Re: Which PIC18 C Compiler?

From: Mike V. (valemike_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 07/09/04 

Date: 9 Jul 2004 07:07:05 -0700

At the place i'm contracting at, I have used the IAR compiler for the
TI MSP430, and the CCS compiler for the PIC. I also personally own the
Hi-Tech compiler.

I have not used the Hi-Tech compiler much, mainly because it is not
used at work. However, I do know that the Hi-Tech compiler is pretty
stable. It doesn't really have any libraries to run the PIC's
peripherals (e.g. spi, i2c, uart, etc.), but it's a good thing I
guess. I have not heard of many bugs as far as the C-compilation goes.

IAR has a nice GUI. I don't know though how optimal the code is
though, compared to the Hi-Tech or CCS compilers.

Which leads me to the CCS compiler. I have mixed feelings on this one.
They do offer a lot of releases, sometimes every two weeks or so. This
is to be expected since they have a lot of functionality to offer in
terms of library functions. They also keep up-to-date with PIC
programming erratas on a timely basis. Sometimes, however, they end up
breaking something every few releases, and need to release again. That
is why I keep separate folders for each release, in case something
gets broken that affects me. Usually it doesn't affect me, but there
is always someone out there whose previously running software gets
broken by each new release.

-Mike

 

tronnort@yahoo.com (David L. Jones) wrote in message news:<894aa0b3.0407082132.6ac9c0e5@posting.google.com>...
> "Talal Itani" <titani@airmail.net> wrote in message news:<cckb50$cl9@library2.airnews.net>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I currently have an ICD2 from Microchip. I use it to develop PIC16 code
> > using the MPLAB debugger and assembler. I need to move to the PIC18 parts
> > and C language, but I am struggling figure out the development tools to get.
> > Do you have any experience with the CCS compiler running with MPLAB and
> > ICD2? ($175 solution)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Talal
>
> I don't have experience with the 18 series compilers, but for the 16
> series the HiTech ones beats the pants off the CCS compiler, much more
> professional. At the time I needed to do floats in printf() and the
> CCS compiler wouldn't do it.
> The HiTech compiler also sensibly uses the acutal register names as
> used in the data***, so you can simply go PORTA=123 etc. I would
> avoid any compiler which doesn't allow this as standard.
>
> The 18 series HiTech compiler uses their new HiTide windows interface.
> Gotta be better than the DOS version on the 16 series compiler.
> Although I now integrate the PIC-C compiler with the MPLAB program,
> it's painless.
>
> If you can afford it, go for the HiTech compiler. Although the CCS one
> will probably do you just fine if you are on a budget.
>
> Dave :)