PIC kit 2 C compiler - free or low cost

[KJ6ART]

PIC kit 2 C compiler

Hi, I am looking for a pic16 C compiler. It needs to be free or very low cost($0-15). It also needs to run under windows and have a tutorial(I am used to AVR's). I have done some research on google and have found nothing but the lite verison of BoostC but it does not come with libraries. If it makes any difference I am using a Pic Kit2 programmer with a pic16f690.

Thanks!

 

[betwixt]

Re: PIC kit 2 C compiler

WIZ-C from www.fored.co.uk comes with extensive libraries, several tutorials, lots of examples an excellent simulator and it compiles for the 12F and 18F families as well.

There is a free demo version with limited capability but if you want the whole thing it costs $75, still one of the cheapest on the market. The free version is the same as the full one but limits you to 2K words of code which is quite generous and is enough for many projects.

Brian.

 

[miredox]

Re: PIC kit 2 C compiler

You have the free (lite) compilers CSS lite and Hitech-C, both can be integrated in MPLAB. They don't have a code size limitation, and for both compilers, you can find a lot of libraries. The only 'limitation' of the free lite version is that it does not perform all possible code optimizations. But in practice, you will hardly be aware of this, unless you are running short in memory.

In that case, you are already writing large programs, and then you can consider using a more powerful 18F instead, which can be compiled with the C18 from microchip (also integrated in MPLAB) which comes standard with the most important libraries.
I don't know tutorials for the CCS or Hitech-C compiler, but for C18, you can find some tutorials e.g. for the USB capable PIC18F4550 **broken link removed**.