Development on OS X

[Chuck_Norris]

Ugh, OS X

Nothing against Apple users, the Macintosh OS, etc. but OS X SUCKS FOR PROGRAMMING! Linux is the best way to go for any operating system, the best compilers, etc. However, for our application, Microsoft Windows is the way to go. Obviously this isnt the first time you've heard "Why are you programming on a mac, you idiot?" but just go out and buy a PC!, its the easiest, safest way to go. through my experiance with OS X, its not that much better than Windows XP (stability wise XP is just as good), and I find vista to be the best match of all. Start saving!
-Chuck

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Chuck_Norris

Nothing against Apple users, the Macintosh OS, etc. but OS X SUCKS FOR PROGRAMMING! Linux is the best way to go for any operating system, the best compilers, etc.

It might be instructive for you to look a little deeper at Mac OS X before dismissing it so strongly. It's built on a BSD Unix foundation, and supports exactly the same compilers, tools, OS calls, etc. as Linux does.

For our purposes, the only real missing piece on a Macintosh is MicroChip's C18 compiler. It's also missing on Linux systems. No clear winner there.

[114Klutz]

I would recommend Darwine, but thats only a viable option for Intel Macs. For your purposes, I think Virtual PC running a stripped down version of Windows 2000 is the only way you can compile.

[sonicbhoc]

I think there was some way to do it in eclipse using the eclipse C compiler... at least that's what my instructor told me.

I'm running Gentoo Linux and PCLinuxOS on my computers and I can't aford - and don't want - Windows on my computer. If mcc18 will run in WINE I'll see about installing it tomorrow.

[AustinSchuh]

I currently use wine under Debian to program my team's robot. I searched around on Chief Delphi a couple years ago, and found instructions put out by John Dong on how to set it up. He provides many useful hints and scripts. He even has a linux downloader that you can use.

Good luck, and I hope you succeed.

[Astronouth7303]

Eclipse will run MCC18, with help of the CDT. If you use a makefile, stock will do. FIRSTclipse provides plugins for managed make. The error parser won't work on non-windows, though, since it doesn't do any path translation.

Running MCC18, though, is slightly more challenging. (Disclaimer: I don't own a mac, so this is gathered.)

He's the scenarios I've found from reading:

• PPC: Good luck. No native/inline emulators seem to be available.
• Mac OS X86: It's BSD Unix. Use wine (or some variant) and follow the Linux instructions
• Bootcamp: Load windows, handle everything normally.

A more pressing problem with Mac may be the lack of RS-232. OS X can handle USB-Serial adaptors, IIRC. Classic Mac might have problems, since Apple used its own spec which is not pin-compatible with RS-232.

[AustinSchuh]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

If you use a makefile, stock will do.

Where is a sample makefile for a non-managed build? I am getting errors with my current one. The robot will sometimes boot up with a red light for the program state, but will work fine after a reset. I am using Debian and Wine.

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by AustinSchuh

Where is a sample makefile for a non-managed build? I am getting errors with my current one. The robot will sometimes boot up with a red light for the program state, but will work fine after a reset. I am using Debian and Wine.

Someone wrote a makefile generator using python. Search for it.

[Ben Englert]

Yeah, I always thought it was a bit of a copout - IFI, claiming to support technical innovation and a variety of designs etc etc choosing the Microchip controller series, programmable only by a proprietary compiler that's limited to Windows, when there are alternatives like the Atmel ARM ones floating around that can be targeted by gcc on any platform.

Of course, now they get away with it, because Parallels/Boot Camp/WINE works on the x86 Macs.

[neutrino15]

I do not necessarily think that they can "get away" with anything. Unless FIRST wants to go around and supply teams with copies of Windows and a shiny new MacIntel, Parallels may not be an option for all.

On another note, I have always been a mac person (since 0s6), and have found that there are 4 approaches to this problem:

1. Buy an intel mac (seriously, thats what I did) and run WINE (or parallels)
2. Use DARWINE PPC. (It will probably be slow, however)
3. Buy a windows machine. (used, ebay, cheap)
4. Use an x86 machine at your school (and write the code on your mac)

Even though I do own a macintel, I usually just use option #4. Most of our code is based on the school machines anyway, so whatever I write at home, I just either bring in on a pen drive or upload it to an SVN repo. (or ftp server)


I hope this helps! If you have any more Mac questions... Well.... you can ask me

-Jordan

[neutrino15]

I downloaded the shtylman plugin for eclipse on my mac. It installed fine, and even allows me to create new projects with the mcc18 toolchain.. The odd thing is that no matter what code I write, it returns no errors and no hex file upon build.

make all 
Building file: ../main.c
Invoking: C18 Compiler
wine mcc18 -D_FRC_BOARD -Oi- -Om+ -On+ -Ou+ -Os+ -Ot+ -Ob+ -Od+ -Opa+ -pa=4 -Op+ -Or+ -Oa- -Ow+ -p=18F8722 -ms -w=2 -fo="main.o" "../main.c"
/bin/sh: /bin/wine: Permission denied
make: *** [main.o] Error 126

Yet when I run wine from terminal, it executes flawlessly.

Can someone point me to a linux guide for installing MCC18 under wine, and getting it to work with Eclipse? In a perfect world, another guide that could also show me how to get eclipse to load code and listen to the serial port after load!


Thanks

[Binome]

You could always set up mcc18 on a windows box, and connect via VNC and do things that way.

[neutrino15]

Originally Posted by Binome

You could always set up mcc18 on a windows box, and connect via VNC and do things that way.

Well, that kinda defeats the purpose of using a mac anyway.

[outpaddling]

You may want to look into SDCC. It has pretty good support for recent PIC controllers since v2.7, and runs on just about any platform.

I've been trying to work out how to program the VEX with it, and I think we're pretty close. Everything I know so far is posted on my WEB site:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~jwbacon/Ports/vex.html

Jason

[neutrino15]

Now, Let's try and get the cRIO loading+debugging on the mac! I am sure it won't be too hard.. Especially if we can get Workbench to run under OSX (it runs under Linux and Solaris already)..

-Jordan