PIC18 MCU Compiler Boosts Code Density

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS CONFERENCE, San Jose, CA. – Designed for Microchip’s PIC18 MCUs, the PICC-18 PRO compiler is the first to integrate the company's Omniscient Code Generation (OCG), which promises up to 13.4% higher code density than the PICC-18 STD compiler. OCG algorithms use each instance of a variable having its address taken, plus each instance of an assignment of a pointer value to a pointer, either directly, via function return, function parameter passing, or indirectly via another pointer, and builds a data reference graph. When complete, the pointer reference graph identifies the set of all objects that can possibly be referenced by each pointer. This information is used to determine which memory space each pointer will be required to access. Any conflicting declarations of the same object from different modules can be detected and an error message issued. Afterwards, any variables not referenced can be deleted. PICC-18 PRO is available now for $1,195 if purchased before June 30, after which it will be $1,495. HI-TECH SOFTWARE LLC. Gilroy, CA. (800) 735-5715.