Operating MPLAB in Puppy Linux

If you program microcontrollers and like MPLAB, here are the procedures for setting up MPLAB to work in Puppy Linux. I realize that there are Linux applications for programming microcontrollers, but there were too many dependencies for me to get around. I was able to get MPLAB to work in Puppy Linux with WINE.

Prerequisites

You must have WINE installed. I use the Slackware version of version 1.1.16.

Installing MPLAB in WINE

  1. Download MPLAB.
  2. Move the MPLAB *.exe installation file to somewhere under /root/.wine/drive_c.
  3. Desktop->Console
  4. Enter the command "cd /root/.wine/drive_c".
  5. Enter the command "wine explorer".
  6. Click on the MPLAB *.exe installation file, and proceed with the installation as if you were in Windows.
  7. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you get an error message telling you that there isn't enough room to install MPLAB, this means your pup_save file is too small. Go to Menu->Utility->Resize personal storage file to expand your pup_save file.

Getting MPLAB to recognize your PICSTART Plus programmer without a real serial port

My laptop computer lacks serial ports, so I use a USB-serial adapter to connect my PICSTART Plus programmer. MPLAB expects a serial port. You need to get MPLAB in WINE to treat the USB port as a serial port. Here's how:
  1. If you haven't already done so, turn on the PICSTART Plus programmer and connect it to the computer.
  2. Desktop -> Console
  3. Enter the command "dmesg|grep tty". This shows you which USB port (ttyUSB0, ttyUSB1, ttyUSB2, etc.) contains the connection to the PICSTART Plus programmer.
  4. Enter the command "cd /root/.wine/dosdevices". This takes you to the DOS Devices directory.
  5. Enter the command "ln -s /dev/ttyUSBx com1", where x is the appropriate USB port. This creates a symbolic link (the Linux version of a Windows shortcut) from the virtual COM 1 port to the appropriate USB port. Now MPLAB can recognize the COM 1 port as a USB port and can thus recognize the PICSTART Plus.