chipKIT Import Plugin for MPLAB X IDE

This plugin contains an import wizard that can be launched from File->Import->Import chipKIT Project. The wizard will allow you to select a sketch file (*.ino) that was created in Arduino IDE using chipKIT-core in the Arduino Boards Manager. Next, it will convert the sketch into an MPLAB X Makefile project. With this project you will be able to build and debug the chipKIT sketch in MPLAB X.

A complete set of Help documentation is included. Note that the wizard can import a project in two different ways:

1. Copying all source code and libraries, in order to create a stand-alone MPLAB X project which is logically separate from the original (default mode) or
2. Retaining links to external source code and libraries that exist in the chipKIT/Arduino environment,

The chipKIT Import Plugin requires the following software to be installed:

• MPLAB X v5.10 or later
• MPLAB XC32 C/C++ compiler v2.1 or later
• Arduino IDE v1.8.5 or later
• chipKIT-core v2.0 or later

Building From Source

The Plugin is a NetBeans Module project so the easiest way to compile it is to clone (or download) the project and open it in Netbeans IDE (at least version 8.0). You will need to specify the MPLAB X IDE as the target platform as the project depends on many plugins from this platform. In order to do that:

• Go to Tools -> Netbeans Platforms in main application menu;
• Click the Add Platform button at the bottom of the popup window;
• Navigate to the directory called mplab_ide in the MPLAB X IDE install directory.

After adding the platform to your development environment, the last thing to do is to specify that the chipKIT Import Plugin should use the MPLAB X IDE platform instead of the default one so:

• Right-click on the project to open the context menu;
• Go to Properties (last item on the menu);
• In the Categories section select Libraries (second from the top);
• From the NetBeans Platform drop down menu select the MPLAB X IDE platform that you have added earlier.

At this point, you should be able to build the Plugin just like any other project in NetBeans (Select Run -> Build Project in the main menu or click the button with a hammer icon in the toolbar).

Changelog:

Version 1.2.4

• Fixed a bug overwriting existing projects

Version 1.2.3

• Fixed a bug with toolchain selection

Version 1.2.2

• Changed the minimum required XC32 version to 2.1
• Changed the minimum required Arduino version to 1.8.5
• Fixed some minor bugs

Version 1.2.1

• Added a board configuration page to the import wizard
• Improved board parsing logic

Version 1.1.4

• Major overhaul of the Arduino board files parser
• Adapted to MPLAB X IDE 5.x

Version 1.0.6

• Fixed issue #26: "chipkit plugin java exception"
• Fixed issue #27: "The resolution of additional dependencies in imported projects takes too long"
• Added support for MikroElektronika Flip&Click board

Version 1.0.5

• Fixed issue #24: "Need to default to -O2"
• Fixed issue #19: "Created project uses absolute paths instead of relative ones"

Version 1.0.4

• Fixed issue #23: "Wizard looks for .ino files when selecting Arduino IDE"
• Fixed (again) issue #15: "Importer doesn't use correct bootloader image for Fubarino Mini"

Version 1.0.3

• Temporarily added JNA and JNA Platform jars to the plugin module
• Fixed an bug related to slash directions in relative paths on Windows

Version 1.0.2

• Same as 1.0.1 - created to align versioning with MPLAB X IDE plugin repository

Version 1.0.1

• Fixed issue #15: "Importer doesn't use correct bootloader image for Fubarino Mini"
• Fixed issue #18: "Update support for chipKIT Cmod"
• Fixed issue #19: "Created project uses absolute paths instead of relative ones"

Version 1.0.0

• First release! (no changes from 0.9.14)

Version 0.9.14

• Added user help files

Version 0.9.13

• Added special import logic for Lenny, DP32, Pi, and Fubarino Mini that uses custom .ld scripts and creates special "debug" configurations
• Added some instructions for the user that appear on the last page of the wizard
• Removed support for "clicker2", "cui32", "CUI32stem" and "usbono_pic32" boards

Version 0.9.12

• Added logic that saves all open files prior to rebuilding the Core library
• Fixed a typo in BootloaderPathProvider that caused a NullPointerException for Clicker 2 Board
• Fixed issue #11

Version 0.9.11

• Set minimum XC32 compiler version to 1.43

Version 0.9.10

• Added plugin description
• Added tooltips to the fields on wizard's first page

Version 0.9.9

• Moved the Program/Download toolbar controls further right
• Redirected output from Arduino Builder to a preprocess.log file
• Removed the JNA and JNA Platform jars from the plugin and added dependencies on the JNA module from MPLAB X IDE v.3.55

Version 0.9.8

• Modified the source project file chooser to show .ino files. The current implementation allows the user to select either a project directory or an .ino file
• Fixed an error with the no-copy import that caused the preprocessing operation to be called in a wrong location

Version 0.9.7

• Included the ".x" estension into the source file name pattern
• Added monitoring of used serial ports to detect when they become unavailable

Version 0.9.6

• Added logic that turns on DTR on a serial port in the Serial Monitor