Error on first install of positron

[PicNoob]

Hi, long time proton user giving positron a shot. But I'm not having much luck getting it going.

First install when I went to compile it would fail with "Microchip's MPLAB IDE must be installed on this machine before the Proton compiler can operate!". I currently have MPLAB X 6.20 (last one that works with pickit3) on the machine working fine, and proton v4 and v3.75 have no complaints. Does it need that old version before X? 8.92 I think?

So then I tried installing again with "run as administrator" and this time I get a strange message, "Windows cannot find '\None'.. Make sure you typed the name correctly, then try again"

I'm using a windows 11 machine which has its own annoyances, continually trying to block access to the windows folder, etc, so maybe related. Any ideas appreciated!

[RGV250]

Hi John,
What device are you trying to compile for. On my Win7 machine I have 8.92 and on Win10 8.76 and do not have issues. I normally use older devices, mainly 18F25K20.
Will have a go at installing on Win11 soon.

Bob

[PicNoob]

I found the issue, I had to install the old 8.92 MPLAB! 

Interestingly it's also not warning for unused declared variables. I'll do a side by side assembly comp in a bit but is it basically just a wrapper for the same proton compiler? e.g. produce the same assembly code as proton v4?

[RGV250]

Hi,
I might be wrong but I thought Positron created the ASM and it used MPLAB to create the HEX file?

Bob

[PicNoob]

Hi,
I might be wrong but I thought Positron created the ASM and it used MPLAB to create the HEX file?

Bob

Yes you are right, I am wondering what the relationship is with proton. For example are positron and proton both using the same engine to create the ASM.

[Stephen Moss]

I think years back you may have needed to have MPLAB IDE installed, but I don't think that is the case now as I don't have any version of the MPLAB IDE installed and program compile fine without it as I am sure the only MPLAB related files I have are those included with the Positron installation (I think MPasmWin is the key file required).

It may the a registry problem where an entry exits creating some link between the two, particularly if you have both an old version of Proton installed and Positron.
You could try...

• Uninstalling all version of Proton and Positron.
• Run Regedit and use the find facility in the registry editor to find all entries for Proton & delete them, then do the same for Positron
• Exit the registry editor & reboot to ensure a clean registry and then re-install Positron
Might want to include removing MPLAB IDE in the above as well.

'm using a windows 11 machine which has its own annoyances, continually trying to block access to the windows folder, etc, so maybe related. Any ideas appreciated!

Not sure about that one, but if it was happening on my PC the the first thing I would try is opening a Command Window using the Run as Administrator option and enter the instruction sfc /scannow to scan the critical Windows system files, any that may be missing or considered corrupted will be replaced, then reboot to see if any replaced files has solved the problem.

[top204]

Please remember, a third party IDE is not the compilers.

The Positron compilers installer does not look for any other application on the OS, and the positron compilers do  not use any third party applications on the computer. Everything the compiler uses is in the folder it is installed into, apart from the 'Samples' and 'Includes' folders that always need to be installed in a location that can be written without windows complaining. i.e. "C:\Users\Computer Name\PDS\"

There is no text in the installer or compilers that demands MPLAB?

I test the installers on a virtual windows 10 machine that does not have any third party programs on it at all, and certainly not MPLAB.

I am now curious as to what you are actually installing, because it is not the positron compilers? :-)

[PicNoob]

Please remember, a third party IDE is not the compilers.

The Positron compilers installer does not look for any other application on the OS, and the positron compilers do  not use any third party applications on the computer. Everything the compiler uses is in the folder it is installed into, apart from the 'Samples' and 'Includes' folders that always need to be installed in a location that can be written without windows complaining. i.e. "C:\Users\Computer Name\PDS\"

There is no text in the installer or compilers that demands MPLAB?

I test the installers on a virtual windows 10 machine that does not have any third party programs on it at all, and certainly not MPLAB.

I am now curious as to what you are actually installing, because it is not the positron compilers? :-)

I wish I would have taken a screenshot of the messages then but it definitely demanded IDE and only started compiling after I installed the old 8.92 version. Screen shot of the compiler. I'm new to positron so just grabbed it off a link here or so I thought! Try on a new windows 11 PC if you have one handy. Note this PC also had v3.5, v3.75 folders copied over, and v4 installed, prior to installing positron.

Unrelated but I got a similar message from an old proton v3.5 I use. And it also started working once I added in 8.92. But v3.75 and v4.0 had no issues without 8.92. Maybe installing 8.92 creates some windows registry entry or system path needed?



https://ibb.co/XkCB0KpJ

[PicNoob]

Also to answer my own question, I compiled the same program in positron and proton, and both produce identical assembly with a header showing Version 4.0.4.8. So positron appears to be a new front end interface for proton. It was not clear to me if it was a new compiler or an interface change earlier.

While I have some eyes here anyone know how to enable the Hint: variable name declared but not used at compile time? They come in handy for me as I tend to lose track of variables and simplifies debugging for me.

[RGV250]

Hi John,
Positron from V4.x.x.x is the new version of Proton after Les moved away from Crownhill.
What you have in the screenshot is Positron Studio which is a third part IDE, you can still use the original IDE if you so chose. I am assuming that was the file you downloaded as Positron is now licensed to the individual with your name embedded in the asm file.

;   /\\\\\\\\\
;  /\\\///////\\\
;  \/\\\     \/\\\                                                 /\\\          /\\\
;   \/\\\\\\\\\\\/        /\\\\\     /\\\\\\\\\\     /\\\\\\\\   /\\\\\\\\\\\  /\\\\\\\\\\\  /\\\\\\\\\
;    \/\\\//////\\\      /\\\///\\\  \/\\\//////    /\\\/////\\\ \////\\\////  \////\\\////  \////////\\\
;     \/\\\    \//\\\    /\\\  \//\\\ \/\\\\\\\\\\  /\\\\\\\\\\\     \/\\\         \/\\\        /\\\\\\\\\\
;      \/\\\     \//\\\  \//\\\  /\\\  \////////\\\ \//\\///////      \/\\\ /\\     \/\\\ /\\   /\\\/////\\\
;       \/\\\      \//\\\  \///\\\\\/    /\\\\\\\\\\  \//\\\\\\\\\\    \//\\\\\      \//\\\\\   \//\\\\\\\\/\\
;        \///        \///     \/////     \//////////    \//////////      \/////        \/////     \////////\//
;                                  Let's find out together what makes a PIC Tick!
;
; Code Produced by the Positron8 Compiler. Version 4.0.6.2
; Created and Written by Les Johnson.
; Compiler version for Robert Garrett
;----------------------------------------------------------

Regards,
Bob

[PicNoob]

OK this is making a little more sense. My Proton v4 says Crownhill in its "about". I'd guess Proton is the old interface, Positron studio the new interface, and the actual compiler appears effectively the same. Both produce ASMs have the same header and everything else as far as I could tell. I do wonder my registered "proton v4" links to the older interface but at this point that doesn't really matter much.

[Stephen Moss]

Screen shot of the compiler. I'm new to positron so just grabbed it off a link here or so I thought! Try on a new windows 11 PC if you have one handy. Note this PC also had v3.5, v3.75 folders copied over, and v4 installed, prior to installing positron.

As Bob pointed out the screen shot you provided is for the Positron Studio IDE, by default both the Proton and Positron Compilers install with the original Mechanique IDE (although I though the plan at one point was to replace it with the Positron Studio IDE).
There are two other alternatives to the original IDE (which incorrectly reports the Positron version in its about, but correctly in the title of the compilation message boxes), Fineline which is no longer under development as sadly Normnet passed away and an interface for coding using Visual Studio code which was written and is still supported by forum member @atomix.

I don't think you can simply grab a copy of the Positron Compiler from anywhere on the forum to try it, however you can download a trial version from Les' website, or go straight to purchasing an initial new Positron Compiler base install from Les, which will have the file name...
Positron Compilers Setup for [insert your name]
to which you can then apply any free correction updates and/or paid upgrades to the Compiler that subsequently come along.