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I have purchased the C for picmicros 16 series course with a single user license but I am running into a compiler error: "Compiler can not be started without a host program (code 118)". I get this error from within SB IDE and from the command line. Can somebody help me out please?

WLM

Hello

Are you launching sourceboost from the course software? There is a limitation that requires Sourceboost to be launched directly from the course to allow it to run correctly. Also if you have made any modifications to the compiler eg updated the files then this may cause the compilation to fail.

@Benj,

I have launched it from the course and get this error. Is there a way to work around launching the software from the course and run it directly from a shortcut on my desktop? I did not run any updates, so I'm using the original installation files...

Regards,
WLM

Hello

Sorry but it was a limitation of the BoostC licence that we invoke the software from within our software only.

Has the software been working on your machine previously?
If so then have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling the software?

@Benj

I,ve been using flowcode professional version before I've purchased this SB software. SB was working on and of i.e. sometimes it compiles without this error and sometimes it doesn't. I guess I've bought the wrong product then. I thought I've had bought a product with a licence that I could use "stand alone" I didn't realise that this wasn't the case. If I knew that, I would have bought another product to begin with. Thanks anyway for your help, Ben. I'll just go back to using MPLAB and get me another C-product, this stuff has given me a headache.

Regards,
WLM

Hello WLM,

I'm a bit confused by your email. You say you have bought the "SB software", by which I take it you have bought "SourceBoost" software. SourceBoost is a free IDE, not a compiler.

The compiler is called "BoostC". Have you bought a license for this? If you have, then it should work without problems within both the SourceBoost IDE and from within MPLAB.

The C4PICmicros course we sell comes with a version of the BoostC compiler that can be used in full as long as it is used in conjunction with our course. You should be able to launch SourceBoost from the C4PICmicros course and build any C programs you wish.

@Steve,

I've bought the C for pic 16 micros course. I've read the product description before I bought it and thought that it included a licence for the boostc compiler and sourceboost IDE. I didn't know there was this strange limitation on running the IDE standalone. Yesterday I've read the product description on the sourceboost website and found out that the SB IDE is free, but this isn't the issue for now. At this moment the IDE is working so, hopefully, I can get to work now and build me some software.

Isn't there a real manual for this IDE like the ones you get with the MPLAB IDE from Microchip?

Regards
WLM

The C4PICs course does include a license for the BoostC compiler. But yes, there is the limitation that the compiler needs to be used as part of the course. This limitation exists to allow us to give our customers a course with a C compiler at a reduced cost. If we gave away a compiler with no restrictions, we would need to increase the price of the course.