Can one use the Arduino with WinAVR - you know the gcc stuff

Development Boards MicroMod
1

Hi

I see so much writing about the Arduino graphical IDE and I am sure it is really easy but I do need to ask:

Can one use the Arduino with WinAVR - you know the gcc stuff. Just like we did during the pre-Arduino days: write your code in the Programmers Notepad 2.0, then create your make file and compile it with the make xxx command at the terminal prompt?

I hate to learn yet another BASIC-like IDE language. I am used to gcc and IMHO it’s the best way to code AVR stuff. The Arduino is pretty, the boards are cheap, etc but I just need to know whether I can keep doing the way I have been doing things and use the Arduino platform?

Also, once gcc is done, can one use avrdude to upload the binary just as if one had generic Atmel SPI programming port? I read about the low-level Arduino design, the boot loader, the USB stuff. I mean can all of this go away so that one will use a more “primitive” way of programming it?

Thanks

~B

2

The Arduino actually uses gcc. There isn’t any reason why you can’t use it with WinAVR gcc and AVR Studio, and an Atmel programmer/debugger like the Dragon.

Leon

3

Yes you can, to all points. avrdude also understands the Arduino bootloader, so you don’t need to buy another programmer to program the boards.

I don’t like the Arduino IDE myself, though it does have a certain appeal for allowing others to get off the ground faster by removing the normal software steps (Makefile, compile command, etc). However, it also prevents people from learning whats actually going on :slight_smile:

4

theatrus:
Yes you can, to all points. avrdude also understands the Arduino bootloader, so you don’t need to buy another programmer to program the boards.

Thanks, but why would I not want to get rid of the bootloader code? Isn’t it taking up flash and overall making things more complex having to keep in mind it’s presence when it comes to overall design, code loading, etc?

5

Taking up room? Yes. More complex? Not really. Its just ease of use and in-application programming. If you’re fine using an external programmer, than by all means feel free to blow it away :slight_smile: