AVR-Chat

--- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, "Graham Davies" <YahooGroups@e...> 
wrote:
> I'm just starting out with the AVR. I bought an STK500, STK501 and 
> two ATmega64s from DigiKey. AVR Studio is described by Atmel as an 
> Integrated Development Environment and I expected that in 
conjuction 
> with the STKs I would be all set. However, unless I'm missing 
> something, there is no C compiler and no means of debugging actual 
> hardware. It seems I need to go out and spend more money on a C 
> compiler (or struggle with GCC) and also on another piece of 
hardware 
> such as JTAGICE. Is this right? Is there really no compiler in AVR 
> Studio? Is there really no means of debugging a program on the 
> hardware without another adapter?

I bought a STK500 from DigiKey as well.  The description that I read 
didn't say anything about a C compiler or any other high level 
language.  My assumption was that the IDE supported AVR assembly 
language development.  It turns out that that's true.

I'm using WinAVR to do C development.  Well, actually, I'm using 
parts of it.  I use a programmer's editor that I've been using for 
years and hooked up the various parts of WinAVR to make my own IDE 
within the editor.  Click to compiler and link.  Click to download.  
WinAVR comes with its own programmer's editor that can be similarly 
configured.

While debugging is probably easier in some cases using some sort of 
in-circuit emulator, I've not found it particularly difficult to 
debug without one.  I normally use debug print statements, a logic 
probe, a multi-meter and, occasionally, an oscilloscope.  A logic 
analyzer might be helpful for particularly difficult problems, even 
if you have an ICE.