Create a new stand-alone project in MPLAB X for a PIC16F1769. Instructions are below if this is your first project.

Create A New "Stand-Alone" Project Instructions ►

Create A New "Stand-Alone" Project Instructions ▼

 Step-by-Step

1

Launch the new project wizard

Launch the New Project Wizard using one of the following methods:

• From the Toolbar: Click on the New Project icon , or
• From the Menu: Select File ► New Project, or
• From the Keyboard: Ctrl + Shift + N

The project wizard will walk you through the process and prompt you for all the required information. Your selections may be changed after the project has been created by modifying the project's properties.

2

Choose Project

a

Choose Microchip Embedded from the Categories column (center).

b

Choose Standalone Project from the Projects column (right).

c

Click the Next > button.

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3

Select Device

a

Choose the device family from the Family drop-down box.

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If you have used MPLAB X IDE previously, choosing Recently Used from the Family drop-down box will filter the Device list to the 3 devices you have used most recently.

b

Choose your device's part number from the Device drop down box. You may also type in the part number directly, and the list will adjust to the characters you enter.

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4

Select Header

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The wizard will automatically skip this step if a header is not available for your selected device.

If you are using a debug header with your debugger, select it from the Supported Debug Header drop-down box. They are listed by the header's part number.
If you are not using a debug header (i.e. the debugger is directly connected to the target device), select None.

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5

Select Tool

If you are using a hardware debugger / programmer, you should see a serial number under its heading if it is connected to your system. Click on the serial number to associate that specific tool with your project. It is important to select the serial number itself because MPLAB X IDE permits multiple projects to be open simultaneously, and each one may use a different debug tool. For example, if you have three ICD3's connected to your PC, you could have three projects open and each one assigned to a different ICD3. This makes it possible to simultaneously debug multiple applications in the same instance of MPLAB X IDE.

For software based tools, such as the simulator, you only need to click on the tool's name to select it.

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Hover your mouse pointer over the colored dots to see their meaning for a specific tool. Red = No Support, Yellow = Beta Support, Green = Production Tested.

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6

Select Plug-in Board

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The wizard will automatically skip this step if a plug-in board is not available for your selected device.

If you are using a plug-in board to enhance the features of your debugger (usually the Real ICE), select it from the Selected Plugin Board drop-down box. They are listed by function.
If you are not using a plug-in board (i.e. standard debugger configuration), select None.

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7

Select Compiler

The IDE will display all compilers available on your system that support your selected device. Select the compiler (including version number) you wish to use for building the project.

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8

Select Project Name and Folder

a

Choose a Project Name. This will be your project's name as well as the name of the project directory (with a ".X" appended) that the IDE will create.

b

Choose a Project Location. This is where the IDE will create the project directory.

If a directory with the specified name already exists and has no MPLAB X IDE project files in it, the IDE will use the existing directory for the new project. If the directory does have MPLAB X IDE files in it from another project, the wizard will give an error that must be fixed by choosing a different project name or location. If the directory does not exist, the IDE will create it and use it for the new project.

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Open the MCC under the Tools > Embedded menu of MPLAB X IDE.

Show MCC Layout ►

Show MCC Layout ▼

The sections of the MCC tool are shown in the image below. We will refer to these sections by name throughout this article. This highlight can be enabled over the MCC at any time by clicking on the information icon .

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Select the Peripherals for your project.
In this project these peripherals will need to be selected:

• System Module
• Interrupt Module
• Pin Module
• ADC

The System Module, Interrupt Module, and Pin Module will be automatically included but the ADC must be selected for the project. The list of peripherals will show up under the Device Resources list. Double click on the ADC to have it added to the project.

Open the Pin Manager and then click on the PORTA pin 2 (RA2) blue lock symbol in the Output row to lock it. It will turn green. This adds this RA2 I/O pin to the project to drive the LED. Click on the PORTA pin 4 blue lock in the ANx row to make it green. This adds the RA4/AN3 input to the project. Vref+ and Vref- should be left to their default values. The Reset line should not have any green locks.

Close the Pin Manager and then click on the Pin Module in the Project Resources to open the center section. It will show RA2 and RA4 listed on the I/O chart.

1. The RA2 pin will be an output and control the LED. Click on the Output box to make the pin an output and uncheck the WPU and Analog boxes.
2. The RA4 pin is the potentiometer input, so check the Analog box and uncheck the Output and WPU boxes, if checked.

The System needs to be setup next. Click on the System Name in the Project Resources list. It should be highlighted in blue when selected.

The System section will appear. In this section, the oscillator settings and the configuration settings are selected.

Oscillator

1. Select the INTOSC from the System Clock Select drop down menu.
2. Select the 1MHz_HF selection from the Internal Clock drop down menu.

This will enable the internal 1 MHz internal oscillator as the system clock.

Configuration

Each configuration setting can be changed under the Register tab of the System window. Match the selections shown here.

The ADC needs to be setup. Click on the ADC label in the Project Resources menu to make the ADC setup screen appear.

1. Check the ADC Enable box and select the FOSC/2 clock source from the drop down menu.
2. Click on the Right selection for Result Alignment. This will produce a 10-bit ADC result.
3. Leave Vref+ as VDD and Vref- as VSS.

Note: The name of the RA4 pin is called "channel_AN3". We will use this later in the main.c file.

The window should look like the image below after the proper setup.

Click on the Generate Code button to have the MCC create the software libraries for this project.

The project will now have both generated Header Files and Source Files. It should also have a generated a main.c file.
Note: MCC may offer to generate a main.c file. Click yes to allow it to complete that task.

Double click on the main.c file to open it up in the editor window.

The ADC result will produce a value between 0 and 1023 depending on the position of the potentiometer. A value of 0 is the position all the way counterclockwise. A value of 1023 is all the way clockwise. The halfway point is a value of 512. We shall test the position by comparing the value to 512. If it is larger than 512 then the LED will be lit. If it is smaller than or equal to 512, then the LED will be off.

Add the following code to the end of the main.c file:

while (1)
    {
        // Add your application code

        if (ADC_GetConversion(channel_AN3) > 512)
            {
            IO_RA2_SetHigh();
            }
        else
            {
            IO_RA2_SetLow();
            }

    }

Note: The IO_RA2_SetHigh() and IO_RA2_SetLow() functions are macros that were generated by the MCC, and their definitions are located in the pin_manager.h file.

#define IO_RA2_SetHigh()    do { LATA2 = 1; } while(0)
#define IO_RA2_SetLow()   do { LATA2 = 0; } while(0)

Click on the Build Project icon (the hammer) to compile the code. You should see a "BUILD SUCCESSFUL" message in the output window.

BUILD SUCCESSFUL

Make sure your project has the programming tool selected (Part of Step 1 above) and connect power to your development board.

Click on the Make and Program Device icon. This will build the project again and launch the programmer. In the output window, you should see a series of messages and, if successful, it will end with a "Programming and Verify Successful" message.

Output Window:

Connecting to MPLAB PICkit 3...
Firmware Suite Version.....01.34.11
Firmware type..............Enhanced Midrange

Target detected
Device ID Revision = 6

The following memory area(s) will be programmed:
program memory: start address = 0x0, end address = 0x7ff
configuration memory
Device Erased...

Programming...
Programming/Verify complete

The project can be closed in the MPLAB X IDE. The project is saved automatically when it is built, but any changes to files or configuration may ask to be saved before the project is closed.
The project can be closed under the File Menu > Close Project