MikroElektronika (MikroC PRO)

MikroC PRO is a powerful, feature rich development tool for PIC microcontrollers
developed by MikroElektronika. This is the improved version of the former, MikroC. It
provides many libraries if we want to program a circuit. It fits PIC microcontroller very
well. PIC is the most popular 8-bit chip in the world. It has advanced IDE, ANSI
compliant compiler, broad set of hardware libraries, understandable and effective manual
help and plenty of ready-to-run examples.

Fig : Mikroelektronika (MikroC PRO)

In this project, C language will be used in programming this WSN for Power
Management. So, the MikroC PRO software is needed to compile the C-language into
machine code before programmed into the PIC16F877A microcontroller.
PICkit 2 v2.55

The program will be the brain of the microcontroller. The program created must be able
to control overall operation of the system. For this project, PICkit 2 v2.55 software is
used for assemble the program that wrote by MikroC PRO compiler and also generate the
.hex file. This software will be used together with the programmer which being called
JDM programmer or also it can be used with the USB programmer. This software is
capable to execute the program designed so that it could be burned into microcontroller
chip and finally the microcontroller can operate based on the program written. This part
will discuss on how to use the PICkit 2 v2.55.

i. First, run the PICkit 2 v2.55.exe file and interface as shown in Figure 3.19 will
appear.

Figure : PICkit 2 v2.55

ii. To begin, click Tools and choose Check Communication label.

Figure: USB programmer detection

iii. If a developer is using the USB programmer then the interface as shown in
Figure 3.21 should be appearing. Choose the File -> Import Hex and choose
the right .hex file to be programmed into the PIC microcontroller from the
directory. Next, click Read and wait until it is done.
Figure: PIC microcontroller detection

iv. If a developer is using the USB programmer then the interface as shown in
Figure 3.22 should be appearing. Choose the File -> Import Hex and choose
the right .hex file to be programmed into the PIC microcontroller from the
directory. Next, click Read and wait until it is done.
Figure: Loading .hex file

v. Finally, click Read button until the window appear as below:

Figure: Successful code writing into PIC microcontroller

vi. To disconnect the USB cable, simply plug it out. No extra configuration or
setting is needed.