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[on:]

Does anyone else make an IDE for the Arduino chips?  I would sure like to find one with a good debugger included.

Thanks,
Jim

[Reply #1 on:]

You could use Atmel's AVR Studio, which includes a simulator that is useful for debugging.  As long as you're using Windows.

There are actually quite a few IDEs for AVRs in general, that should work fine with arduino hardware.  However, I don't think things are set up for the sort of advanced debugging features (jtag or debugwire.  Although I guess in theory you could run debugwire over the ICSP connector.)  The Arduino is pretty much a bare AVR, so in itself it shouldn't offer much to stop you from using Imagecraft, IAR, or ... whatever.

See http://www.avrfreaks.net/index.php?module=FreaksTools&func=viewTools&q=&category_id=43

[Reply #2 on:]

Westfw,

I was sorta hoping for something that met my two critical criteria: simple and cheap.  8-)

Thanks,

Jim

[Reply #3 on:]

The problem with using a debugger on the Arduino is that there is none available. A debugger uses additional data added to the executable, and generally requires that optimization be turned off. Then, you can attach a debugger to a running process.

The process is running on the Arduino. The debugger would have to run there, too.

It seems to me that the existing IDE meets your two critical criteria. It's free, and it's very easy to use. Basically, it's nothing more than a text editor, with buttons to invoke the compiler/linker and the uploader.

[Reply #4 on:]

Another thing to think of is that if you use shields you'd want their operation to be simulated or debugged. I feel this would be quite a hard thing to do since the 'libraries' are simply functions that translate the functionality into pinchanges.

[Reply #5 on:]

Debuggers tend to NOT be simple.  The debugger that comes with gcc (called gdb) is swell, but I wouldn't wish it on beginners :-(   (and it won't talk directly to an arduino.  Though theoretically it ought to be possible, I think.)

AVR studio is probably your best bet.

[Reply #6 on:]

Thanks to all who have replied.  I guess I am going to have to be happy that I have what I have for free!

Thanks,

Jim