Licenses

• Intended for use by a single user
• Can be installed on up to three workstations (desktops and laptops)
• Available as Unified License only

• MPLAB XC Unified Workstation License

• One user per license
• Comes in Unified Edition
• Can be cancelled or renewed in one-month increments at will through the user’s mySoftware account and MPLAB X IDE
• Cancellation takes place when the subscription month has expired
• Requires MPLAB X IDE version 3.15 and later for automated renewal
• Includes unlimited updates to new compiler versions without the need for HPA
• Requires an internet connection for automatic renewal
  • License files are loaded automatically through MPLAB X IDE every month while the subscription is active

• MPLAB XC Unified Subscription License

• Intended to have multiple users and can be installed on a network
• Restricted to use by one user at a time. The license is available to the other users one hour after a compile takes place.
• Might otherwise require a large number of compilers
• Great for use by global companies with multiple design centers
• Has a loan-out feature so that a license can be used like a node-locked license for a specific amount of time (one month maximum on loan out)
• Available in Unified Edition only

Compiler Maintenance and Support

MPLAB XC PRO comes with 12 months of High Priority Access (HPA), a support and maintenance service. HPA can be renewed at the end of twelve months. HPA includes:

• Priority technical support for compiler related queries
• New part support
• New architecture support
• New compiler version and patch level updates
• Free shipping on Microchip Direct for all development tool orders

Upon the expiration of your current HPA subscription:

• Your license will continue to work with the existing or currently released compilers
• Your HPA can be renewed at the end of 12 months or any time after to provide access to new compiler versions, new part support and patch-level updates

These installation files update a previously installed compiler with information it needs to support more recent Microchip devices.

Part Support Patches

• Will update new device-specific information: header files, linker scripts and memory configuration files
• Will not add new functionality or optimizations to your compiler
• Will not provide corrections to the compiler's operation

Part support patches allow for the selection of new devices not provided originally by the compiler, and use those devices' SFRs and other features in a project. A part support patch is only needed when using a device that is not available in a compiler. 

Part support patch file names include a corresponding compiler version number. If the patch file is used to update the corresponding compiler, then all added parts will work. Part support patches can be applied an older compiler, but not all devices added by the patch are guaranteed to work in the older compiler. 

Any support for new devices added by a part support patch will be incorporated into all subsequent compiler releases. Once an update to a more recent compiler version is completed, part support patches will no longer be needed for those devices. For example, if version 1.30 part support patch is applied to version 1.30 compiler to use a new device, the device-specific information contained in the patch will already be present in the subsequent 1.31 compiler release.

The compiler's release notes list new devices that it supports. Part support patches have their own release notes, indicating all the devices the support. Part support updates are available free of charge - no HPA is required.