MPLAB® IPE Memory Settings

Last modified by Microchip on 2023/11/09 09:09

Memory Settings

To view and change the Memory Settings in MPLAB® Integrated Programming Environment (IPE), you must first log in to the Advanced Mode. From the Advanced Mode dialog, click on Memory on the left to display the available settings.

You can control the memory address and other parameters related to a programming operation. Some of the options in this window are also available on the main screen, for viewing and to provide easy access to these settings.

IPE window Options Memory tab

You'll notice that the Allow Tool to select memories and ranges box is checked by default, meaning the programmer tool sets the memory types and ranges. In addition, the Program Memory, Configuration Memory, and Program Memory Range fields are disabled.

IPE Memory Settings pane

If you uncheck the Allow select memories and ranges option, the Program Memory, Configuration Memory, and Program Memory Range fields become available.

IPE Memory Settings pane

The Settings Table describes each Memory Setting in detail.

Settings Table

SettingDescription
Program Memory Range:Define the addresses to be used for range programming of the program memory
Start AddressThe starting address in Hex of the program space that will be programmed
End AddressThe ending address in Hex of the program space that will be programmed
Preserve Program Memory RangeWhen the check box is selected, the program memory range specified in the following Program Memory (Start and End Address) fields will not be programmed with any new data
Preserved Memory Range:Define the range of program memory addresses to be preserved. The Preserve Program memory Range check box must be selected to activate these fields
Preserve Start AddressThe starting address in Hex of the program space that will be preserved
Preserve End AddressThe ending address in Hex of the program space that will be preserved
Reset AddressesReturns addresses to default settings
Allow Tool to select memories and rangesWhen the check box is selected, the programmer tool sets the memory types and ranges. If selected, the Program Memory fields are disabled
Manual select: 
Program MemoryAllows the tool to program program memory
Auxiliary MemoryAllows the tool to program auxiliary memory
Configuration MemoryAllows the tool to program configuration memory
Boot FlashAllows the tool to program Boot Flash
User IDsAllows the tool to program User IDs
EEPROMAllows the tool to program Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)
Flash DataAllows the tool to program Flash data

If you wish to use any of the Preserve Memory options, first ensure that your code is not code-protected. For memory to be preserved, the programmer reads the section it needs to save, performs a bulk erase of the device, reprograms the device, and then rewrites the area that is preserved with what was saved. Therefore, this area cannot be code protected.