Waiting for the usable open source usb stack I'm still using Microchip's usb stack and often I use also Microchip's hid boot loader. The major problem I have with the boot loader is that I don't have windows (I run single instance of xp inside virtualbox and that is the only win available for miles).. Today I needed it again and I decided to try to rewrite the windows client app to work on Linux. I tried for 20 min to compile the darn thing directly but I gave up and decided to rewrite it as cli... few hours later I got it working ...
It is not fancy, just a cli that takes filename as input but .. works great :)
more info:
http://elco.crsndoo.com/wordpress/2011/ ... rom-linux/ (http://elco.crsndoo.com/wordpress/2011/03/microchip-hid-bootloader-from-linux/)
source (and Fedora14 64bit binary): http://elco.crsndoo.com/files/hid_bootloader.tar.bz2 (http://elco.crsndoo.com/files/hid_bootloader.tar.bz2)
The app should work with any mcu using microchip's bootloader (18f, 24f, 32f ..) but I tested it only with 18F2550. I also modified original bootloader to activate if PGC+PGD is closed instead to waste B4 pin (the 18F2550 bootloader is here: http://elco.crsndoo.com/files/USB%20Dev ... 50.hex.bz2 (http://elco.crsndoo.com/files/USB%20Device%20-%20HID%20-%20HID%20Bootloader%20-%20C18%20-%20PIC18F2550.hex.bz2) )
If someone want to "beautify" the code, add "options" (like reset after program, erase only ..) it is fairly fast and easy now when this skeleton works .. I might be adding it too .. maybe even add some gui .. but for now this works for me..
Thank you,
I've been considering this bootloader, and multi-platform support makes it easier. Obviously open source bootloader would be preferred, but a working bootloader is the only thing to be done before we can ramp up production of Bus Pirate v4.
I use hid bootloader from microchip for a while and it works perfectly good. I use it both on 18F2550/4550 and on pic32mx ... now, when the open source stack is good and tested we can use it to write new boot loader .. maybe compatible, maybe not.. but attm this is the only one in source. I used also some bootloader from mikroe (comes with mikroC) but it is not open so I was unable to adapt it to my needs. Few other bootloaders I tested require usart... the microchips hid one is for now "standard" imho.. (but I have high hopes to what Honken and JTR are doing :D )
I just really needed working bootloader "controller" on linux ... I'll add some more options to it first time I get chance (reset, verify .. maybe some gui too ..) but for now, this one "works" :D