EABI support for MSP430

Gil,

For MSP430 we default to COFF.  When you create a new project you can expand the "Advanced settings" section and change the output format selection to eabi (ELF).  For an existing project you can go into the project properties.  Select CCS General on the left and then you can change the options that were used to generate the project on the right.  Note that eabi (ELF) will only show up if you are using the 4.0.0 compiler or later.

Regards,

John

Hi John,

I am building for MSP430F5528 with CCS version 4.2.3.000004  ( I just purchased CCS v5).

I get what you are saying but the problem is, the Output Format selection menu is disabled (greyed out), as well as the Device Endianess selection menu

(which I don't need to change).   Even after I "Clean" the project, the Output Format selection menu remains disabled. 

Thanks,

Gil.

Gil,

To be able to select eabi (ELF) you first need to change the compiler to the 4.0.0 compiler or later.  Once you do that then you will be able to change the output format.  

It may be easier to just update to CCSv5.1 as it includes the newer compiler.  If you need to stay with CCSv4.2.3 then you can have it search for new features to find the new compiler.

We wouldn't have done much if any testing of eabi with MSP430 in the CCSv4.2.3 toolchain so it would be best to update to CCSv5.1 if you can.

Regards,

John

John,

I updated to CCSv5.1 and was able to change the Output Format to eabi (ELF) and built without errors, but there is one problem:

I was able to download to the MSP-FET430UIF, but the debugger does not work, I can't step thru the code. 

Is there any other setting that I need to change ?

Gil

Gil,

It likely did a firmware update on the MSP-FET the first time you downloaded but after that it should work ok.  What behavior are you seeing?  Does it halt at main or just end up "running" and you have to halt manually and then can't step?

John

John,

It did a firmware update on the MSP-FET the first time. Everything works fine with COFF builds, but when I build for EABI the debugger disables all the Step... icons,

the breakpoints are ignored and I can only Suspend or Resume.

Gil

Gil,

That is odd.  I have tried a few test projects and it works ok for me.  Is you code C or ASM?   

If I can locate the same target you are using would you be able to send the project?  We could do that via a private message so that it is not in the public forum.

John

John,

My target  is the development system Texas Instruments MSP-TS430RGC64USB – MSP430F5528 

The application is the example code provided by TI for MSP430 USB developers:

C:\MSP430_USB_Developers_Package_3_0_0_0\MSP430_USB_API_Stacks\examples\cdcExamples\CCS\C1_Example

I first built it with CCS v4.0 and then ported it to CCS v5.1

Gil 

John,

When I click on icon Suspend of the debugger I get this error:

No source available for "_TI_zero_init(unsigned char *, unsigned char *) at 0x9f5c"

Gil

Hi Guillermo,

I was wondering if you would be able to send us the .out file?  Offline (ie in a message or friend request) is fine as well.  This would be of great help to us.

In the mean time I will see if I can track down an equivalent device to see if this is reproduceable.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Guillermo,

sending your .out, if possible, is likely the best possibility to dig into this.  You can send it offline, as mentioned, to me in a friend request or a conversation.

We have tested a couple things here this afternoon and are not able to reproduce the issue.   In fact the example, changed to eabi, was successfully loaded onto an msp.  In debug mode the "Step over", "Step into", etc buttons were not greyed out and were operational.

Please keep us informed.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

I started from scratch, rebuilding from the sample code provided by TI and the debugger issues I was having with my previous build are gone, BUT the

sample code FAILS TO WORK in EABI mode. The USB client driver does not execute correctly, Windows fails to recognize the device and pops up

the message "USB Device Not Recognized".  You should be able to replicate this issue.

Guillermo

Hi Guillermo,

So far at least two of us have not been able to reproduce any issues.  Could you please send the .out file?   Could you please let us know step by step what you have done?  The error message seems more like an emulator issue?  Do you get the "USB Device Not Recognized" for other projects/variants as well?  I could not generate this error.

Please send a bit more information if possible.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hi Guillermo,

just thought I would check for any updates to your enquiry or whether you would be able to send the requested info/out file.

Best Regards,
Lisa

Hello

I ran into the same problem with the M1 example from the  MSP430USBDevleopersPackage_3_20_00.

When compiling for MSP430F5510, I couldn't debug with MSP-FET430UIF, I could only suspend and stop and see some assembly but not the real c-code.

The programmed file also did not execute right, for example I switched on a LED in the program, but when output is EABI the led did not light up. In COFF mode the example works fine on my dev-board and also I was able to debug the code

BTW: i use CCS Version: 5.2.1.00018 and updated the MSP-FET.

Hilco