Problems with Flowcode Demo

[Countryman]

Having seen Flowcode in the January edition of 'Everyday Practical Electronics', I was interested in buying it but wanted to try the Demo version first. I therefore downloaded the 'Flowcode_for_PICmicros_SP1.exe' file and tried to install it. It aborted and asked for PPP to be installed first. Ok, I downloaded 'PPPv3.exe' and tried to install that. It also aborted and a warning panel came up stating; "You have to run the 64-bit version of DPInst.exe on this machine. Contact the vendor that provided you with this package".

As a recently retired IT professional I have lots of apps on my computer (which is running Vista Home Premium 64) but have never come across DPInst.exe before whilst installing software on this platform. Googling 'DPInst.exe' brings up nothing relavant. Matrix advertise PPP as being Vista 64 compatible so I would expect it to provide a suitable version of DPInst.exe if this is required. A quick look at this Forum suggests that Flowcode has multiple problems with both Vista and PICkit 2, my programming device, and that you have to download code from all over the place to even attempt to achieve a working solution.

Sorry Guys really, really nice app but no cigar!

Cheers.

[Benj]

Hi

Flowcode does work on 64-bit machines. Well its working fine on mine. The problem you had during installation is that the 32-bit drivers are tring to install themselves. This should be fairly simple to get around by installing the latest PPP drivers. PPP and Flowcode should still continue to install by themselves. DPInst is the 32-bit driver for PPP.

Flowcode is also designed to work with the matrix hardware by default. We have modified it to work with PICkit with the help of Microchip but this is still not perfect and requires aprox 5 mins effort. This will be better in V4 when it is released.

Not sure what you mean by downloading code from all over the place to get something working. However if Flowcode is not for you we are not going to force it. I would suggest a C compiler if you want to do anything worthwhile otherwise assembler is good for grasping the whole structure and operation of the chip.

However if you want to save your time, your sanity and your hair then (in my opinion) Flowcode is the way forward.

[Countryman]

Thanks for the quick response Ben.

Flowcode does work on 64-bit machines. Well its working fine on mine.

Great.

The problem you had during installation is that the 32-bit drivers are tring to install themselves. This should be fairly simple to get around by installing the latest PPP drivers. PPP and Flowcode should still continue to install by themselves. DPInst is the 32-bit driver for PPP.

A url would have been useful. I downloaded 'EB-006_driver.zip' and ran 'Matrix_USB_Board_Driver_install (ia64).exe'. It came back with unable to install as incompatible with my version of Windows (!).

Not sure what you mean by downloading code from all over the place to get something working.

Perfectly understand what you are saying about the PICkit 2 but there was a thread about Vista which required the downloading of a number of files. (Can't find it again at the moment.)

However if Flowcode is not for you we are not going to force it.

What a strange comment! If I thought that Flowcode was not for me, would I bother writing these messages?

I would suggest a C compiler if you want to do anything worthwhile otherwise assembler is good for grasping the whole structure and operation of the chip.

And tractors are good for ploughing fields but also hardly relavant to this thread!

However if you want to save your time, your sanity and your hair then Flowcode is the way forward.

err... yes. That's why I am here...!

Thanks for the powerpoint file, it will be useful if I ever get Flowcode to run.

Cheers.

[Steve]

Presumably you will need to run the "amd64" version of the driver installer.

The thread about Vista was generated by an earlier version of the installation routine that was written before Vista was released. The latest version of the installer should work fine (excepting the issue on 64-bit machines).

And please bear in mind that we are always available via this forum if you are having any other problems. We are always happy to help, although we tend to be happier when questions and comments are presented to us in a polite and constructive way...

[Countryman]

Hi Steve,

....although we tend to be happier when questions and comments are presented to us in a polite and constructive way...

I find nothing that I have written to be either impolite or unconstructive. Challenging maybe. However, as a prospective buyer coming on here to try to get YOUR software working, I do find it a little bit bizarre to be told that; "However if Flowcode is not for you we are not going to force it" and "I would suggest a C compiler if you want to do anything worthwhile...". If you had just bought a car that wouldn't start what would you think if, upon contacting the garage, you were told that a good way of seeing the countryside was by train?

I tried loading ‘Matrix_USB_Board_Driver_install (amd64).exe' and it ran. (I have an Intel processor in my computer but we will gloss over that.) I then ran the 'PPPv3.exe' file and again got the "You have to run the 64-bit version of DPInst.exe on this machine" message.

In light of the lack of any meaningful help I think that Ben is right... Flowcode is not for me.

Cheers.

[Benj]

Hello

Sorry Guys really, really nice app but no cigar!

I simply thought you had already decided that you were unhappy with Flowcode and was offering other alternatives.

Regarding the PPP install. It should only be the driver portion that is failing. Since you are using PICkit you do not even need PPP to be installed. Therefore you can simply skip this stage during the Flowcode install if you wish to continue demoing the software.

Also having a 64-bit operating system suggests that you will run into all kinds of problems that you will have to work around (not necessarily with our software). I know I have lots of issues with my 64-bit system. This is not an excuse but is the reality of designing multiplatform software.

[Steve]

For any readers of the January issue of EPE, please note the URL for the demo version (in bold on the first page of the article). This is a special installation which allows the use of PICkit2 without the need for special installation instructions.

We suggest you select to install PPP as part of this installation, as it makes the entry of configuration data on the PICmicro much simpler. As part of this PPP installation, you should not need to install the drivers for it. If you run into the same error message about the installation requiring a 64-bit version of the driver, please ignore this - the PPP software will be installed without the driver anyway.

And a quick apology to "Countryman" - I'm sorry I misconstrued the tone of your messages to be impolite and unconstructive.

[Countryman]

And a quick apology to "Countryman" - I'm sorry I misconstrued the tone of your messages to be impolite and unconstructive.

No problem Chaps, internet Forums aren't the best medium invented for conveying body language...

For any readers of the January issue of EPE, please note the URL for the demo version (in bold on the first page of the article). This is a special installation which allows the use of PICkit2 without the need for special installation instructions.

I uninstalled all previous Matrix apps and drivers and re-installed this (EPE) version without PPP as suggested by Ben. It installed without further issue and I constructed a small demo programme utilising the 16F690 as the 'target'. The programme ran fine under simulation and I accordingly proceeded to 'Chip > Compile to HEX'. This delivered a "success - Return code = 0 - FINISHED" message in the Compiler Messages window.

I then closed Flowcode and started the PICkit2 Programmer application. Using 'File > Import Hex' I imported the Flowcode generated test file. This produced a yellow warning panel with the message; "Warning: No configuration words in hex file. In MPLAB use File-Export to save hex with config". I tried a 'Write' anyway, but this did not produce a working PIC.

I will do some digging on the Microchip Forum as this dialogue has been mentioned before and is not peculiar to the use of Flowcode.

Cheers.

[Steve]

You can enter configuration data within the Flowcode program via the "chip..configure" window. If you're not using the PPP utility, then you will need to enter this in hex format (e.g. 0x2007=0x3F2A). Note that the config word you use will obviously need to reflect the specific chip you use and the oscillator type employed.

If you let us know your hardware platform (specifically chip type and what type of clocking circuitry is used), we should be able to help.

[Steve]

I've just noticed in your email you are using the '690, so I presume you are using Microchip's "Low Pin Count Demo Board" and intend to use the internal oscillator. If this is the case, then the internal oscillator can be set up with a config work of 0x3FF4.

The chip will default to a 4MHz clock, so you need to set this up in Flowcode via the "chip..clock speed" window. If you want to use a different internal clock frequency, then you'll need to add a bit of C code to the beginning of the program and also set the clokc speed up appropriately. More details about this can be found by searching this forum.