Programming PIC16F877A

Using CCS C Compiler and US-

Burn
Why Use C for Embedded Programming?

1. Portable – code can be retargeted to

different processors
2. Clarity – C is easier to understand than
assembly
3. Compilers produce code that is close to
manually-tweaked assembly language in
both code size and performance
From .c to .hex
C Compilers for Embedded Systems

CCS C Compiler

HI TECH Compiler
CCS vs. HI TECH

The CCS Compiler has an extensive range of

inbuilt functions
→ Save time and speed up the learning process

The HI TECH Compiler is based towards
those who are following a company policy
specifying the ANSI standard with hardware
functions sometimes resembling Assembler
more than C
Installing CCS C Compiler IDE

Copy CCS C directory to your hard drive

Run pcwhupd.exe (in this directory)

Copy the following files to installed directory
 : PCM.CRG for 16-bit PIC
 , PCH.CRG,
 PCB.CRG

Run Patch.exe file

Run Pcw.exe file
Installing US-Burn
1. Copy USB burn driver directory to your
harddrive
2. Plug USB cable (connected to the USB port
of SaigonTech PIC Board) to computer USB
port
3. Turn on the power switch on the PIC board
(see the next slides)

Click the Browse button to select the driver folder

…\USB burn driver

 Succefull installation
announce

Do the steps 2 and 3 for other USB ports.

A Sample C Program:
Blinking 8 LEDs
Program Description

Make LED’s on PORTB blink every second

Cable Wiring

Use a 8 pin ribbon cable to connect PIC’s
jumpers B0 – B7 to LEDs’ jumpers L0 – L7
Electronic Circuit
Writing Program in PCW C
Compiler IDE
Creating a .c File
Creating a .c File

File name: Blink8LEDs

Choose the path

Click Save
Editing Blink8LEDs.c
Compiling a C Program
Using US-Burn to Load a .hex
File to the PIC

Put 16F877A in the USB Programmer socket
(pay attention to the PIC direction on the
socket, otherwise you will damage the PIC)

Plug the USB cable to the PC and to the PIC
board

Turn on the power switch of PIC Board

Run Usburn14.exe
Microcontroller Setting
Run program on the board

Turn off the power switch on the PIC board

Put the programmed PIC in the Run socket
on the board (pay attention to the PIC
direction on the socket, otherwise you will
damage the PIC)

Turn on the power switch on the PIC board to
see the LEDs blink.
 PIC C

PIC C

Summary of the
Development
Process
PIC C
Discussion
Look at an Alternative of BlinkLEDs.c

Is this listing better than the previous one? Why?

One of the Most Important Skills in
Programming

Reuse
PIC16F877A

5/6 Programming pins

8 10-bit A/D channels
2 Oscillator Inputs
2 RS-232 inputs
33 I/O ports
2 PWM channels
The PIC16F877A

PIC: Peripheral Interface Controller

Pin Functions

MCLR – to reset the PIC

VDD – power supply

VSS – ground

OSC1, OSC2 – connect to oscillator

The pins having the notation R can all be
used as digital inputs or outputs

The pins that are labeled as AN can be used
as analog inputs

The pins CCP1 and CCP2 are used for PWM
Exercise

1. Delete NOLVP from #fuses and rerun the

program. What is the effect of this action?
2. Instead of using the PORTB, use PORTC to
rewrite the example

Try to use NOLVP and without it
Why is NOLVP Needed?
 In Single Supply Programming or Low – Voltage
Programming mode (using single voltage VDD 5V
to programming):

The LVP bit will be set

Pin B3 will have PGM function → B3 is cleared
 To make RB3 become a normal I/O pin, LVP has
to be disabled

#fuses NOLVP
Exercise

Instead of using the PORTB, use PORTA to

rewrite the example
 More Details on PORTA

In the PIC16 series Port A is the analog port
connected to the analog to digital converters
By default this port is configured as analog
⇒ You will not be able to output or input data reliably
on Port A until you configure it as a digital port
Can’t work
Pin RA4
VDD

PIC 16F877A
How to Make RA4 Work Properly

RA4 is made to be an open-drain output
⇒ A pull-up resistor is needed to make it work
properly VDD

Pull-up Resistor
R
Can’t work
Pin RA4 Pin RA4 Open-drain output

PIC 16F877A PIC 16F877A

References

Microcontroller.
http://www.electronics.netmyne.com/microcontroller.
html

Programming PIC Microcontrollers in BASIC.
mikroElektronika © 1998 – 2004.
http://www.mikroelektronika.co.yu/english/product/b
ooks/picbasicbook/00.htm#preface

http://www.picvietnam.com/forum//showthread.php?t
=357

PICC. An introduction to programming the Microchip
PIC in C. Nigel Gardner. Bluebird Electronics 1998