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Create a Standalone Project in MPLAB® X IDE

Last modified by Microchip on 2024/06/24 06:34
Contents

Introduction

MPLAB® X IDE (Integrated Development Environment) offers a wizard to step through the required steps to create a new project. 

Launch the new project wizard

MPLAB X IDE New Project Window

Launch the New Project Wizard using one of the above methods:

The project wizard will walk you through the process and prompt you for all the required information. Your selections may be changed after the project has been created by modifying the project's properties.

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Choose Project

MPLAB X IDE New Project Window

Choose Microchip Embedded from the Categories column (center).
Choose Standalone Project from the Projects column (right).
Click the Next > button.

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Select Device (and Tool)

Select the device

Choose the device family from the Family drop-down box.

​If you have used MPLAB X IDE previously, choosing Recently Used from the Family drop-down box will filter the Device list to the three devices you have used most recently.

Choose your device's part number from the Device drop-down box. You may also type in the part number directly, and the list will adjust to the characters you enter.

Choose your tool from the Tool drop down box. Tools that support the device should be listed in the drop-down list.

For hardware tools, you may notice that a serial number (SN) is specified below any tool that is connected to your computer. This allows you to select from several connected hardware tools.

Check Show All to see all tools supported in MPLAB X IDE. Grayed tools do not support the selected device.

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Select Header

MPLAB X IDE Select Header Window

​Note: The wizard will automatically skip this step if a header is not available for your selected device.

If you are using a debug header with your debugger, select it from the Supported Debug Header drop-down box. They are listed by the header's part number.

If you are not using a debug header (i.e., the debugger is directly connected to the target device), select None.

Select Plug-in Board

MPLAB X IDE Select Plugin Board

Note: The wizard will automatically skip this step if a plug-in board is not available for your selected device.

If you are using a plug-in board to enhance the features of your debugger (usually the Real ICE), select it from the Selected Plugin Board drop-down box. They are listed by function.

If you are not using a plug-in board (i.e. standard debugger configuration), select None.

Select Compiler

Select compiler

MPLAB X IDE will display all compilers available on your system that support your selected device. Select the compiler (including version number) you wish to use for building the project.

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Select Project Name and Folder

MPLAB X IDE Select Project Name and Folder

Choose a Project Name. This will be your project's name as well as the name of the project directory (with a ".X" appended) that MPLAB X IDE will create.
Choose a Project Location. This is where MPLAB X IDE will create the project directory.

If the Project Folder matches an existing project folder, Overwrite existing project will become active. Check to overwrite the existing project with the new project. Uncheck to display a warning and not allow project completion until a new project folder - project name and/or location - has been selected.

If Overwrite existing project is checked, Also delete sources will become active. Check to delete the previous project’s source files. Uncheck to leave the previous project’s source files.

To make the new project the main project, check Set as main project.
To open MPLAB Code Configurator on project creation, check Open MCC on Finish.
To create the project in the same folder as the project location, check Use project location as the project folder. This is useful when importing MPLAB IDE v8 projects.

If your project is a standalone application, click Finish to complete the new project creation.

If your project will require another project for application development, click Add Project to proceed to the next dialog. Use this dialog when you need to create two projects, for example:

  • Bootloader and application
  • Dual-Core devices - Main and Secondary (shown in the accompanying figure.)

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Reference Material