Release Notes for MPLAB(R) IDE v5.50
November 16, 2001

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Table of Contents
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* Tools and Version Numbers Supplied in MPLAB IDE v5.50
* Operating System Support List for v5.50
* What's New in v5.50
* Repairs and Enhancements Made in v5.50
* Repairs and Enhancements Made in v5.40
* Known Problems
* Important Notes
* README Files for MPLAB IDE Related Components
* Support for Third Party Language Tools
* Integrating Other Tools into MPLAB IDE
* How to Contact Microchip
* Customer Change Notification - Development Systems

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Tools and Version Numbers Supplied in MPLAB IDE v5.50
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Dev.                                  Version - SW     Version - FW
Tool                                 (Software DLL) (Operating System)
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MPASM(tm) Assembler                      3.00
MPLINK(tm) Object Linker                 2.50
MPLIB(tm) Object Librarian               2.50
MPLAB SIM Simulator                      7.50
MPLAB ICE In-Circuit Emulator            2.50
PICMASTER(R) Emulator                    3.44
MPLAB ICD In-Circuit Debugger            1.43            2.31
PICSTART(R) Plus Development Programmer  2.50            2.30
PRO MATE(R) II Device Programmer         5.60            5.50
PROCMD                                   1.50            5.50

Sold separately:
MPLAB ICEPIC Emulator                    1.50

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Operating System Support List for v5.50
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Windows 3.1x   Windows 95     Windows 98     Windows NT
Windows 2000

Not all tools associated with MPLAB IDE will operate under all of
these operating systems. See individual tool readme's for more
information.

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What's New in v5.50
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ICEPIC Emulator
---------------
You must upgrade to a new version of ICEPIC that is
compatible with MPLAB IDE v5.50. Go to http://www.rfsolutions.co.uk
for information on obtaining this upgrade.

Hi-Tech Tool Suite
------------------
Before opening projects that use the HI-TECH PICC-18 tool suite, the 
.pjt file must be manually edited.  Open the .pjt file in a text editor.
Under the [PROJECT] heading, find the ToolSuite line.  Change the portion 
of that line that reads "PIC-C18" to "PICC-18".

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Repairs and Enhancements Made in v5.50
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Some displays have been changed to accomodate the larger memory sizes
of PIC18FXXXX devices

SSR 14377: You cannot use Build Node in MPLAB IDE with a memory device.
Use Build All to compile your code.

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Repairs and Enhancements Made in v5.40
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SSR 15419: If no windows are open in the IDE, then clicking RUN will
cause an error.

SSR 15457: Changes are not saved before performing a rebuild.

SSR 15575: Clock changes are not sticky when saving a project after a
clock change.

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Known Problems
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The following is a list of known problems, some of which have an
associated SSR number.  For a list of limitations, please see 
MPLAB IDE Help, Troubleshooting, MPLAB IDE Limitations.

MPLAB BWCC ERROR
----------------

If you get a message in MPLAB IDE about the file BWCC.DLL, this usually
indicates that an application on your computer uses an older version
of this Borland system driver. MPLAB IDE also uses this file, and if an
older version than the version used by MPLAB IDE is loaded in memory on
your PC when you start MPLAB IDE, you may get this message.

Use a file search facility (right-click the Start Menu on Windows
95/98 and select Find) to look for all copies of BWCC.DLL on your
system.  If you find a version of BWCC.DLL in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM
directory, make sure that its date/time stamp is newer than the
one supplied with MPLAB IDE and delete the BWCC supplied with MPLAB
IDE. If it is older, replace it with the newer version that comes
with MPLAB IDE.

WINDOWS NT
----------

SSR 14681: MPLAB IDE Printing Error in Windows NT. Under Windows NT,
if you attempt to print to a network printer that has a name longer
than eight characters, MPLAB IDE will report the error "Unable to
obtain printer device context."  To correct this problem, rename
the printer to a name with eight characters or less.

SSR 14704: Windows NT does not seem to handle special characters on
international keyboards. The number keys 1-9, 0, +, -, and others,
have special characters when used in conjunction with the "ALT FR" key
on international keyboards. Most keys do not display anything, while
others keys display a different character that the key, and others only
work when pressed twice.

WINDOWS 3.1
-----------

When you start MPLAB IDE, the desktop will always appear maximized
in Windows 3.1.

SSR 4990: Windows 3.1 is not Year 2000 compliant. It is providing MPLAB
IDE with a date in the year 1900 instead of 2000, and as a result MPLAB
IDE prompts you if you want to rebuild (as if you had changed your
source code), even though you haven't changed your source code.

OTHER
-----

SSR 9177: The new Options > Development Mode dialog cannot be added to
a toolbar button. You must access it from the MPLAB IDE menubar.

SSR 15679: For PIC16C781/782, Port A MCLR pin reads high when first 
creating a project, even though development mode dialog box Pins tab 
MCLR Enable is unchecked.  Workaround:  Enable and then disable 
the checkbox.

SSR 15813: The program memory on the PIC18C452 is not cleared prior to 
hex file import, even when the 'Clear Memory on Download' option is 
set in the Environment Setup.  If the program memory size of an 
imported hex file is less than 7FFF,  existing program memory is 
retained for those addresses that exceed the last address in the 
imported file.

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README Files for MPLAB IDE Related Components
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  README File  The information file for
  -----------  ------------------------
  README.LAB   MPLAB IDE Integrated Development Environment
  README.SIM   MPLAB SIM simulator
  README.ASM   MPASM assembler
  README.LKR   MPLINK linker and MPLIB librarian

  README.ICE   MPLAB ICE In-Circuit Emulator
  README.EM    PICMASTER/PICMASTER CE In-Circuit Emulators

  README.ICD   MPLAB ICD In-Circuit Debugger

  README.PLS   PICSTART Plus Development Programmer
  README.PRO   PRO MATE II Device Programmer
  README.CMD   PRO MATE II PROCMD command-line programmer controller

  README.C17   MPLAB C17 C compiler
  README.C18   MPLAB C18 C compiler

  README.IP    MPLAB ICEPIC emulator

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Support for Third Party Language Tools
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Support files for third party language tools are included in the MPLAB
IDE install directory. These files are listed under the third party
product they support.

HI-TECH's PICC:
 tlhitech.ini
 picc_cmp.mtc
 picc_asm.mtc
 picc_lkr.mtc

HI-TECH's PICC18:
 tlht18.ini
 ht18_cmp.mtc
 ht18_asm.mtc
 ht18_lkr.mtc

HI-TECH's PICC LITE:
 tlpicl.ini
 picl_cmp.mtc
 picl_asm.mtc
 picl_lkr.mtc

IAR:
 tliar.ini
 iara.mtc
 iarc.mtc
 iarl.mtc

IAR18:
 tliar18.ini
 iar18a.mtc
 iar18c.mtc
 iar18l.mtc

microEngineering Labs PicBasic products,
including PicBasic and PicBasic Pro:
 tlmelabs.ini
 pbp.mtc
 pbc.mtc

CCS (Custom Computer Services) C-language compilers,
including PCB, PCH, and PCM are:
 tlcss.ini
 ccsc.mtc

Byte Craft:
 tlbcraft.ini
 mpc.mtc

For more information on using selected third party tools with
MPLAB IDE, see the MPLAB IDE Project Tutorials for Third Party
Tools (DS51234).

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Integrating Other Tools into MPLAB IDE
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In order to integrate with MPLAB IDE, the executable should have these
properties:
- All input must be received from the command line.
- Don't wait on user input.
- Don't emit messages to the error stream (stderr, cerr),
  MPLAB IDE can find error messages in an error file (sourcename.err)
  or on the standard output stream (stdout, cout). Make all
  output go to the DOS window or an error file (not in a special
  error window or screen).

Look at the files with extension .MTC in the MPLAB IDE installation
directories. These set up the command line switches for the Node
Properties dialogs. Then look at the Tlxxxx.INI.  This has the
name of the tool group which MPLAB IDE will show in its Project dialog,
and the last line points to the name of the associated *.MTC file(s).

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How to Contact Microchip
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Online Support
---------------
Microchip provides online support on the Microchip World Wide Web (WWW)
site. The web site is used by Microchip as a means to make files and
information easily available to customers. To view the site, you must
have access to the Internet and a web browser such as Netscape or Microsoft Explorer. Files are also available for FTP download from
our FTP site.

Connecting to the Microchip Internet Web Site
---------------------------------------------
The Microchip web site is available by using your favorite Internet
browser to attach to:

        http://www.microchip.com

The file transfer site is available by using an FTP service to
connect to:

        ftp://ftp.microchip.com

The web site and file transfer site provide a variety of services.
Users may download files for the latest development tools,
data sheets, application notes, User's guides, articles, and sample
programs. A variety information specific to the business of Microchip
is also available, including listings of Microchip sales offices,
distributors and factory representatives.

Other data available for consideration is:

        * Latest Microchip Press Releases

        * Technical Support Section with Frequently Asked
          Questions

        * Design Tips

        * Device Errata

        * Job Postings

        * Microchip Consultant Program Member Listing

        * Links to other useful web sites related to
          Microchip products

        * Conferences for products, Development Systems,
          technical information and more

        * Listing of seminars and events

Systems Information and Upgrade Hotline
----------------------------------------
The Systems Information and Upgrade Line provides system users with a listing
of the latest versions of all of Microchip's development systems, software
products, and information on how customers can receive any currently
available upgrade kits. The Hot Line Numbers are:

        1-800-755-2345 for U.S. and most of Canada, and

        1-480-792-7302 for the rest of the world.

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Customer Change Notification - Development Systems
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Microchip started the customer notification service to help our
customers keep current on Microchip products with the least amount
of effort. Once you subscribe, you will receive email notification
whenever we change, update, revise or have errata related to your
specified product family or development tool of interest.

Go to the Microchip WWW web page (http://www.microchip.com)
and click on Customer Change Notification under Items of Interest.
Follow the instructions to register.

The Development Systems product group catagories are:

* Compilers
* Emulators
* In-Circuit Debuggers
* MPLAB
* Programmers

Here is a description of these catagories:

COMPILERS - The latest information on Microchip C compilers, linkers
and assemblers.  These include MPLAB C17 C compiler, MPLAB C18
C compiler, MPLINK object linker (as well as the MPLIB object
librarian) and MPASM assembler.

EMULATORS - The latest information on Microchip in-circuit emulators.
These include the MPLAB ICE 2000 and PICMASTER emulator.

IN-CIRCUIT DEBUGGERS - The latest information on Microchip in-circuit
debuggers. This includes the MPLAB ICD.

MPLAB - The latest information on Microchip MPLAB IDE, the Windows
Integrated Development Environment for development systems tools.
This list is focused on the MPLAB IDE, MPLAB SIM simulator,
MPLAB IDE Project Manager and general editing and debugging features.

PROGRAMMERS - The latest information on Microchip PICmicro device
programmers. These include the PRO MATE II device programmer and
PICSTART Plus development programmer.