Arduino IDE for Microchip Studio

Microchip Studio (previouly called Atmel Studio 7) with Visual Micro offers Arduino compatible project build alongside hardware and simulated debuggers. Visual Micro ensures project codes stays cross-platform Arduino IDE compatible and also allows the Atmel platform specific tools to be used when required. Microchip native upload and debug can only be used with Microchip hardware. For non-Microchip hardware, please use Visual Micro in Visual Studio 2022 which providers a wider hardware debugging experience.

The Arduino compatible build process works seemlessly alongside one or more of the following:- 1) Standard Arduino upload options or 2) Native Microchip Studio Device Programming (Upload). For debugging 1) Visual Micro Serial/WiFi Debugger and Visualizations or 2) Native Microchip Studio debugging and simulators. When either of the Native tools are being used, Visual Micro entirely hands the processes to Microchip Studio. It is the Microchip Studio documentation that should be consulted for configuration of Native debug and upload tools. Native upload and debug are not tied to each other. Native upload can be used with any debug choice and Native debug can be used with any upload choice. Using native tools requires the user to have more experience than for standard Arduino and Visual Micro tools.

When building, use Visual Micro to set compiler options such as Optimization, the Microchip Studio project properties have no effect on the Arduino build process. This also applies to the selection of boards and libraries. Native Microchip hardware and library selections are not used by the compiler. Only normal Arduino compatible board and library selections are used. Boards and Libraries should be installed and used as per the arduino specification. The Visual Micro Add Library, Library Manager and Board Manager provides a way to install the Arduino libraries and board packages that adhere to that specification. This ensures code compaibility with the Arduino IDE.

Visual Micro automatically attempts to set the Microchip Studio project mcu for the purpose of 1) intellisense and 2) native tool support. Advanced users might be working with a slightly different, but compatible, mcu to the one defined within the Arduino package. To specify a different Microchip Studio project mcu: 1) Switch off "vMicro>General>Automatic attempt to set the Microchip Studio project device" and 2) Use the native Microchip Studio project (or toolbar) properties to select the correct mcu device for the project. Please note that this does NOT affect the Arduino compatible build process.