CNanoKit: one-key programming for PIC18F56Q71 Curiosity Nano + Positron8

[okmn]

CNanoKit
One-key compile · program · monitor for the PIC18F56Q71 Curiosity Nano (EV01G21A) with Positron8
Positron Studio · Proton IDE · VS Code — no MPLAB X, no programmer, no wires, no bootloader

► Web page     ⬇ Download (free)     ⚙ New-PC setup

Why
Before buying PIC18F56Q71 chips I wanted to develop on Microchip's Curiosity Nano kit straight from Positron8 – without MPLAB X / IPE.

What you get

• One key = compile → program → verify → reset, through the kit's own on-board debugger (Microchip's free pymcuprog).
• Safe: it refuses to write if the kit's PIC differs from your Device = line.
• CNano Monitor (English/Turkish): Text/HEX view and send, 4 quick buttons, Reset PIC, log file.
• No wires: your program uses UART2 (RB4 = TX, RB5 = RX) – already connected to the kit's USB port.
• 3 examples: HELLO (text + LED) · HELLO_NOLED (text only) · KOMUT (the PIC obeys PC commands: LED ticks, PWM fade, data stream).

The keys

IDE	Compile + program	Serial monitor
Positron Studio	F10	Tools → CNano Monitor
Proton IDE	Program (CNanoProg) button	Monitor (CNanoMonitor) button
VS Code + "Positron" extension	Ctrl+Alt+M  (or Ctrl+Alt+C, then Ctrl+Alt+P)	Ctrl+Alt+N

Videos (English captions) – pick your IDE, watch left to right

	1 · HELLO	2 · HELLO_NOLED	3 · KOMUT
Positron Studio	▶ watch	▶ watch	▶ watch
Proton IDE	▶ watch	▶ watch	▶ watch
VS Code	▶ watch	▶ watch	▶ watch

4 · CNano Monitor tour (same in every IDE): ▶ watch   ·   What each video shows: see the next post.

Your PC needs (tested)

• Windows 10/11 64-bit · Positron8 4.0.6.4
• One IDE: Positron Studio 2.1.0.4 · Proton IDE 2.0.3.3 · VS Code 1.140 + "Positron" extension by atomix 2.9.0
• Python 3 64-bit (tested 3.14.7) – tick "Add python.exe to PATH"
• Internet once – the setup installs Microchip pymcuprog and the PIC18F-Q device pack
• The kit + a USB data cable. Not needed: MPLAB X / IPE, a programmer, wires, a bootloader.

Install in 3 steps

• Download the zip → right-click → Properties → Unblock → unzip to C:\CNanoKit
• Close your IDEs, run CNanoProg_Setup.bat
• Plug in the kit, open examples\CNANO_HELLO_56Q71.bas, press your key, open the monitor.

Guides: New PC, step by step · Full guide · Türkçe

Also tested: JonW's mwboot bootloader on this kit
Separate from CNanoKit – needs two wires: RC6 → RB4 and RB5 → RC7 (USB unplugged while wiring).

• The bootloader works on a real PIC18F56Q71: upload, verify and full 64 KB read-back.
• FREELOADER.exe 1.1 can't connect through the kit's USB port yet (the kit needs DTR on) – JonW plans an option for it.

Videos: 1 · Upload · 2 · Read-back (R) · 3 · FREELOADER and DTR · 4 · Test app alone
More: notes + wiring · JonW's topic and files


Not included: breakpoint debugging (use MPLAB X for that). Only the 18F56Q71 kit is tested.
Licence: freeware – free to use; please don't modify or redistribute modified versions.

@Les — the Proton IDE buttons use the documented Plugin Manager interface; nothing inside Proton IDE is changed. If you'd rather I change anything, just tell me.

Feedback welcome. No support promised, but I'll read every post.
okmn

[okmn]

What each video shows

Positron Studio

• HELLO – F10 compiles and programs (erase, write, verify ≈ 2 s). Tools → CNano Monitor → Connect: "Hello/Merhaba n" every 500 ms, RD0 LED blinks, typed text echoes, SW0 prints "SW0".
• HELLO_NOLED – same program without any LED code: text lines only, safe with any wiring.
• KOMUT – commands from the monitor: okmn LED ticks · HEX 53 PWM fade + bar graph · come DATA lines every 250 ms · stop. "help" lists them.

Proton IDE

• HELLO – "Program (CNanoProg)" compiles if needed, programs and verifies; "Monitor (CNanoMonitor)" → Connect.
• HELLO_NOLED – text every 500 ms, no LED activity; SW0 prints "SW0".
• KOMUT – okmn, HEX 53, come, stop; "Reset PIC" restarts the program and shows the list again.

VS Code (Positron extension by atomix)

• HELLO – Ctrl+Alt+M: the Output panel shows Positron8 compiling and CNanoProg programming; Ctrl+Alt+N opens CNano Monitor. If Ctrl+Alt+M does nothing on your keyboard: Ctrl+Alt+C, then Ctrl+Alt+P.
• HELLO_NOLED – compile + program, Ctrl+Alt+N: text only.
• KOMUT – okmn, HEX 53, come, stop – the quick buttons send them with one click.

CNano Monitor

• Tour – Text / HEX / both, time stamps, log file. Send text (your line end) or raw HEX like 55 AA 0D 0A. Shift+click a quick button to change it. It connects only when you click Connect and keeps DTR on – the Curiosity Nano needs DTR on to pass data.