Summary of PickitPlus Now Runs on Linux for Microchip PK2 and PK3 Programmer Support
PKCMD-LX is the newly released Linux Personal Computer version of PKCMD, enabling command-line reading and writing of Microchip PIC microcontrollers using Pickit 2 and Pickit 3 programmers. Distributed as an AppImage, it runs on most major Linux distributions (32- and 64-bit) without system modifications and includes required dependencies, making it portable and script-friendly for developers and professionals.
Parts used in the PKCMD-LX Project:
- PKCMD-LX software (Linux build)
- Pickit 2 device programmer
- Pickit 3 device programmer
- AppImage packaging format
- Microchip PIC range of microcontrollers (target devices)
- Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, RHEL, CentOS, Fedora)
- USB flash drive (for portable AppImage use)
We are very pleased to announce the release of the Linux version of PKCMD: PKCMD-LX. This is the Personal Computer version, designed to run on flavours of Linux, both 32 and 64 bit. This was a huge investment by us. But, these are exciting developments for the software as it shows what can be with the PK2 and PK3 programmers!
PKCMD-LX can be used for reading and writing Microchip’s PIC range of microcontrollers, using the Pickit 2 or Pickit 3 device programmers. PKCMD-LX provides the best experience for the Linux user, developers and the professional developer community, and as a command-line utility is can be easily integrated into users scripts.
Distribution
PKCMD-LX is distributed as an AppImage. Using an AppImage enables the development team to provide native binaries for Linux users the same way we do for other operating systems. An AppImage enables the development team to package the PKCMD-LX application for common Linux operating systems, e.g., Ubuntu, Debian, openSUSE, RHEL, CentOS, Fedora etc.
The PICKitPlus AppImage comes with all dependencies that cannot be assumed to be part of each target system and will run on most Linux distributions without modifications.
Almost all major distributions are compatible with AppImages, without requiring the user to make modifications to the base system. AppImages are portable. Users can place the AppImage on a USB flash drive and run it from there, on any machine, as the users wish.
- What is PKCMD-LX?
PKCMD-LX is the Linux Personal Computer version of PKCMD for reading and writing Microchip PIC microcontrollers using Pickit 2 and Pickit 3. - Can PKCMD-LX run on 32-bit and 64-bit systems?
Yes, PKCMD-LX is designed to run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Linux systems. - How is PKCMD-LX distributed?
PKCMD-LX is distributed as an AppImage. - Do users need to modify their Linux base system to run PKCMD-LX?
No, the AppImage is intended to run on most Linux distributions without requiring modifications to the base system. - Which device programmers does PKCMD-LX support?
PKCMD-LX supports the Pickit 2 and Pickit 3 device programmers. - Can PKCMD-LX be used in scripts?
Yes, as a command-line utility PKCMD-LX can be easily integrated into user scripts. - Does the AppImage include required dependencies?
Yes, the PKCMD-LX AppImage comes with dependencies that cannot be assumed to be part of each target system. - Is PKCMD-LX portable between machines?
Yes, the AppImage is portable and can be placed on a USB flash drive and run on other machines.
