Create a new "Stand-Alone" project in MPLAB X for a PIC16F1508. Detailed instructions are included 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 MPLAB Code Configurator 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 you need to select these peripherals:

• System Module
• Interrupt Module
• Pin Module

The System Module, Interrupt Module and the Pin Module will all be automatically included when you launch the MCC. The result should look like the picture below:

Open the Pin Manager and then click on the PORTA port 2, input row, blue lock symbol to change it to locked and green in color. Also click on the PORTA port 4 (RA4) blue lock symbol to make it locked and green. This adds the RA2 and RA4 I/O pins to the project. It should look like the picture below when completed:

Close the Pin Manager and then the center section should show both RA2 and RA4 listed on the I/O chart.

1. The RA4 pin will be the input that will read the switch using the Interrupt On Change Negative Edge (IOCN) so that box needs to be checked. Also the Weak Pull-Up (WPU) box needs to be checked to enable the pull-up resistor on the pin.
2. The RA2 pin will be an output and control the LED. Click on the output box to make the pin an output.

The System needs to be setup next. Click on the System name in the Project Resources list.

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

Oscillator

1. Select INTOSC from the drop down menu for the System Clock Select.
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.

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 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 main.c to open it up in the editor window.

There are two files that need to be modified for this project: main.c and interupt_manager.c. These are the main code file and the interrupt service routine file. Each are modified as described below.

main.c

The main.c file requires a few lines to be uncommented for the interrupt to work properly. To enable the interrupt to work, Global Interrupts and Peripheral Interrupts need to be uncommented. The MCC already has the control commands in the default main.c file, they are just commented out with two forward slashes (//). The forward slashes need to be removed to enable these lines of code.

    // Enable the Global Interrupts
    INTERRUPT_GlobalInterruptEnable();

    // Enable the Peripheral Interrupts
    INTERRUPT_PeripheralInterruptEnable();

The main loop doesn't require any additional code beyond the default while(1) loop. The Interrupt Service Routine will handle the changing of the I/O pin.

while (1)
    {
        // Add your application code

    }

interrupt_manager.c

The interrupt_manager.c file contains the Interrupt Service Routine that will run when the interrupt occurs. This is where a function to toggle the LED pin is entered. The function used is the IO_RA2_Toggle() macro that is created by the MCC and placed in the pin_manager.h file. This IO_RA2_Toggle() function is added to the Interrupt Service Routine as shown below.

Click on the Build Project Icon (the Hammer) to compile the code and you should see a BUILD SUCCESSFUL message in the output window of MPLAB X.

BUILD SUCCESSFUL (total time: 4s)

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 code has been programmed into the microcontroller. When the momentary switch is pressed, the LED will change state from off to on or on to off. In the picture below it changed from off to on.

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