Changing memory definitions for DSP OMX component (vlpb)

Gabi Gvili said:

Q1. What is TI recommended suggestion to overcome this problem?

As your buffer requirement is high compared to what SharedRegion (SR) #0 's total size, I would recommend instructing the DSP to allocate frame buffers from SR#2 which is much larger.

Gabi Gvili said:

Q2. Can i instruct the OMX DSP component to allocate buffers in another region?

Yes. 

Gabi Gvili said:

Q3. Is it possible to add the DSP to the shared region IPC_SR_FRAME_BUFFERS (together with host and MC-HDVPSS)? As anyway i intend to process the captured frame on the DSP and this way i can avoid moving data from one memory area to the other.

Yes.

Gabi Gvili said:

Q4. If the answer to Q3 is positive, what should i do in order to use this region for DSP OMX buffer allocation?

There are several changes required. In the file <OMX_ROOT>/packages/ti/omx/demos/dm81xx/src/app_cfg.h

The following macros have to be set with these values:

/* OMX Base DioFQ */

#define MEMCFG_NUMFQSHAREDREGIONS                 (3) 

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_NUMFQSHAREDREGIONS       (MEMCFG_NUMFQSHAREDREGIONS) <Tells the DSP that it will be using 3 SRs instead of just 1 as earlier>

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONBUF           (2)  <Tells the DSP which shared region to allocate Buffers from>

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONCTRLCACHEON   (0)

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONCTRLCACHEOFF  (1)

Also, the firmware loader file (<EZSDK_ROOT>/board-support/media-controller-utils_<XX.YY>/src/firmware_loader/memsegdef_default.c) needs to be modified to the effect that DSP participates in SR0, SR1 and SR2. (Participation in SR1 becomes necessary due to a bug, but is harmless for now). I have attached a sample file where this is enabled. But please take care to correct the start addresses of the Internal heap and shared Regions defined in this file according to the EZSDK Memory Map as in the wiki page.

5025.memsegdef_default.zip

Rebuild firmware_loader and place the rebuilt binary in <EZSDK_FS>/usr/bin and reboot your board. After these changes, VLPB will allocate memory from SR#2 which is big enough to support your usecase.

Archith

Hi Archith,

Thank you very much for your help.

We have done what you instructed us to do, as far as we understand there is a new firmware loader which i see that is different than the previous one and there is a new DSP executable file which i see that is different than the previous one, but our problem still remains the same.
As far as we understand we need to change only 2 files the first is  <OMX_ROOT>/packages/ti/omx/demos/dm81xx/src/app_cfg.h

and the second is <EZSDK_ROOT>/board-support/media-controller-utils_<XX.YY>/src/firmware_loader/memsegdef_default.c 

We recompiled all by running the makefile from ezsdk root.
Please see the attached file  8688.dvp_memsegdef_default.zip
Please advice what are we doing wrong?

Thanks,
Gabi

The mem_segdefault file looks fine.

So, you still see the OMX_AllocateBuffer error, then? Or do you see any other symptoms?

If you have a JTAG emulator (say XDS 100), can you try to connect to the DSP in CCS, load symbols from the new DSP binary that you see the value of the variable of the variable DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf is 2 and MEMCFG_sharedRegionConfigTable.aSRInfo[2].uIndex is also 2.

Archith

Yes we still see the OMX_AllocateBuffer error.
We have a JTAG emulator blackhawk 560BP and we have just downloaded the CCS v5.1.
We need some time to configure the CCS to the TI816x.  

Gabi 

Hi Archith,

We are currently looking with the CCS on the DSP, the variable DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf is 0
and the variable MEMCFG_sharedRegionConfigTable.aSRInfo[2].uIndex is 2. 
What are we doing wrong?

Thanks,
Gabi 

Can you show a screen shot of the field values in DioFQCFG_module? And can you confirm that you have modified :

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONBUF           (2)  <Tells the DSP which shared region to allocate Buffers from>

in <OMX_ROOT>/packages/ti/omx/demos/dm81xx/src/app_cfg.h, rebuilt the omx dsp binary and are loading that on the dsp ?

Archith

Hi Archith,

We have verified that

#define OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONBUF           (2) 

in <OMX_ROOT>/packages/ti/omx/demos/dm81xx/src/app_cfg.h

After this in EZSDK root directory we ran <make clean> verified that all executables were deleted and then ran <make all> and moved the new executables craeted to the NFS .

After this we open the CCS with the c6xtest (vplb) example.

The variable DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf remained 0 as can be seen in print screen below.

Maybe this variable DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf receives a hard wired value somewhere in the code.

To debug this, we need to see what is the value at load time. For this, modify the main function like this:

main () 

{

  volatile int i =1;

  while (i);

  .

  .

}

In boot up time, when DSP core gets loaded, the DSP will be brought out of reset , xdc runtime init scripts will run and main will be entered. So at this stage, you can connect to the DSP and see that the DSP is looping inside the above while (). In the expressions window, set the value of i to 0 and break out of the loop and see the value of 

DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf  (take care that you have put a BKpoint after the while statement). If its 2, then your hypothesis looks probable.. To catch where this is getting changed, you can put a HW watch point (configured to catch writes) at the addess of this variable and the emulator will halt at the moment of write. If we know where it gets changed, we can track down what config got missed.

Archith

Another question i have been looking for the variable DioFQCFG_module in the entire envoirnment however i can't find it in any source file.
Can you please tell me what kind of variable is this and where is it set? 

Thanks,

Gabi

Hi Archith,

We put in main

  volatile int i =1;

  while (i);

Hi Archith,

We changed the variable DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf  to 2 manualy in the CCS and ran the VLPB with allocation of big buffers and allocation was successful, this gives us the idea to set DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf  to 2 in the main function.
We see in the CCS that the type of  DioFQCFG_module is DioFQCFG_Module_State_s *.
We added the following two lines to   main_c674.c

extern struct DioFQCFG_Module_State_s;
extern struct DioFQCFG_Module_State_s *DioFQCFG_module;

and the following line in the main() function (in line 178)

DioFQCFG_module->fqBufInfoCtx.curSrRegionBuf = 2;

After compilation we receive the following error 

line 178: error: pointer to incomplete class type is not allowed

Can you help us with that?

Thanks,
Gabi

Hi Archith,

Can you please answer? This issue is very important for us.

Thanks,
Gabi 

I think the problem is that the file where we set the variable value OMXBASE_DIOFQCFG_MODSTAT_CURSRREGIONBUF in the struct  DioFQCFG is present in an object file omxbase_cfg.oe674 which is not and cannot be built in the EZSDK as available on the web. I guess thats why changing the macro value didnt work for you.

I am attaching a copy of the library from my machine which has the changes require. Can you please put it in the lcoation <OMX_ROOT>/packages/ti/omx/comp/omxbase/lib/c6xdsp/debug and look at whether the mem allocation works?

I apologize for the delay with me getting back to you on this.

4214.omxbase_cfg.zip

Archith

Hi Archith,

Thank you very much for your help, it is working OK now.

Gabi