Altiums TASKING M16C toolset v2.2 introduces plug-and-play support for new Mitsubishi 3Diamond kit

All M16C family extensions now supported

SYDNEY, Australia — June 18, 2002 — Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) is pleased to announce that TASKING, its industry-leading brand of tools for embedded software development, now includes plug-and-play support for the Mitsubishi 3Diamond starter kit in the latest release of the TASKING M16C toolset. Version 2.2 of the M16C Software Development Toolset also adds support for M16C family extensions, and reinforces its emphasis on productivity and ease of use. The TASKING M16C Software Development Toolset is the leading software development solution for developers using the Mitsubishi Electric M16C 16-bit microcontroller.

Mitsubishi have released their 3Diamond starter kit to the European market, and Altiums TASKING M16C toolset is the first to offer full support for it. The new version of the TASKING M16C toolset enables developers to take immediate advantage of the 3Diamond starter kit, with the ability to have a demo up and running less than five minutes after the installation of the tools. The addition of the Mitsubishi 3Diamond starter kit adds to the existing support offered by the TASKING M16C toolset for other popular M16C evaluation boards, allowing M16C developers the widest range of design choices.

With v2.2 of the TASKING M16C toolset, Altium has also introduced support for the latest M16C family extensions, and now offers derivative support for the entire M16C/10 family. In addition, Special Files Register (SFR) support has been added for several other derivatives such as the M30240.

The TASKING M16C toolset is both powerful and accessible and, when it is combined with the Mitsubishi 3Diamond Starter Kit, they form an easy-to-use, all-in-one tool that is the most integrated and lowest cost M16C development system on the market, says Hans-Michael Loch, Field Application Engineering, Mitsubishi Electric Europe BV. The common interface between the entire M16C family and the TASKING M16C toolset supports the M16Cs on-chip debugging features of up to 384-KB flash, 32-KB RAM, hardware breakpoints and UART-based communication interface for debugging and flash download. It also enables developers to have full access to the M16Cs performance range — from high-end 8- to 32-bit RISC — enabling design concepts to be highly scalable.

TASKINGs emphasis on productivity and ease-of-use has been increased in v2.2 of the M16C toolset through the completely re-designed Embedded Development Environment (EDE) and CrossView Pro debugger.

The new EDE will be welcomed by embedded developers working on more complex developments. It offers many productivity-enhancing features such as Project Spaces that enable the multiple objects to be grouped in one view to improve project management, Split Windows that allow a source file to be viewed in up to four edit windows, and easier project-option setting thanks to a tree-view-based dialog. The EDE also includes the easy-to-use TASKING M16C Flasher which interacts with the standard Mitsubishi Electric on-chip flash tool, enabling developers to directly flash a Motorola S-Record, IEEE 695, or Intel Hex file into the chip via a single-user interface.

Efficient debugging is vital to successful embedded software development, and the user interface of the TASKING CrossView Pro debugger has been extensively re-styled for this release. The debugger features a new, more intuitive hierarchical menu structure, improved user dialogs, and re-designed button bars. The intuitive environment combined with a new context-sensitive help system makes it even easier to learn and become proficient with the powerful CrossView Pro debugger, allowing developers to achieve accurate and highly optimized code faster than ever before.

Advanced features such as MISRA C support and the availability of a C++ compiler have made the TASKING M16C toolset the de facto industry standard for M16C developments worldwide. For applications where footprint is critical but the power of C++ object-oriented design is needed, EC++ (Embedded C++) support maintains C++ functionality while eliminating application overhead. Through a simple dialog in the EDE, the developer can scale C++ for efficiency and select features to enforce more stringent coding. The TASKING M16C toolset also uses configurable C language error-checking that adheres to the MISRA C guidelines to enable developers to prevent the use of error-prone C-constructs and improve the code reliability and documentation of safety-sensitive applications.

The TASKING M16C Software Development Toolset v2.2 is another state-of-the-art development tool from Altium that breaks down the barriers to innovation and allows developers to take full advantage of the versatile Mitsubishi M16C architecture.

Availability

The TASKING M16C Software Development Toolset v2.2 includes the TASKING EDE, C++ / C compiler, CrossView Pro simulator and debugger with Mitsubishi ROM monitor support, and M16C Flasher, and is now available on MS-Windows, Sun/Solaris, HP/UX and PC/Linux. This package starts at US$2,790 for a PC/Windows single-user license.

TASKING M16C customers with an active maintenance contract may upgrade to this release free of charge. A demo version of the toolset is available from www.tasking.com/M16C/ or on CD-ROM from any of the Altium Sales Offices or distributors. Release notes and manual files can be downloaded from the technical support area.

For more product information, visit www.tasking.com or contact your local Altium Sales and Support Center.

About Altium Limited

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), trading as Protel International Limited (ASX: PRI) prior to August 6, 2001, is a leading global developer and supplier of desktop Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and embedded software design tools for the Microsoft Windows environment.

Since the Companys foundation in 1985 and its release of the worlds first Microsoft Windows-based EDA tool in 1991, Altium has continued to apply the most advanced software design methods to provide powerful, easy-to-use and affordable design software to engineers and electronics designers worldwide.

Altiums current product brands include Protel, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker and CAMtastic!. These products offer tailored solutions covering a range of hardware and software design processes.

Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and operates a number of sales and support offices in Australia, the United States, Japan and Europe, as well as maintaining a large reseller network in all other major markets. More information about the Company and its products and services may be obtained from our website at www.altium.com.

Altium, Altium Total Support, Protel, Protel DXP, DXP, Design Explorer, nVisage, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker, CAMtastic!, Situs and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited. All other registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.