This is a little text-based utility to control the very cheap and simple Microchip(tm) PICkit(tm) 1 FLASH Starter Kit device programmer from Linux.

The PICkit is a small PCB that connects to your USB port and allows you to upload programs to the flash memory of 8-pin and 14-pin Microchip PICs. It has 8 LEDs as output, a push button connected to a digital input, and a potentiometer connected to the analog input.

pickit1 [OPTION]

where OPTION can be:

  -p, --program=<file>     Writes .hex file to chip
  -x, --extract=<file>     Read from chip into .hex file
  -v, --verify=<file>      Read from chip and compare with .hex file
  -b, --blankcheck         Read chip, check all locations for 1 or blank
  -e, --erase              Erase device.  Preserve OscCal and BG Bits if
                           implemented
  -m, --memorymap          Show device Program and EE Data Memory
  -c, --config             Show configuration data
  -r, --reset              Power cycle the chip
  --off                    Turn chip power off
  --on                     Turn chip power back on
  --oscoff                 Turn 2.5 kHz osc off, leave chip on
  --oscon                  Turn 2.5 kHz osc on, with chip on
  --bandgap=<int>          Erase device.  Preserve OscCal and write specified
                           BG Bits
  --osccalregen            Erase device.  Regenerate OscCal using autocal.hex
  --programall=<file>      Overwrite OscCal and BG (dangerous!)

<file> is an Intel MDS .hex file; the standard format used by almost
all compilers, assemblers, and disassemblers.

NOTE: the program needs the autocal.hex file for the --osccalregen option. You'll need to run the program in the same directory where autocal.hex is if you want to use this option.

There is no configure script, just type:

make

You'll need libraries and development files of libusb (libusb-dev) and libpopt (libpopt-dev). The program is known to work with libusb >= version 0.10.

This programmer should work for any Linux kernel >= 2.6.15. It was developped and tested with Ubuntu 6.06 and 6.10. The latest version was developed with Debian 13 stable (Trixie).

The file default.hex contains the PIC12F675 default demo program shipped with the PICkit1. It flashes the 8 LEDs in sequence. A button press changes the direction of the flashing. The speed of flashing is controlled by the potentiometer.

You can find some examples for the PIC 12F675 and 16F684 in the example directory:

• blink: Alternately flashes LEDs D0 and D1.
• blink8: Alternately flashes the eight LEDs D0 to D7.
• switch: Switches between LEDs D0 and D1 when SW1 is pressed.
• switch8: Switches between LEDs D0 to D7 when SW1 is pressed.
• timer8: Let the eight LEDs D0 to D7 flash alternately using an internal timer.