Running MPLabX2.11. I'm looking to work on one of Microchips newer devices that is not supported by this version so I am looking to install X3.xx.

I've never upgraded MPLabs before, always just downloaded a new IDE when needed. The venerable 8.66 lasted me for YEARS until I finally gave in to MPLab X and XC8 .

My questions are more for future reference:
When you download the latest version of the MPLab X, can you simply upgrade (overwrite) your old IDE? I'm assuming since I am going from 2.xx to 3.xx this may not work?

Anyone care to comment if X3.xx is working well for them?

I haven't come across a "supported devices" list for each version of the IDE. Is it somewhere I am missing?

 

I believe it installs as a second copy. I recall having to remove the old version.

 

3.61 is working for me.
After installing, there is a device support file in 'docs'.

 

Running MPLabX2.11. I'm looking to work on one of Microchips newer devices that is not supported by this version so I am looking to install X3.xx.

I've never upgraded MPLabs before, always just downloaded a new IDE when needed. The venerable 8.66 lasted me for YEARS until I finally gave in to MPLab X and XC8 .

My questions are more for future reference:
When you download the latest version of the MPLab X, can you simply upgrade (overwrite) your old IDE? I'm assuming since I am going from 2.xx to 3.xx this may not work?

Anyone care to comment if X3.xx is working well for them?

I haven't come across a "supported devices" list for each version of the IDE. Is it somewhere I am missing?

You have to be careful with updates some features get lost, changed or unsupported ( like SPI modules and more xc8 version 1.4++).

Please read update information and it's relation to the compiler used. This to avoid a lot of work on existing programs.
Picbuster

 

MPLABX 3.61 works just fine and is probably a big improvement over the early versinons. It will prompt you to uninstall the earlier version of MPLABX using Control Panel to do the install so you might as well do that first. During the install, it will ask you if you want to save the state of the old one for the new one. I usually do. f you tell the installer to clean things up, you will get a blank Project window. Just right click in the project window, select Open Project and navigate to the project directory.

Uninstalling MPLABX won't delete any of your projects or source from the disk.

Upgrading MPLABX does not delete any compilers you have installed - you can have all the different versions you want. Just select the one you want to use for a project from the list of installed language tools in Project->Properties. I leave my old licensed compilers in the list to try things in PRO mode and run the newer ones in the Free mode until I need to get serious.

You can run MPLABX alongside MPLAB 8.xx, at the same time even, but if you use RealICE, ICD3, ProMate3 et al, you'll have to use the included MPLAB driver switcher to reconfigure the USB drivers for one or the other IDE, MPLAB (X or 8.xx) that you want to debug/program with.


@Picbuster is correct, later versions of XC8 don't include the old libraries for some chip families. Many of those were just wrappers anyway so I don't consider it a big deal but something to keep in mind. Read through the Readme files for the IDE and XC8 on the Microchip download page for details.

Have fun.