Combining Project Hex Files in the MPLAB® X IDE

Last modified by Microchip on 2023/11/09 09:12

For the current project, open its project properties (File > Project Properties) and click on Loading

Step-by-Step

Add Loadable File

Click Add Loadable File to open the "Add Loadable File" dialog. Browse to a hex file and select it.

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Select Storage Option

Under “Store path as” select how to store information about the path to the loadable file. Choose from:

  • Auto – allow MPLAB® IDE to determine whether the loadable file path should be relative or absolute based upon its location. If the main project directory contains the loadable file, the reference is a relative path. Otherwise, the reference is an absolute path.
  • Relative – reference the loadable file with a relative (to the main project) path. This is the preferred way to add paths.
  • Absolute – reference the loadable file with an absolute path. There are cases when this mode is useful, but these paths often require correction when a project is moved from one system to another.

Close Add Loadable File

Click Add to close the "Add Loadable File" dialog and add one hex file to the current project.


Specify Loadable File Order

If you have added more than one file, the order shown here will determine the order in which the hex files will be added to the current project’s hex file. Use Up and Down to change the order.

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Apply Loadable Selections

Click Apply or OK to accept the changes.

The next time you build the current project, the hex files listed here will be combined with the Projects current project’s hex file (CurrentProject.X.Production.hex) to create a single output hex file (CurrentProject.X.unified.hex) in the same folder as the current project hex file.


Load Symbols (Optional)

By default the checkbox “Load symbols when programming or building for production (slows process)” is unchecked. In this case, only the hex file is loaded.

Checking this checkbox will load the hex file and all debug symbols. See Loading Debug Symbols During Program/Build.