User manual

Robotics experiment with PIC microcontroller l 17

1.4 Programming devleopment for Robo-PICA

The summary of steps of program the Robo-PICA robot kit are as follows :

1. Create the C project file with mikroC IDE software.

2. Compile the project file.

3. If any error occurs, edit the C program to fix the error and compile the

project file until all are correct.

4. The HEX file would be created after the compilation is completed.

5. Open the PICkit2

Programming software. Connect the USB programmer

with USB port and connect the ICD2 cable between the USB Programmer and the RBX-

877 V2.0 Controller board at ICD2 jack.

6. Download the HEX file to the RBX-877 V2.0 Controller board of Robot-

PICA.

7. Run the program and check the hardware operation. If it is not correct,

go back to edit the C program, compile and download again. Do these steps unitl the

operation are completed.

1.5 Getting Start

From here, we will describe about the getting start of programming development

for the Robo-PICA. This robot kit is controlled by the RBX-877 V2.0 Robot Controller board.

The heart of this controller board is PIC16F887 chip. The programming development in-

cludes 2 main steps as C programming development and Download the HEX file to

microcontroller.

The C programming development will be using mikroC IDE included C compiler

and the other provides support tools and libraries. However this kit will work with the demo

version. You can purchase the full version for more programming at www.mikroe.com.

You can develop the C project file and test the operation of the Robo-PICA’s hard-

ware from these procedures below.

1.5.1 Install the mikroC software tools following the instruction manual. See this docu-

ment in Robo-PICA’s CD-ROM or download the update document from www.mikroe.com.

1.5.2 Install the PICkit2 Programming software for USB programmer.

1.5.3 Open the mikroC IDE by clicking at Start à Programs à Mikroelktronika à

mikroC à mikroC. The main window will appear. The Figure 1-1 shows the main window of

mikroC IDE and the important components.