Software upgraded with more efficient code and enhanced graphics development tools

Microchip’s MPLAB Harmony 2.0, the fully featured firmware development framework for PIC32 microcontrollers, is now available as a free download. The significant update to the award-winning software platform enables customers to create smaller and more efficient code for faster and more cost-effective devices. In addition to better quality code, the update has added numerous new tools that work within the MPLAB X IDE. This free software framework and tool suite is for the company’s MPLAB X IDE and works with MPLAB XC32 compilers. The framework operates with PIC32 solutions and offers libraries of peripherals, drivers and system services to support application development. The software also contains board support packages for PIC32 development boards. One of the many upgrades in Harmony 2.0 is a new and enhanced toolset to support the easy creation of GUIs including a new Graphics Composer Suite. The enhanced suite adds tools for graphic asset utilisation management, image transformation including format conversion, compression and editing, a revised WYSIWYG engine for more accurate design-to-production GUI representation and a new Display Manager for easy adoption of non-standard displays. The software also adds to the existing peripheral code library and upgrades the offering to comply with MISRA-C: 2012 Mandatory Standards. Updates to the software framework also include additional tools and support such as a BSP Manager, stand-alone project exporting and an updated pin manager. All these updates are designed to drive shorter design times, lower total cost of development and increase profits.