Getting started

What you need

  • Windows 10 or 11
  • A hex file, compiled with SDCC and converted with packihx

That is the whole dependency list. No Flip, no Python, no Node, no drivers.

The release zip carries its own copy of batchisp.exe and the Atmel device part files, which are all FLIPpen Hel actually talks to. If you have Atmel FLIP 3.4.7 installed, FLIPpen Hel finds and prefers that copy instead — but it never requires it.

FLIPpen Hel is a from-scratch PowerShell reimplementation, not a fork of Atmel FLIP. Nothing from the Flip source tree is used; the bundled batchisp.exe and part files are Atmel’s own binaries.

Install and run

  1. Grab the zip from the Releases tab.
  2. Unzip it anywhere — no installer, no admin rights.
  3. Double-click FLIPpen Hel.bat, or run it by hand:
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -STA -File FlipRunner.ps1

On first launch FLIPpen Hel:

  1. finds batchisp.exe — bundled in the zip first, Flip install second
  2. scans the COM ports and silently drops the Bluetooth ones
  3. picks the best-looking port for you and marks it (auto)
  4. picks your newest CodeBlocks hex build

Everything above can be overridden by hand in the Settings window. Nothing is forced on you; the auto choices are only defaults.

Flashing

  1. Put the board into ISP mode. If it has no ISP button, use the Pulse DTR button in the Terminal window (needs DTR wired to RST).
  2. Press Run (or F5).

A progress popup opens and walks through the stages — Erase, then Blank Check, then Program, then Verify, then Start. Each checkbox in the Operations Flow panel goes green when the stage passes and red when it fails, exactly like real FLIP.

First flash failing?

If a stage fails, FLIPpen Hel does not stop there. It retries the whole sequence on the next non-Bluetooth COM port and logs every attempt, so a duplicated CP210x or an FTDI clone still works. Only when every port is exhausted does it report failure.

If you have more than one USB-serial adapter plugged in, read the log. It names the exact port that worked, and the port box updates to that port so your next flash starts there.

If the port answers nothing

Open the Terminal window (the Terminal button or Ctrl+T) and press Pulse DTR. If the board has DTR wired to RST this resets it. If nothing resets, your board needs the hardware ISP condition instead — see Wiring.