C8051F MCU Emulator and Development Board FAQs

Question 1: Why can my emulator be recognized, but cannot simulate, debug or download the program? 

Answer: The emulator can be recognized, which proves that the emulator is good. The failure to simulate, debug or download the program has the following two reasons: 1. Whether the hardware path is normal. Check the following reasons: whether ML-EC3 is connected to the target board; whether the connection line is broken; whether the target board is powered on and whether the hardware of the target board can work normally, etc.; 2. The emulator needs to be reset. If ML-EC3 can be recognized by the computer but does not work due to improper operation or other reasons, use the ML-EC3 reset software to reset it. The software is in the USB Reset folder on the CD. 

Question 2: Why do I use your routines to display the extracted Chinese fonts on the LCD screen but 

the characters are garbled? Answer: There is a sequence for the extraction of fonts. Taking the 16X16 Chinese fonts used by the ML-F020DK+ development board as an example, the order of extracting fonts is left first, then right, top first, then bottom, vertical 8 dots, bottom high, etc. The new fonts should also be extracted in this order, otherwise garbled characters will be displayed. 


Question 3: Why is it normal when I am doing hardware simulation of LCD display, but garbled characters when it is actually running? 

Answer: There is a slight difference between the speed of MCU during simulation and the speed of actual operation. Appropriately increase the time interval for LCD operation and slow down the speed of LCD operation. 

  

Question 4: Why can't the target boards with C8051F series MCU as the core, such as ML-F020DK+, ML-F120DK+ development boards and ML-F020 IC B industrial measurement and control boards, use other companies' C8051F emulators? 

Answer: ML-EC3 has strong driving capability, so it can perform normal simulation debugging and program downloading on these target boards with anti-interference processing. If you use emulators from other companies, please remove the pull-down resistors on the three lines TMS, TDO, and TDI in the JTAG of these target boards . Restore after debugging or downloading.  Question 5: How to encrypt the C8051F chip?  Answer: There are two ways to encrypt the C8051F series chips: 1. Encrypt by setting the corresponding registers in the program; 2. Download in the encrypted mode of the dedicated program download software. For the first method, please refer to the Datasheet. For the second method, select the corresponding check box when downloading and then download.  Question 6: Can the C8051F chip be erased after encryption? Can the program be downloaded and debugged again?  Answer: It can be erased. It can continue to be used after erasing.  Question 7: How to erase the encrypted chip?  Answer: Use SIL ABS's program download software Flash Programming Utility 2.51 to erase the encrypted MCU. The specific method is: connect the emulator to the computer and the target board, and power on the target board (make sure that only the Power indicator is on). In the Flash Erase page of the Flash Programming Utility 2.51 software, click the Erase Code SPAC e button to erase. For detailed chip information, please refer to the Datasheet.  Question 8: Why can't the USB driver of C8051F320/340 be installed?  Answer: The system will prompt an error if the installation software is used directly. The system prompts that an error occurred when copying the file SiUSBXp.cat, making the installation unable to continue. The installation steps are as follows: First write the USB program in the target board of C8051F340 and run it. Connect the computer and the target board with a USB cable. The system prompts that new hardware is found but there is no driver. Specify the driver location and continue the installation according to the installation wizard until it is completed.  Question 9: Why does my MCU burn out?  Answer: The ultimate reason for the MCU to burn out is that the device is subjected to an unbearable voltage or current , causing permanent damage. There are many reasons in practice, and they are also very complicated, such as design errors: for example, the program incorrectly sets the IO pins, the wrong connection method of the hardware, and application errors: for example, the IO pins are connected incorrectly, the wrong current is introduced, conductive materials enter the circuit board, static electricity on the hands, etc.  Question 10: Why is the Load button still gray and unusable when I use KEIL C to debug the program even though I have installed the SILABS driver?  Answer: It is because it is not set. Select the Use target Driver For Flash Programming item on the Utilities page of the Option for target "target1" dialog box, and select the SILABS driver in the drop-down menu below, and confirm. (Note the difference between Load and Debug)  Question 11: Why is the running time of the program segment not displayed during simulation?  Answer: The execution time of the instructions of MCS-51 is fixed, so the program running time can be calculated during simulation. Although the instructions of the high-speed, pipeline-structured CIP-51 core chip are compatible with MCS-51, the execution time of 6 instructions is not fixed (please refer to the relevant part of the Datasheet). Therefore, the time is unpredictable.  Note: The line definition of C2 port is different from that of JTAG port, please pay attention when laying out the board and wiring.