Another important consideration for today’s designers is the ability to re-use their code and easily migrate to the level of microcontroller performance and features that best suits the needs of each project. These have always been strengths for Microchip, and MPLAB XC continues that tradition by making it easy to move code from any of Microchip’s existing compilers. Additionally, MPLAB XC completes Microchip’s tool-chain of compatible compilers and debugger/programmers that operate seamlessly within the universal, cross-platform and open-source MPLAB® X integrated development environment, to reduce both learning curves and tool investments. MPLAB XC compilers are also compatible with the legacy MPLAB IDE.
Many designers need a free C compiler: the 8-, 16- and 32-bit Free editions of Microchip’s MPLAB XC compilers offer many optimisations, are fully functional and have no license restrictions for commercial use. For those who want to test their code with the Pro optimisation levels, which are approximately
50% better than the Free editions, Microchip also offers 60-day evaluation editions with Pro optimisation which revert to the Free compilers after the evaluation period. Like the Free editions, the evaluation editions are fully functional and have no license restrictions for commercial use.
Microchip is now offering the ability to purchase both single-user licenses and organisations with multiple engineers can purchase a floating network license, where the compiler is hosted on that company’s Intranet for easy access by all of its designers.
The MPLAB XC8 and MPLAB XC32 compilers are available today; the MPLAB XC16 compiler is expected to be available in April; and the discounted suite of all three compilers is expected to be available in May.
