3 Timer Configuration

3.1 Builder: Add Timer Driver

Application Builder: Click “Add Component”.

Filter on “Timer” then click the icon, to add the Timer Driver.

Tip: You can tell that the Timer is a driver by the “Driver” tag next to the component, as well as by the blue icon. For more information see MCC Melody Components.
Tip: When added to the Builder, components can be considered to be in their Default configuration.
CAUTION: If they are not in their Default configuration, a Driver or Library component's configuration can be reset by removing the component and adding it back again.

3.2 Timer Driver PLIB Dependency Selection

Once a Timer Driver is added, a Timer PLIB will be selected as a dependency.

Click the Timer (None) component block in the MCC Builder to bring the Timer Driver to focus.

Figure 3-1 3-3. Timer PLIB options for a PIC16F/18F MCU device
Figure 3-2. Timer PLIB for an AVR-DX MCU device

3.3 Timer Driver: Set Period

To set a Requested Timer Period, do the following:
  1. Minimum period ≤ Requested Timer Period ≤ Maximum period (see step 4 if not).
  2. Enter Requested Timer Period.
  3. Verify that Calculated Timer Period is acceptably close to that requested.
  4. If necessary, modify Timer clock frenquency in the Timer PLIB.
Tip: Change units of Requested Timer Period for readability.

3.4 ERROR: Timer Requested Period

Once a Requested Timer Period is entered, this value may be larger than the maximum value possible with the current Timer Clock Frequency.

In the MCC Builder, click the Timer PLIB to bring it's configuration to focus.

Figure 3-1 3-3. Tips for PIC16F/18F MCU devices
Tip: The MFINTOSC_500KHz (Medium-Frequency Internal Oscillator) is often a nice balance between the microsecond domain of microcontrollers, and the 10's of ms that humans can notice.
Figure 3-4. Tips for AVR-DX MCU devices
Attention: Remember to check that the System → CLKCTRL is set to the appropriate clock.

3.5 Changing the Timer Period at Run Time, using PeriodSet() API

A timer period can be changed at run time, using the Timer Driver's PeriodSet() API.

When changing the timer period in this way, it is imporant to check the Timer_PeriodSet() API Range setting.

Figure 3-5. Tips for PIC16F/18F MCU devices
Tip: The LFINTOSC (31 kHz Low-Frequency Internal Oscillator), can be used to achieve a Timer_PeriodSet() API Range of up to 2.1 s
Figure 3-6. Tips for AVR MCU devices
Tip: Increasing the Clock Select prescaler will increase the Timer_PeriodSet() API Range.