Selecting the MPLAB® X IDE Debug Tool

It is possible to attach several programmer/debuggers and debug-equipped development boards to the development platform running MPLAB^® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Before you begin a debug session, you must designate one of the attached hardware tools, or the software simulator, as the debug tool. The debug tool designation is made in the Project Properties window.

Open the Project Properties Window

There are three ways to open the Project Properties window.

From the File Menu

From the main menu, select File > Project Properties (ProjectName) where ProjectName is the name of the project whose properties you want to view.

From the Project Window

Right-click on the top node of the project, then select Properties from the bottom of the very long menu.

From the Dashboard Window

From the Dashboard window of an open project, select the wrench icon.

Selecting the Tool to Use

In the Connect Hardware Tool section of the Project Properties window, select one of the available hardware tools as the programmer/debugger. You are allowed to select from several Microchip-supplied hardware tools. While it is not a hardware tool, the MPLAB X's software simulator is listed to be used as a debugger.

MPLAB X will search the system for available development tools. If a programmer/debugger is found, the Hardware Toolbox will populate with the serial number of the attached device.