see also:
avr_232.html

Date:         Sun, 2 Feb 1997 20:28:49 -0700
Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Sender: pic microcontroller discussion list PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
From: Kevin Coble kxc@SRV.NET
Subject:      Beta release of MacPIC
To: Multiple recipients of list PICLIST PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU

 I am announcing the beta release of MacPIC, a Macintosh program for editing, assembling, simulating, programming, and disassembling programs for the PIC17C series of microcontrollers. Full simulation of all ports, the USART, timers, the works is included. MacPIC is shareware, a $25 fee is requested from those who find it usefull.

 The MacPIC program will drive the Warp-17 programmer from Newfound Electronics, giving it a Macintosh driver. As far as I am aware, this is the only way to program PIC's from a Mac.

 Files can be transferred from PC works, including text or hex files.

13-Jan-2004 Sorry the link below no longer works, I can't provide any more information that what is on this page.

 The code can be downloaded from ftp://ftp.srv.net/pub/users/kxc, which has four files - MacPIC_68K.sea.bin, MacPIC_68K.sea.hqx, MacPIC_PPC.sea.bin, and MacPIC_PPC.sea.hqx, which are for 68K and Power PC based Macintoshes, MacBInary II and BinHexed versions respectively.

 Support for more PIC types, more programmers, and other requested features will be forthcoming.

 Kevin Coble
kxc@srv.net

 And in a later message to me Kevin said:
High priority on version 2 of MacPIC is PIC16 support, including the warp-3.
 
 

Date:   Sun, 23 Nov 1997 16:06:16 -0600
From: Bill Landucci billl@heurikon.com
To: Don McKenzie dontronics.com
Subject: Re: Your order.

Don McKenzie wrote:
> 
> Hi Bill,
> Thanks for the order. before sending it, I just want to make sure that
> you have the software to drive it from a Mac as in it's current form,
> it's a PC DOS only device.
> 
> I haven't been informed that anyone has it running on a Mac to date.

Thanks Don for the quick response. Your concern is valid. I've based
my order on information I've gathered from the internet.

Your site led me to: http://www.dontronics.com/macpic.html

Which led me to: ftp://ftp.srv.net/pub/users/kxc

Which contained the following and several applications.

MacPIC


The MacPIC shareware program is a tool for editing, assembling,
debugging, and programming the PIC microcontroller.  All functions are
contained in one program for an integrated development environment.  The
following is a short list of major features.

Editor: 
WASTE based editor.  Import and export text and hex files from/to other
editors or PIC programming tools.  Unlimited program size.  Drag-and
drop editing.  Full clipboard functionality.  Word jump cursor keys.

Assembler:
Multi-pass assembler with labels, symbols, include files, and define
macros.  Error list tied to list window and editor for easy corrections.

Disassembler:
Recreate source from hex files or device programmer reads.

Simulator:
Unlimited breakpoints.  Register value watchpoints.  High simulation
rate (~200kHZ chip simulated in real-time on 100MHz PPC).  Port pin
control while simulation running.  Serial Port (USART) data display. 
Serial port data reception from data file.  Stack View window. 
Run/Step/Break control window.  Full register set, stack, and EEPROM
data viewing during program breaks.  Ability to change register values
during simulation.

Programmer:
Drives serial port programmer for blank check, write, configuration word
write, data EEPROM write, ID location write, device read, and device
verify operations.


********
********
Here is the most important part

Programmers supported:

     Warp-17 by Newfound Electronics
     Warp-3 by Newfound Electronics
        Deck Programmer by Francis Deck


Elsewere I found instructions for making a Warp-3 to Macintosh serial
port cable. So I'm led to believe that everything exists. At least I 
am hopefull.

-- 
Bill Landucci
billl@heurikon.com
===================================

Subject:  Re: Dontronics Mac-PIC.
        Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 17:25:14 -0600
       From:  Bill Landucci bill.landucci@heurikon.com
 Organization:Artesyn
         To:  Don McKenzie dontronics.com
  References: 1

It all worked!

Don McKenzie wrote:
> 
> Anything new on this Bill?
> 
> Just wondering if it all worked.
> Cheers Don...
> 
> http://www.dontronics.com/macpic.html

Subject: Re: Warp-3 PIC Programmer
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 23:53:30 -0500
From: hgczyc@reach.net (Heinz Czychun)
To: kxc@srv.net
CC: Jim Robertson 
     Don McKenzie 

Hi Kevin,
        Our emails crossed, your copied on latest one to Don, and I've
taken the liberty of copying him, and Jim. I see what your doing, biasing
the Rx+ to 2.5V rather than gnd, should garantee reception of the logic
level. This is much better than just reversing the leads, which seems to
work but maybe marginal.

At 8:12 PM 7/22/98, Kevin Coble wrote:
>
>The Warp-3 can have either firmware, with the following caveats.
>
>The Warp with PP1 - TM4 firmware will run with a standard Mac modem cable.
>
>The Warp with standard TM4 firmware requires a special cable.  The Warp
uses a
>5V to 0V swing for the serial communication (direct ties to the PIC I/O
>lines).  This may not activate the Mac voltage crossing hardware.  To do
this,
>tap 5V from the Warp (run it through an unused DB9 pin), use two 10K
resistors
>as a voltage divider between the 5V and ground, and tie that to the RX+
line
>on the Mac.  Connect the Warp TX to the Mac RX- line, the Warp RX to the
Mac
>TX- line, and connect grounds of course.
>
>Several people are reporting success with either method.

It's always good to hear that other's have preceded with success.

Thanks,
Heinz

>I'm going to put a MAX-232 in between the computer and programmer, and see
>how that goes.  I'll make a webpage to show what to do when I get it
>working.
>
>Ben Hitchcock
>
>>From: Jim Robertson <newfound@PIPELINE.COM.AU>
>>At 17:50 8/10/99 +0000, you wrote:
>>
>>Ben,
>>
>>As I told you over the phone this MACPIC is not something I can help with
>>as it
>>is not my baby. However I can tell you that you certainly need to use the
>>resistor mod on the cable as the MAC serial port is not RS232 but RS
>>something,

        As a long-time Mac user, I always get a little upset when I see
technically oriented people that do not even make an attempt to understand
what is 'under the hood' of something...
        The Mac uses a special version of RS232 known as RS422. This is
almost identical to RS232 except that it uses a dual output (differential)
system for increased noise immunity. There are two outputs the non-inverted
or '+' one, and the inverting or '-' one. In the same manner, there are two
inputs, the inverting and the non-inverting one.
        Standard RS232 inverts the outputs/inputs (check your MAX232 data
sheet), so in order to use the Mac output, only connect to the inverting
(pin 3) output, and leave the non-inverting output open/unused. Similarily,
for the Mac input you must use the inverting Rx pin (5), but since it's a
differential input, the other side of the differential pair must have a
reference connected to it (connect it to ground).
        To summarize, this is a typical cable that I have in use:

Mac (DIN 8)             RS232 (25 Pin DIN)
1       (HSKo)          4       (RTS)
2       (HSKi)          5       (CTS)
3       (TXD-)          2       (Tx)
4       (Gnd)           7       (Gnd)
5       (RXD-)          3       (Rx)
6       (TXD+)  n.c.
7       (GPi)           8       (DCD)
8       (RXD+) short to Mac pin 4
                        short 6 (DSR) to 20 (DTR)

        Strictly speaking, the RS422 voltage levels should be more in line
with typical RS485 signals (differential on top of a positive common mode
voltage), but the Mac doesn't seem to adhere to this convention. Most
models seem to use asymmetrical signals about 0v, like RS232. Maybe this is
the cause for misunderstandings.
        At any rate, if you ignore the standards, actual voltages, etc, and
use my simplistic approach to construct the cable I described above, you
may be pleasantly surprised.

        Jim Nagy
        Elm Electronics
  ICs for Experimenters
http://www.elmelectronics.com/