For low pin-count devices (8 to 28 pins), ), a Processor Extension Pak or Header is usually required. See the Processor Extension Pak and Header Specification (DS51292) or Header help file (hlpHeader.chm) for a list of available headers by device.

For high pin-count devices (40 to 100 pins), a Processor Extension Pak or Header may be available, but is not required. See the Processor Extension Pak and Header Specification (DS51292) or Header help file (hlpHeader.chm) for a list of available headers by device.

2 Operating System Support

This tool has been tested using the following operating systems:

32-Bit: Windows^® 2000* SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista™ and Windows 7 OSs

64-Bit: Windows XP 64, Windows Vista 64, Windows 7 64 OSs

NOTE: Windows NT^® and Windows 98/ME OSs are NOT supported.

* Some communication bandwidth issues may occur if this operating system is used. Resolution of these issues is in progress. If the bandwidth issue happens the operating system shows a dialog specifying that the USB HID controller does not have enough bandwidth. If this dialog does appear, the communications with PICkit 3 will not work until the PC is restarted.

3 Reference Documents

The following documents may be found on our website or MPLAB IDE CD-ROM:

· PICkit 3 Programmer/Debugger User's Guide (DS51795)

· Header Board Specification (DS51292)

· Transition Socket Specification (DS51194)

On-line help (Help>Topics) is also available for this tool:

· Debuggers>PICkit 3

The default location of the Help file is:

· C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\PICkit3\hlpPICkit3.chm

4 What's New in v8.91

None.

5 Repairs and Enhancements Made in v8.91

PK3-322	Checking Preserve program memory option results in programming failure MPLAB 8.90 for PICKIT3 and ICD3.
PK3-314	MPLAB IDE debug mode reset fails around Vdd minimum voltages.	PIC16F1939 (affects entire Enhanced Midrange firmware)
PK3-305	MPLAB IDE fails to verify when programmed in 'Programmer To Go' mode	PIC32MX1xx/2xx family

6 Known Problems

The following is a list of known problems. For information on common problems, error messages and limitations, please see Troubleshooting in the online help file for the PICkit 3 (hlpPICkit3.chm). Bolded prefix represents internal tracking numbers.

6.1 General Issues

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

6.2 PICkit 3 Standalone Programmer

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

6.3 PIC12F/16F Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

· Low-voltage programming mode is not currently supported on PIC16F1xxx devices.

On PIC16F88X devices it is necessary to pull the RB3/PGM pin low for ICSP programming. This is due to a silicon issue.

If you cannot enter debug mode with one of the devices listed below, set the PWRTE (Power-Up Timer Enable bit) to DISABLED.

PIC16F1937 / PIC16LF1937

PIC16F1936 / PIC16LF1936

PIC16F1934 / PIC16LF1934

For the following Processor Extension Pak products:

AC244026 – PIC16F727-ICE Processor Extension Pak

AC244027 – PIC16LF727-ICE Processor Extension Pak

Physically isolate the Processor Extension Pak’s target /MCLR signal from any connection(s) to the board being debugged. (For example, if a simple pull-up resistor reset circuit is connected between /MCLR and Vdd, completely isolate it by removing the pull-up resistor.)

6.4 PIC18F Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

Watch window – It will take 1 cycle for the watch window to update properly for PORTx registers. Use an instruction that reads the port such as ‘MOVFF PORTx, PORTx_copy’ before the breakpoint is reached. This affects the following devices:

PIC18F4620	PIC18F84J90	PIC18F65J11
PIC18F63J90	PIC18F84J95	PIC18F83J11
PIC18F64J90	PIC18F85J90	PIC18F84J11
PIC18F64J95	PIC18F63J11	PIC18F84J16
PIC18F65J95	PIC18F64J11	PIC18F85J11
PIC18F83J90	PIC18F64J16	PIC18F8722

For the PIC18F14K22 family, MPLAB IDE debug/programming tools will not work below 1.9v. The work-around is to run the device above 1.9v.

PIC18F2520 MCUs: Table Read Protect (EBTRx) will not work unless Code Protect (CPx) is enabled. Also, once Table Read Protect is enabled, you cannot perform a Verify on the protected block.

For PIC18F8720, MEMCON cannot be read if in a microcontroller mode. This is a silicon issue.

PIC18F45K20/46K20 MCU family: There is a silicon issue that prevents some device revisions from being programmed with “power from programmer”. The workaround is to use “power from target” OR increase the capacitance across VDD, VSS (for example to 47uF.)

6.5 PIC24F/H Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

6.6 PIC32 Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

6.7 dsPIC30F Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

PICkit 3 does not support preserve EEPROM memory during programming.

6.8 dsPIC33F Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

6.9 dsPIC33EP/PIC24EP Devices

See Section 6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests).

Stopwatches don’t work on PICkit 3.
The breakpoint dialog doesn’t accept Auxiliary memory addresses. The only way to set breakpoints in Auxiliary memory is via double clicking.
If there is a Software breakpoint on a function that is in Auxiliary memory, single stepping over that breakpoint will not work properly.
Verifying Auxiliary memory sometimes will proceed even when verifying Program Memory has failed.
When programming in Debugger mode, a message may come up that protection bits need to be turned off even though they show as being turned off in the Configuration Bits window.

6.10 SSRs (System Service Requests)

Key

Summary

Device

PK3-320

Cannot program devices supported by AC162070 debug header using PICkit3

MCV08A, PIC10F220, PIC10F222, PIC12F510, PIC16F506

PK3-319

PICkit3 fails to debug a 18F46K20 device when using HI-TECH C PRO for PIC18 v9.80. PICkit 3 fails to program the Debug executive. The workaround is to use XC8 or the C18 compiler.

18F46K20

PK3-317

Enable the low voltage programming settings for the devices that support this feature.

PIC18F23K22 and family

PK3-316

PK3CMD.exe operation without PICKIT3 connected locks up PK3CMD.exe

PK3-310

PICkit3 cannot program 18F97J94 device if a 64 MHz oscillator is connected. As the frequency is reduced the occurrence is less frequent.

PIC18F97J94 device family

PK3-303

The last Program memory location is ignored for a verify cycle if "Allow PicKit3 to select memories" option is selected under programmer settings.
Workaround: Go to programmer settings, and manually select memories and ranges. Check the appropriate memories to verify and ensure to click full range for program memory.

12F1822

PK3-291

MPLAB reports errors sending image to the PICkit 3 in the 'Programmer To Go' (PTG) mode for the PIC24EP256GU814 device if the user selects "automatically select memories and ranges"

PIC24EP256GU814

PK3-289

Failed to get PC' error - For the PIC18LF13K22 device, PICkit 3 debugging fails at 64 MHz (16 MHz with 4X PLL enabled).

PIC18LF13K22

PK3-245

[MPLAB IDE 8] If you select the PICkit 3 as a programmer in MPLAB IDE but the PICkit 3 is not physically connected, selecting 'Reconnect' will give you the incorrect message that PICkit 3 was detected and failure to connect is reported.

Any

PK3-116

For the PIC24FJXXGA00X family of devices, the unimplemented upper bits in the configuration word are programmed to a "0" instead of "1".

PIC24FJ64GA004 and most likely the whole family

ICD2-81

For PIC24F devices during a programming/verify operation (or subsequent verification operation) of user code that performs self-writes and/or self-erases to program space, a verify sequence may fail if the code execution occurs within the first execution cycles following reset.

Workaround: Place a delay in your code before the code section that performs the self-write and/or self-erase. The specific delay value may need to be adjusted, but 100 ms would be a conservative value to start out with. Here is a C language example that illustrates the workaround:

int main (void)

{

// Place 100 ms delay here before any self-write/self-erase code

: : :

}

PIC24F

ICD2-109

When connecting the PIC16F818/819 to the latest MPLAB ICD 2's (r3), the device may latch resulting in ICD2Warn0020: Invalid target device id (expected=0x27, read=0x0). To work around the issue, reduce the cable length to less than 6 inches. Also, if AC162049 is being used, remove the R1 pull-up resistor. Some devices require that a .1uF bypass capacitor be placed from the VDD pin to the VSS pin of the device to successfully program the device. If programming failures still arise, try increasing this value incrementally to a maximum of 10uF.

PIC16

TBAA0-199

When reading a device with a programmer, code or write protection applied to either the General or Auxiliary Segment is being applied to both; therefore all flash memory will read back as zero. Only devices with no code or write protection applied can be successfully read using a programmer. This limitation applies to revision B1 (0x4002) of the following devices:

PIC24EP512GU814

PIC24EP512GU810

PIC24EP256GU814

PIC24EP256GU810

dsPIC33EP512MU814

dsPIC33EP512MU810

dsPIC33EP256MU814

dsPIC33EP256MU810

dsPIC33EP256MU806

PIC24EP512GP806

dsPIC33EP512GP806

dsPIC33EP512MC806

PIC24EP/ dsPIC33EP

SPI001-113

SPI misses SDI input when single-stepping with freeze in debug enabled.

General

RI-412

PIC24FJ256DA210 Family: Data Memory not functional unless 96 MHz PLL is enabled. This is a silicon issue that is being worked on.

PIC24F

RI-400

If you are not able to enter debug mode when power-up timer is enabled for the following devices, please disable power-up timer during the debugging session. (If the final application firmware requires power-up timer enabled, please enable it after the debugging session is complete and program the part with the final application firmware.)

PIC18F4620/4610/2620/2610

PIC18F4680/2680/4681/2681

PIC18F4520/4420/2520/2420

PIC18F4550/2550/4455/2455

PIC18F8490/8410/6490/6410/8390/8310/6390/6310

PIC18F8722/8627/8622/8527/6722/6627/6622/6527

PIC18F2525/4525

PIC18F87K90/PIC18F86K90/PIC18F85K90/PIC18F67K90/PIC18F66K90/PIC18F65K90

PIC18F87K22/PIC18F86K22/PIC18F85K22/PIC18F67K22/PIC18F66K22/PIC18F65K22

PIC18

29399

PIC24F devices can start to run after programming but before verification. This can result in a verification failure if the code performs self-write to either program memory or Data EE.

PIC24F

26344

Below 4.5 V, PICkit will not overprogram User ID's on these devices:

PIC12F635	PIC16F684	PIC16F689	PIC16F914
PIC12F683	PIC16F685	PIC16F690	PIC16F916
PIC16F636	PIC16F687	PIC16F785	PIC16F917
PIC16F639	PIC16F688	PIC16F913	PIC16F946

PIC12/16

UART002-175

Don't read the FIFO when single stepping in debug mode. The FIFO should get set back to the user mode pointer when exiting debug, but instead it just keeps incrementing on its own. Work-around: Always reads the full FIFO.

dsPIC33EP512MC20x, dsPIC33EP512MC50x, dsPIC33EP512GP50x

6.11 Processor Extension Paks

For the following Processor Extension Pak products:

AC244026 PIC16F727-ICE Processor Extension Pak

AC244027 PIC16LF727-ICE Processor Extension Pak

Full debugging support is not available for the PICkit 3 at this time when using the above Processor Extension Paks. Full PICkit 3 support is planned for a future MPLAB release.

Workaround: use either the MPLAB ICD 3 or MPLAB REAL ICE tool if debugging support is needed for these products.

6.12 Engineering Technical Notes (ETNs)

The following ETNs are related to the PICkit 3 in-circuit debugger. Please see the product webpage for details.

ETN-32: Applies to Assembly #10-00424-R4 or below.

7 Important Notes

7.1 16-Bit Devices

1. RB0 and RB1 pins:
If the PICkit 3 is selected as a debugger, it initializes all the A/D input pins - AN0 (RB0) through AN15 (RB15) pins - as "digital" pins, by setting all 16 bits in the ADPCFG register.

If you have selected a pair of "debug pins" (EMUD/EMUC, EMUD1/EMUC1, EMUD2/EMUC2 or EMUD3/EMUC3) that are multiplexed with A/D input pin functions on the particular dsPIC30f device being used, then you must never clear the bits in the ADPCFG register that correspond to those A/D pins.

For example, if EMUD3 and EMUC3 are used as the debug pins on a dsPIC30F2010 device, then bits 0 and 1 of the ADPCFG register must remain set at all times. Similarly, if EMUD and EMUC are used as the debug pins on a dsPIC30F5011 device, then bits 6 and 7 of the ADPCFG register must remain set at all times. In such cases, you must also take proper precaution to isolate the application circuitry from the corresponding A/D pins during debugging.

If your application needs to use certain A/D pins as analog input pins, then your code must clear the corresponding bits in the ADPCFG register during A/D module initialization.

For example, if AN4 and AN5 are required as analog input pins, then bits 4 and 5 of the ADPCFG register must be cleared.

2. SLEEP, IDLE, WDT, Clock Switching:
For dsPIC devices, debug operations can be executed on programs which use SLEEP or IDLE mode, Watchdog Timer, and/or Clock Switching.

3. Debug during SLEEP or IDLE Mode:
When the device is in SLEEP and IDLE mode and a Halt command is issued, the PICkit 3 debugger will wake up the device and halt execution on the instruction immediately following the PWRSAV instruction.

4. Interrupts:

In general, single-stepping an instruction will not generate an interrupt or trap, because the corresponding interrupt/trap status flag bit would not get set. Essentially, the interrupt or trap condition would be ignored.
However, if the user has explicitly set an interrupt/trap flag bit, either in the user program or by modifying the status flag values in the MPLAB Watch, SFR or File Registers window, then the interrupt/trap would get generated, and the user would be able to single-step into the Interrupt or Trap Service Routine.

5. Break Point Behavior:
If a break point is set on an instruction that follows a taken branch, the Breakpoint will be triggered even though the branch went elsewhere.

6. Break Point Behavior and Skidding:
It is possible that a breakpoint halt will exhibit program memory skidding in that the execution stops N instructions after reaching the breakpoint. The following definitions are provided and referred to:

· One skid - A breakpoint occurs AFTER the instructions is executed (PC+2)

· Two skid - A break point occurs AFTER the NEXT instruction (PC+4)

Break Point Behavior:

· If a Non-Program-Flow, modifying, Single-Word, Two-Cycle instruction (such as Table or PSV) precedes a break point instruction, then the breakpoint occurs BEFORE the instruction at the breakpoint address is executed (ONE SKID).

· All other instructions have a "TWO SKID", which means the break occurs AFTER the NEXT instruction is executed.

7. The CAN module, unlike the other peripherals, does not get frozen in the following situations:

· during a Halt

· during a stop on a Breakpoint

· after a Single-Step

For example, if you set a Breakpoint and run to it, the CAN module continues to run in the background, and it may seem that data transmissions and receptions have completed immediately.

8. DISICNT register:
In five dsPIC30F devices (dsPIC30F6010, dsPIC30F6011, dsPIC30F6012, dsPIC30F6013 and dsPIC30F6014), since the DISICNT register continues to decrement even when the device is halted by the debugger, the DISICNT value will always be seen as 0x0000 in the Watch, SFR and File Registers windows. To monitor the DISICNT value, add code to copy the DISICNT register contents to a W register or memory location and monitor the value of the corresponding W register or memory location in the Watch, SFR or File Registers window.

9. ADCMD bit in PMD1 register:
The user application must not set the ADCMD bit (bit 0 of PMD1 register). This would lead to incorrect ICE operation.

10. SPLIM register:
When using the PICkit 3 as a Debugger, your software must initialize the Stack Pointer Limit register (SPLIM) before using the stack (device errata).

11. Single-stepping a DO loop:
In five dsPIC30F devices (dsPIC30F6010, dsPIC30F6011, dsPIC30F6012, dsPIC30F6013 and dsPIC30F6014), single-stepping through a DO loop in dsPIC30F assembly code results in the loop getting executed one less time than expected.

12. Pass Counter feature in Advanced Breakpoints:
For a specified Pass count of 'N', the code will break after 'N+1' occurrences of the breakpoint instead of 'N' occurrences.

13. If you need to use the Fail-Safe Clock Monitor feature on a dsPIC device when using the PICkit 3 for debugging your application, a Watchdog Timer Device Reset will occur, even if the Watchdog Timer has not been explicitly enabled in the application. To work around this issue, use the "CLRWDT" instruction in the main loop of your application code. This will ensure that the Watchdog Timer gets cleared before it causes the device to reset.

8 Reserved Resources

Due to the built-in in-circuit debugging capability of ICE devices, and the ICSP function offered by the debugger, the PICkit 3 programmer/debugger uses on-chip resources when debugging, i.e., some device resources are reserved for use by the debugger.

Refer to the on-line help for the most up-to-date list of resources used by the debugger.

9 Number of Hardware Breakpoints per Device

To see the number of breakpoints supported for your device and the number of breakpoints used in your project, use the Dashboard window (Window>Dashboard).

Breakpoint support per device is as follows:

*Devices*	*Number of Breakpoints*
PIC12F/16F	1
PIC16F1xxx enhanced	3
PIC18F	1
PIC18F enhanced	3
PIC18FxxJ	3 or 5 (Note 1)
dsPIC30F	2
dsPIC33F/PIC24H/F	4
dsPIC33EP/PIC24EP	2
PIC32MX	6

Note 1: There is a limitation for these devices that only 1 data capture is available.