Erik,

Oddly, I have entirely the opposite view. In the days of $5000 ICEs (has it changed?), the in-ROM monitor was invaluable. Now I'm often pushing at the 64kB ROM limit (I'm NOT going to page), I cannot afford the space!

I use an ancient ROM emulator (with a 'podded' C151 6-byte-port processor - so I still have 32 i/o) that has a 'shadow' page for the in-ROM monitor, that is 'overlaid' by the ROM emulator whenever I hit the BREAK key (or it hits a breakpoint).

The C151 is not used for the final job, of course, and I have the minor irritation of having to conditionally assemble a DEBUG or non-DEBUG version - then do a final functional test on the latter.

Sticking to 'pure' 8052 code (I don't 'C'), and double checking the hardware capability so the port swap between the two versions isn't likely to be a problem, means I've never encountered significant problems with this approach.

I'm afraid the Cygnal processor is too radically different for my purposes (I use some critically timed functions) and, like you, I found the supplied 'ICE' software (I have bought one) difficult to work with. Fine for someone new to the game, and without my (too many years in the business) prejudices.

Dave