This program provides a simple interface for editing the device data file PKDeviceFile.dat that comes with the PICkit2 windows programs.
Usage:
File Menu:
Open – loads and decodes file
Save – overwrites the loaded file with the data in memory
Save As – writes the data in memory to a file of your choosing
Right click on any leaf node (in the left treeview panel) for a popup menu to:
Duplicate – make an identical copy of the selected family/part/script
Remove – delete the selected family/part/script
Number formats:
– where a field is displayed as hex (dec), you can enter
Hex: e.g. 0xfa44 or &hfa44 or fa44h
Binary: e.g. 0b11110010 or %11110010
Decimal: e.g. 1443
– where a field is displayed as decimal, you can enter
Hex: e.g. 0xfa44 or &hfa44
Decimal: e.g. 1443
The program is generally only useful for adding new parts not currently supported by the devicefile bundled with the PICKit 2. The process, after opening the devicefile, is simply to choose an existing PIC from the list of devices, right click on it and select Duplicate Item. There will now be a copy of the part you selected. Change the properties of the new part, including the part name, to appropriate values for the new part. Then save the file and you’re done.
It’s possible to find the appropriate fields from the datasheet and programming specification documents for the particular PIC part. Sometimes it’s a little bit hard to find what you’re looking for, or to even know what you should be looking for; feel free to ask on the Microchip Forums (in particular under this thread: PK2 Device File Editor Thread); there’s some very knowledgeable and experienced members there.
There is sometimes updates devicefiles available from Microchip (maybe search the Microchip forums).