MPLAB X no green line for debug step by step.

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

I know this question does not belong to this forum but maybe someone can help me.

Before I will post my program I tried to debug the code step by step in the MPLAB X IDE. All settings are right, no compile errors and I can start debugging as normal.

The main problem is I can't see the green line which indicates the position of the PC counter. When I perform a step by step debug the PC counter increases as normal and the variables in the watch window change also during the steps
Breaks work fine too.

So the green line does not show me the position of the PC counter at both the program code and list file. Now it's very difficult to debug line by line.

Programs are installed again and several restarts are executed.

CCS PCW Compiler 5.114
Product Version: MPLAB X IDE v6.05
I use the CCS C Compiler Toolchain.

Does anybody have any idea?

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19535

In MPLAB X, that happens if the directory name where the project is
stored, contains a character that the debugger can't resolve. So things
like punctuation marks, foreign characters, etc, etc..

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

Dear mr Ttelmah,

I know from the foreign characters and also moved the project to the C-drive instead of our server.

BUILD:
make -f nbproject/Makefile-default.mk SUBPROJECTS= .build-conf
make[1]: Entering directory 'C:/Janik/Test1.X'
make -f nbproject/Makefile-default.mk dist/default/debug/Test1.X.debug.cof
make[2]: Entering directory 'C:/Janik/Test1.X'
gnumkdir -p build/default/debug/_ext/1472
gnumkdir -p dist/default/debug
"C:\Program Files (x86)\PICC\CCSCON.exe" out="build/default/debug\_ext\1472" ../TP136DG15325.c +FM +EX +DF +CC +Y=9 +EA +DF +LN +T +A +M +J +Z -P #__16F15325=1
Compiling C:\Janik\TP136DG15325 on 16-feb-23 at 12:42:
C:\Janik\TP136DG15325.c:78:1: Warning#203 Condition always TRUE:
Memory usage: ROM=17% RAM=8% - 11%:
0 Errors, 1 Warnings.:
Build Successful.:
gnumkdir -p dist/default/debug
make[2]: Leaving directory 'C:/Janik/Test1.X'
make[1]: Leaving directory 'C:/Janik/Test1.X'
BUILD SUCCESSFUL (total time: 1s)
Loading symbols from C:/Janik/Test1.X/dist/default/debug/Test1.X.debug.cof...
Loading code from C:/Janik/Test1.X/dist/default/debug/Test1.X.debug.cof...
Program loaded with pack,PIC16F1xxxx_DFP,1.15.191,Microchip
Loading completed
The warning is because of a while(1)

DEBUG
Launching
Initializing simulator
User program stopped
No source code lines were found at current PC 0x0. Use Program memory view to see instruction code disassembly.

Still no green line while debugging works fine.
The only thing which worries me is the remark about "No source code"

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19535

On the while(1), just use while(TRUE). The syntax checker understands
that if you explicitly say 'TRUE', you want it to be 'always TRUE'.

The 'no source code lines', still suggests the debugger is having a
problem actually reading the files.

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

One week later...........
Now I completely re-installed the CCS compiler and MPLAB X IDE at two computers and the project in the root without any special characers in the file name. I also followed the instructions for 100% to install the CCS plug-in.

PCW compiler 5.114
MPLAB X IDE v6.05
MPLAB® X IDE Plug-in CCS C Compiler [3.15]
Windows 11

At both computers NO GREEN LINE to indicate the position of the PC counter during the step by step simulation. Errors=0 and Warnings=0.

I think it has something to do with the combination of the CCS and Microchip programs above. Can anybody try the same combination?

Debugging with MPLAB X IDE 5.3 works fine.

This is my code:

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

I jsut installed MPLAB X IDE v5.30 at the 2nd computer and here it works fine too. Now the GREEN LINE is back again.

temtronic · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2023 10:44 am

great...you got it WORKING !!

unrelated except FRUSTRATING....

just HOW can I delete 3 files off my desktop ??
gotta be a 'Windows' thing ! Can't delete or move anywhere...
at least with quartz windowed PICs I COULD delete !!

edit.....
after 3 hours had to get 7zip to delete them... Windows doesn't like 252 byte long filenames ( though limit IS 255 )
yup liking PICs a LOT more these dayze.....

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

Yes, I agree.
Luckily my car has no Windows system, on the other hand it would be very cheap.

Best regards,
Bas

Ttelmah · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 19535

I must admit bschriek, that I wonder if the problem is a security one
with W11?. Some file or directory involved in the paths to some part of
the project that has not got permissions. Though I have got a couple of
copies of W11, I have kept if off the work machines. Is the new machine
W10 or W11?. Has the user involved on both got the same permissions?.

That filename one is really annoying Jay.

Don't agree that having Windoze in a car would make it cheap. They'd
charge extra for the privilege of having it's problems... Sad

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

Underneath a short overview I will post at the Microchip forum later.

Problem
- Windows 11
- CCS PCW Compiler 5.114
- Product Version: MPLAB X IDE v6.05
- CCS C Compiler Toolchain.
- Short and no strange characters in the file name.
NO GREEN LINE for the PC

Works fine
-MPLAB X IDE v5.30 at the W11 pro works fine.
-MPLAB X IDE v5.50 at the W11 home works fine.
GREEN LINE for the PC as usual.

I hope someone has an answer to solve this.

jeremiah · Joined: 20 Jul 2010 Posts: 1353

If it works with 5.30 and 5.50 but not with 6.05, then it might just be an mplabx issue. Have your tried asking them on their forums as well? Make sure to specify it works with the older mplabx version but not the newer one.

temtronic · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:41 am

hmmm went from 5.50 to 6.05 !!

To me , that's a LOT of version 'upgrades'..

If there are any 'in between', you might be able to narrow down when the bug occoured.

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

Yes, I post the problem at the Microchip forum.

This is the comment of Microchip:

I am looking into who is developing the plugin into MPLAB X and I found that this is developed by CCS - http://www.ccsinfo.com/ so I think you might want to open a Support Ticket, not a Forum Thread, to ask them to correct the issue, if any.

I will let this case open for you to keep me updated, or in case the CCS support team sends you back to Microchip.

So I mentioned again the same CCS plugin is used for different MPLAB versions. I tried 5.30 and 5.50 and the next version is 6.00 and then the last version 6.05

PCM programmer · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 21708

But did you contact CCS support at [email protected] ?
That's what Microchip told you to do.

bschriek · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 80

Yes, I also sent an Email to [email protected].