To test your development board, there is a PICmicro file called "tuttest.obj" included with this course. This file must be transferred to the PICmicro using the "PICmicro Parallel Programmer" program (PPP.EXE).

The first step in testing your hardware is to load the "PICmicro Parallel Programmer" program. A shortcut to this program will have been installed into your Start Menu under "Programs...Matrix Electronics Series".

Once the PPP program has been executed, select the File...Options menu item. A screen similar to Fig. 1 will be shown. For this test, it is important that your hardware is set up correctly. The following options should be set:

- Oscillator Type = RC

- LPT Port Address = 0x378 (*see below)

- Delay Value: 40000

- Watchdog timer should not be enabled

- Power-uptimer should not be enabled

Once these options have been set, press the OK button to dismiss the options screen.

* Note that the LPT Port Address on some computers may be set to a different value. To determine this value, you should open your computer's control panel (in Start Menu...Settings) and double-click the "System" icon. Select the "Device Manager" tab (Windows 2000 users should select the "Hardware" tab and press the "Device Manager" button), which will display your computer settings. Make sure you are viewing "devices by type", and double-click the "Ports (COM & LPT)" icon. Now double-click the "Printer Port (LPT1)" icon and select the "Resources" tab. The "Input/Output Range" setting will display something like "0378 - 037F" and the first of these numbers (i.e. 0378) is the value of your LPT port address.

Now you must ensure that the switches on the development board are set up correctly. The XT/RC switch (S5) must be set to RC (i.e. down) and the SLOW switch (S6) should be set to SLOW (i.e. up). The potentiometer VR1 should be set fully clockwise (this sets the RC clock to its fastest setting). The board should be connected to your computer's printer port and should also be connected to its power supply.

We are now ready to send the configuration data to the PICmicro by selecting "File...Configure" from the PPP menu. A message should appear on the computer screen telling you to put the PICmicro into program mode by pushing the switches S1, S4 and S3 down and momentarily pressing the RESET switch (S2). The LED D1 will be lit when the PICmicro is in program mode. Now click OK and a blue bar will be shown as the configuration data is sent. A message will now tell you to take the PICmicro out of program mode (S1, S4 and S3 up and press the RESET switch). The PICmicro should now be configured correctly.

The final stage in this process is to send the "tuttest" program to the PICmicro. Select "File...Open" from the PPP menu and open the "tuttest.obj" file, which has been saved to your computer in the "etc" folder. By default this will be in "C:\Matrix\C4PICs\etc". Once you have opened the file, you should select "File...Send" to send the program to the PICmicro. You will see the same message as when you sent the configuration data and you must set the switches appropriately.

Once the program has been sent and the PICmicro is taken out of program mode, the "tuttest" program should be loaded and running in the PICmicro. You will see the LED's on ports A and B coming on in a repeated pattern. (Note that the LA4 LED will only come on in sequence if switch SA4 is also pressed because pin RA4 on the PICmicro is "open collector").

Note that except for the first few projects in this course, the "Oscillator Type" should be set to "XT". To change this, you need to select the XT with switch S5 and change the options in PPP to an XT oscillator. Configuration data must be sent to the PICmicro whenever the configuration settings have changed.