Using Avrdude

From Merlin Systems Wiki

Avrdude is shipped with WinAVR

We recommend using avrdude instead of PonyProg for more complex things. It is generally a bit more reliable flexible, but command based rather than graphical.
(The graphical interface that comes with WinAVR is at present pretty unhelpful).


The big advantage of Avrdude over PonyProg or Avr Studio is that it allows storing fuse settings to/from file

also :

  • works via a simple parallel programming lead or a programmer like Atmel AVRisp (in future, maybe can use a serial boot-loader as well?)
  • allows automated operations (via batch file)


For user-programmable products, we normally include a MSDOS batch file for programming, which uses avrdude. This can then specify fuse settings as well as the code.

Here is an example: "prog rs232 1v8 bat".TXT

N.B. the '.txt' extension is safer on the web!


[edit]

Config File

You need to have the avrdude setup file correctly configured for your programmer. This can be set on the command line, or in a config file.

A config file is called "avrdude.conf" can be in the current directory, or defaults to the directory where the avrdude executable is (which is usually the WinAVR 'bin'... which is usually "c:/WinAVR/bin").

Example config : AVRDUDE.CONF

You may need to edit the defaults section for your programmer setup.
In the above example file, it looks like this -- 

#
# Overall avrdude defaults
#
default_parallel   = "lpt1";
default_serial     = "com2";
default_programmer = "avrisp";
#default_programmer = "stk200";


It should be obvious what all this does -

  • the "stk200" option is for a normal (Miabot-type) parallel programming lead. Then you need the parallel port set up right.
  • The "avrisp" uses Atmels AVRisp (only, it appears?). Then you need the serial port set up right.
Retrieved from "http://www.merlinsystemscorp.co.uk/merlin_wiki/index.php/Using_Avrdude"