, the "Write flash" check box remains disabled and I don't know why. The program has been successfully tested on the µC without bootloader. Here is what I got from the GUI:

Parsing hexfile...
File timestamp: 14/05/2013 17:01:17
Opening hexfile...ok
Validating hexfile...ok
Detected instructions where user goto should be moved to
Flash row 0 is used, 0x00 - 0x1F
Flash row 1 is used, 0x20 - 0x3F
Flash row 2 is used, 0x40 - 0x5F
Flash row 3 is used, 0x60 - 0x7F
Flash row 4 is used, 0x80 - 0x9F
.
.
.
Flash row 117 is used, 0xEA0 - 0xEBF
Flash row 118 is used, 0xEC0 - 0xEDF
Flash row 119 is used, 0xEE0 - 0xEFF
Flash row 120 is used, 0xF00 - 0xF1F
Flash row 121 is used, 0xF20 - 0xF3F
Config word 0 is used, value: 0xC9E4
Config word 1 is used, value: 0xFFFF
Bootloader start address: 0xF40
Bootloader end address: 0xFFF
Bootloader start page: 122
Bootloader end page: 127
Bootloader start row: 122
Bootloader end row: 127
Hex file successfully parsed in 8ms

By the way, the firmware is well detected on the µC:

Opening port USB Serial Port (COM3)@9600
Searching for bl .
Found PIC12F1840 fw ver. 1.0.2
Closing port

If you could guide me about what is going wrong (or what I am doing wrong), I would be grateful, thank you.

[Mikael Gustavsson]

Hi,
Please post the hex file. In the meantime you could try to enable "Don't write empty pages" on the advanced tab.

[NicolasNSE]

Hi,

Thanks for your quick reply. As you guessed, the hex-file is the problem as I tried with another hex-file and the 'Write flash' checkbox get enabled. So it seems that the generated hex-file is 'corrupted', is there an issue with my environment settings? Changing the 'Don't write empty pages' option does not affect the 'Write flash' checkbox.

[Mikael Gustavsson]

Which compiler are you using?

[NicolasNSE]

I'm using HI-TECH C Lite compiler (link).

[Mikael Gustavsson]

You need to reserve the boot loader space in you application using the "ROM ranges" compiler option. See the attached screenshot.

[NicolasNSE]

Thank you! In fact, I did it but forgot about the space to deposit goto to user application (3 instructions). I don't know why I didn't try to reserve a wider space for the bootloader. The error message was clear but I didn't understand it. For someone who would be as silly as I was, here is the thing, the ds30 Loader GUI shows where the bootloader is located in the memory but the goto user app takes 3 more instructions so one needs to reserve enough space for the bootloader + 3.

[Mikael Gustavsson]

Ah sorry, I forgot that

[sunish]

By the way, the firmware is well detected on the µC:

Will you be able to upload the hex file and full source for 12f1840 ?
All Iam getting is timeout. When I tried enabling external reset I get . (discarded null byte) . . . . . . . . . . . . . timed out..

Sunish

[sunish]

Okay got it working,

Added the following to the userinit macro to make pins digital

BANKSEL PORTA ;
CLRF PORTA ;Init PORTA
BANKSEL LATA ;Data Latch
CLRF LATA ;
BANKSEL ANSELA ;
CLRF ANSELA ;digital I/O
;

Sunish