-
****** Using the B.LO.C PIC 'C' Compiler with  ******
****** the PARALLAX Programmer and Downloader. ******
-
-
MC2PARLX.EXE allows you to use the Microchip assembler with the command
line version of the PARALLAX Programer and Downloader (P&D) software.
Normally, special device information is embedded into the OBJ output
from the PARALLAX assembler.  This information is used by the PARALLAX
P&D software to properly program the target processor.
-
MC2PARLX.EXE takes a Microchip OBJ file and, based on the given command
line options, embeds the necessary Device data into the output OBJ file
for direct use with the PARALLAX P&G.  Without the device information in
the OBJ file, the user of the PARALLAX P&D software is forced to use
the "menued" version of the code so that the device information may
be entered by hand each time a new OBJ file is loaded.
-
With the appropriate Device information in the OBJ file, the PARALLAX
P&D software may be used from the command line or in a Makefile,
bypassing the menuing altogether.  A well designed Makefile can
compile the source code and automatically download the OBJ into the
Programmer or Downloader in a single user's step.
-
So why is this all so importanted?  Well, I discovered a truly innovative
new product by Butterfly Signal Processing called "B.LO.C".  It is a 
pseudo C compiler for the PIC processors that makes any coding job
a whole lot quicker.  B.LO.C is not a full C implementation due to 
the lack of resources in the PIC such a stack, and true status flags.
Keeping those limitations in mind, B.LO.C is a great product.
Butterfly Signal Processing can be reached at 1+ 416-929-5754.
-
So whats the deal with MC2PARLX.EXE?  B.LO.C was written for the
Microchip Assembler and makes extensive use of their macro 
capability.  Since this is currently not available in the PARALLAX
assembler, B.LO.C users are required to use the Microchip Assembler
with the C compiler (B.LO.C comes bundled with the Microchip Assembler).
As stated above, the Microchip output object files do not contain 
any of the device information necessary to automatically configure
the PARALLAX P&D tools.  Using MC2PARLX.EXE, you can add the
device information into the Microchip Object file directly.  
Now, with the help of MC2PARLX.EXE you can freely develop code 
with B.LO.C, and still make use of the truly *excellent* P&D 
tools developed by PARALLAX.
-
You can find MC2PARLX.EXE on this BBS as "MC2PARLX.ZIP".
-
If you wish to contact me regarding any of the above, please see
the readme.txt file in MC2PARLX.ZIP for information.
-
Matt Dralle
Matronics
1+ 510-447-9886
