CCS/LAUNCHXL-CC2650: No BLE_SDK sample projects work with this board

FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AND STILL NO EVIDENCE OF BLE ACTIVITY

I reinstalled ble_sdk_2_02_01_18 and created a new workspace to start clean. I imported the simple_peripheral_cc2650lp_stack and simple_peripheral_cc2650lp_app projects into the new workspace.

both projects had build issues with xdctools:

Error: Can't load C:\ti\xdctools_3_32_00_06_core\packages\xdc\utils.js

So I changed the xdctools version to xdctools_3_32_01_22 to get a clean builds.

Other than this I followed the instructions in section 2.6.3.3.3. of SWRU393D to the letter.

1) stack: Run->debug (do not start execution)
2) app: Run->debug (I did run here as something has to get things going, right?)

Things seem to be running but I do not see the device in the Android Simplelink Starter app (It did work when running the board with the preprogrammed out-of-the-box executable).

I exited the debugger and cycled power on the board letting it run on it's own and still no BLE device appears on the app.

I also tried pressing the side buttons on the board in case they needed that as a trigger.

Compiler: TI v5.2.6
RTOS: 2.20.01.08 
XDCTools: 3.32.1.22
BLE_SDK: 2_2_1_18

1) Am I using the correct app (Android Simplelink Starter)?  Should I be using something else to communicate with the board?

2) The stack code looks like it needs missing definitions. (HOST_CONFIG, PERIPHERAL_CFG, etc.).  Without these it looks like critical (to my BLE beginner eye) code is omitted.

Hi Mark,

1) It sounds like you have an environment issue if you are not experiencing clean builds, can you clean out everything in your C:\ti directory and reinstall and try to build again, you should be able to build the example project without errors or warnings.

2) Looks like you are loading the project correctly based on your description, when you load the application (after having loaded the stack) if you press pause on the debugger what is the state? Has the device encountered an exception?

3) The examples will use UART display to print information about their state, if you open a putty terminal to the user/UART COM port from the lauchpad, do you see output?

4) I would recommend BLE scanner or lightblue on android.

5) The stack code is conditionally defined based on which features are compiled in, these are controlled via the build_config.opt and a tool called lib_search, this is explained in the software developer's guide, but is beyond the scope of getting a project to build and run out of the box.

I was able to verify that SimpleBLEPeripheral_taskFxn() is getting called periodically so the RTOS part looks like it is running OK (I had to disable optimizations in the app to get the breakpoints in source established). Should I start stepping down into the BLE stack? I don't really know what to look for there.....

So far I don't see anything in putty - I tried 115200, 57600, 19200 and 9600 (8N1, no flow-ctl) on the "XDS Class Application/User UART" which appears on COM11. Should I add a "wakeup" message at startup here? I don't know the format for that.

Environment issue - I had this xdctools issue from the start which is how I knew how to correct it. Do you really think xdctools version could be causing a problem? It seems unlikely (Ids like to avoid having to start all over with the installs but if I must I will). Also the error wasn't about an environment setting, the .js file was missing from the xdctools directory.

Also, I was already using BLE Scanner as a 2nd check and added lightblue per your advice. Still nothing shows the Launchpad board.

I stepped into GAP_DeviceInit() and it looks like it executes without error and GAPRole_StartDevice() returns "SUCCESS".

I stepped thru GAPBondMgr_Register(), GAP_RegisterForMsgs(), GATT_RegisterForMsgs(), and hciSendCmd() to make sure buffers are getting allocated OK.

I stepped thru hciSendCmd() to make sure that ICall_dispatcher() was returning "SUCCESS".

So to sum up it looks like SimpleBLEPeripheral_init() thinks everything went OK. Shouldn't the radio be discoverable at this point?

* I have to think that I am missing something very elementary here. Something so simple that you would not even think to mention it. Something like not having BT turned on on my phone (it is). Keep in mind that this is my first time stumbling around BT and I could be missing something very elementary (like not knowing that the _stack project must be loaded separately before loading the _app project).

After my last post where I was single stepping I hit the run button on the debugger when finished and BOOM there it is! Why????

I did not make any changes to the code. I powered down the device and repowered and its still there. I think maybe the issue was on my phone with the competing BT apps I had running BLE Scanner still did not see the device but the Launchpad App and light blue did se it. Launchpad could only connect after closing lightblue.

Still no UART output though - I am in a virtual Windows machine and maybe that is part of the problem although if it shows up in device manager and the debugger works through USB I would not expect this to be the case. Any Ideas on the UART? Debug info on that channel would be helpful. COM11 seems out there. There is also a COM12 Auxiliary data port, any idea about that?.

Oh yeah - I have to port this over to my target board which has a 2640 on it, small package (10 GPIOs). Should I change anything (other than the GPIO table, or just not enable GPIO) to start?

Just to be clear, is the UART output redirected through the USB connection or do I need to wire it from the board?

Thanks for the help. I am at least at a starting point now.

I do have a few more questions, if you dont mind:

1) The application transmits a beacon, I can see it on my phone. However I cannot seem to connect and discover services. Any ideas on what to look at for that? Is there a specific place I should look for the connection handshake packets coming in? It seems like whatever background process that would handle the pairing/negotiation is not executing.

2) All I will need this thing to do is connect to a phone and act as a text wedge between a phone and it's serial port. In other words the an IOS/android phone will send text data in a payload and the 2640 will echo the payload out of it's UART (also Rx from the UART and transmit BLE to the phone). I am guessing a GATT string characteristic would be the mechanism for this but I am not sure. Is there an example that would show me how to implement this.

3) We have devices in the field with no code in them, and we plan to program them through the UART. Will these devices require separate programming sequences for the stack and app, or should their hex files be combined with a utility and programmed as one file?

Thanks,
Mark

Hi Mark,

1). I would first look for the GAPROLE_CONNECTED event in your application. This indicates that you have successfully established a link. To simplify your debugging I would disable pairing and bonding for now and see if you can connect, after that is confirmed, I would re-enable and see the behavior. The software developers' guide section 5.4 has a nice summary of the various pariging states, their events, and what is going over the air. www.ti.com/.../swru393

2) I would refer to the SPP over BLE example this is peroforming emulated UART over BLE. See here: github.com/.../ble_examples-2.2

3) I would first combine your app and stack files into a single hex image, see section 2.7 of the software develpper's guide for some tips on how to do this.

Hi Sean,

I can see the board's beacon but it will not connect. Not sure why.

The UART to BLE Bridge (SPP over BLE) project looks exactly like what I need but I don't see it in ble_sdk_2_02_01_18. Is it in there or so I need to go back to a later SDK?

Mark

Hi Mark,

I sent some steps for debugging why the device is not connecting. Can you determine if any of the mentioned events are being received by your application?

SPP over BLE is provided on our github page that I linked to, you can download it from there.

Hi Sean,

Oh crap I don't know git, just SVN. Any advice for a git newbie? I can't screw anything up there can I?

I am restarting with a fresh install of everything. Maybe the connections problem will magically disappear. I will look for the connection event.

Mark

Mark,

You can download the package as a zip file, please refer to the readme/faq page on the Github.

Hi Sean,

I started with a clean CCS install, BLE SDK, RTOS.  I built the simple_peripheral example for the Launchpad again ant it ran fine.

I took the EXACT same code and loaded into out OEM 2640 board and it advertised but did not connect.  What to do?  I tried on two boards so there is no reason to suspect HW; and since it is an OEM I am pretty sure it works.  

I did have to change the CPU settings so that the debugger would connect.  I made sure no linker file was selected.

Also I have yet to see any UART data output (I did remove the predefine).

At this point I am skeptical that this project actually works on this CPU.  I know the radios are different, Are you SURE there isn't something different special that has to be done for the 2640?

I feel like I am missing the secret sauce here.

Mark