A device, which in the testing program phase can simulate any device is called a development system. Apart from the programmer, the power supply unit and the microcontroller’s socket, the development system also features components for input pin activation and output pin monitoring. The simplest version has every pin connected to one push button and one LED. A high quality version has pins connected to LED displays, LCD displays, temperature sensors and all other components that a target device can be comprised of.

If needed, all these peripherals can be connected to the MCU via jumpers. This enables the whole program to be tested in practice even during its development stage, because the microcontroller doesn’t know or care whether its input is activated by a push button or a sensor built in a true device. If you have some of the development systems, the process of programming and testing a program is even simpler. Concerning that themikroC PRO for PIC compiler (on your PC) and the PICflash programmer hardware (on your development system) cooperate perfectly, the process of compiling a program and programming the microcontroller is performed in a single step - by clicking the Build and Program icon within the compiler. Now, any change in the program will immediately affect the operation of some of the development system’s components. Do you now agree with us that it’s time for fun?