PIC Tips: Debug Header Selection in MPLAB® X IDE

Being able to debug an application on a PIC® microcontroller requires the target microcontroller to have the following resources: two dedicated pins to connect to the debugger, and built-in dedicated debug circuitry.

Most PIC microcontrollers have the above resources. However, some low-pin count and small-scale microcontrollers do not have pins that can be used for debugging or built-in dedicated debugging circuits. Because debugging is only performed during the development stage and has nothing to do with production, and for small-scale microcontroller mass production, adding built-in dedicated debugging circuits is not economically feasible.

In order to debug the application programs of these microcontrollers during the development phase, Microchip provides debug headers specifically for debugging these chips. The essence of the debug header is a special version of these chips with dedicated debug circuits and debug pins.

When using a debug header to debug a project, you need to open the Project Properties dialog box in MPLAB® X IDE and select the debug header model to be used.

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