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MPASM ACCESS NOTES - 05DEC04

Some of this information may update that given in the published EPE TK3 text.

Always check the Updates file for any information that affects these notes. It is normally issued whenever an update to TK3 is released and is accessible via the "Latest Updates" button at the bottom of the main TK3 screen.


The Open MPASM button allows you to directly access Microchip's MPASM assembler. TK3's default access path is "c:\mpasm\mpasmwin.exe", the address at which MPASM is held on the author's PCs.

If MPASM resides at a different address on your PC you may change the path via text file "TK3MpasmRoute.txt", accessible via the MPASM Path button. Simply change the address to that suited to your PC, assuming of course that you have MPASM on your PC! Resave the text file under its own name. MPASM may be downloaded free from Microchip's web site via TK3's Internet button, it can assemble code for all Microchip's PIC microcontrollers.

The MPASM User Guide can also be accessed (if resident), with its path address also set via the MPASM Path button. More information is given via that button.

For information on using MPASM see Microchip's own data. TK3 offers no guidance on this.

TK3's ROLE

TK3 allows you to create/edit ASM files and then to access MPASM's assembler, which generates the required HEX code file. It also generates LST and ERR files having the same base filename as the ASM file used by MPASM's assembly screen. These can be read via TK3's MPASM screen View LST and View ERR buttons.

The assembled HEX file can also be sent to the PIC via this screen.

There is no automatic communication between TK3 and MPASM, but two buttons on TK3's MPASM screen allows the ASM file name from MPASM's .INI file to be copied to TK3, and from TK3 to MPASM's .INI file.

The ASM filename selected via the DIR ASM button is allocated as the assembly filename in the main screen Assembly section, but is not automaticall placed in MPASM's .INI file.

LIMITATIONS

Be aware that MPASM will not correctly assemble any ASM file that contains TASM grammar or formats. Any files written in TASM must be converted to MPASM grammar before assembly through MPASM itself.

The MPASM version (V02.30) originally used by the author does not recognise file names longer than 8 characters (excluding extension) and if your behaves similarly it may not "find" such a file specified in its Source File Name box. In this case you should rename the file to a shorter name that will be recognised by both MPASM and TK3.

The MPASM version (V03.50) currently used by the author does not have this limitation, but it does have a limit of 62 characters for any filepath name.

ADDING YOUR OWN NOTES

These notes are displayed via an "Active" text editor and you may add your own notes to them, saving them to disk in the usual way.
