Microchip C-Bot, easyC Pro or MPLAB IDE?

[windell747]

Hi, my team is currently searching for where to download the C compiler to program our FRC comtroller. We have easyCPro that came with the kit, but the tutorials on

http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=482

speak of a different compiler called Microchip C-Bot and the tutorial found at

http://www.ifirobotics.com/docs/legacy/2004-programming-reference-guide-12-apr-2004.pdf

speaks of another compiler called MPLAB IDE.


We decided to follow the tutorials, but we can't find where to dl Microchip C-Bot. My question is which one is the correct one to use for 2008? Also, are there any tutorials that would go with this compiler. We would prefer to work with line-based code.

Thanks very much!
Windell

[Mark McLeod]

The CBot compact disk came in the Kit-of-Parts wrapped in with the white clipboard.
It has the manuals, MPLAB IDE, and mcc18 compiler.

[robotrobot2]

You might also want to look at C-free 4, which is a good code developing environment and has a good compiler.

[Kingofl337]

easyC Pro has the compiler bilt in.

[windell747]

Thank you very much! Found it. For the sake of curiosity what is the the difference between MPLAB IDE and easyC if they both have text-based compilers?

thanks,
windell

[Mark McLeod]

MPLAB is a text-only editor.

EasyC is a graphical editor with text editing capabilities.

Both tools handle compilation for you using the same mcc18 compiler and associated tools.

EasyC has it's own built-in robot download tool.

The separate IFI_Loader application must be used to download the robot-ready output produced by MPLAB.

[windell747]

Thank you very much Mark for clearing things up! I understand now.