MCU-PLUS-SDK-AM263X: Reconciling SysConfig, Linker Script (“linker.cmd”) and FAQ

TollMan

Part Number: MCU-PLUS-SDK-AM263X
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: SYSCONFIG

This thread is related to thread:

MCU-PLUS-SDK-AM263X: SDK Example using TCM - edma_multimem_transfer_am263x-cc_r5fss0-0_nortos_ti-arm-clang

and the FAQ:

[FAQ] MCU-PLUS-SDK-AM263X: How to add code into TCM using linker.cmd file - Arm-based microcontrollers forum - Arm-based microcontrollers - TI E2E support forums

The FAQ state that the way to define memory regions for adding code and data to TCM memory is "To create section in TCM edit the linker.cmd".

However, when I import an SDK example it seems like the Build (make) is what creates "linker.cmd".

Also, I see in SysConfig Memory Configurator memory regions as seen here:

These seem to corelate to the memory regions in "linker.cmd" seen here:

MEMORY
{
    R5F_VECS   : ORIGIN = 0x0 , LENGTH = 0x40 
    R5F_TCMA   : ORIGIN = 0x40 , LENGTH = 0x7FC0 
    R5F_TCMB   : ORIGIN = 0x80000 , LENGTH = 0x8000 
    SBL   : ORIGIN = 0x70000000 , LENGTH = 0x40000 
    OCRAM   : ORIGIN = 0x70040000 , LENGTH = 0x40000 
    USER_SHM_MEM   : ORIGIN = 0x701D0000 , LENGTH = 0x4000 
    LOG_SHM_MEM   : ORIGIN = 0x701D4000 , LENGTH = 0x4000 
    FLASH   : ORIGIN = 0x60100000 , LENGTH = 0x80000 
    RTOS_NORTOS_IPC_SHM_MEM   : ORIGIN = 0x72000000 , LENGTH = 0x3E80 
    MAILBOX_HSM   : ORIGIN = 0x44000000 , LENGTH = 0x3CE 
    MAILBOX_R5F   : ORIGIN = 0x44000400 , LENGTH = 0x3CE 

    /* For memory Regions not defined in this core but shared by other cores with the current core */


}

Is the FAQ still current, of should the TCM section be added through the SysConfig Memory Configurator?

over 1 year ago

+1 Akshit Pareek over 1 year ago

TI__Expert 4230 points

Hi,

The TCM Section should now be added through through the SysConfig Memory Configurator,
to do so:

Let's use a basic example where - We want to put a variable called 'counter' in TCM.

Open example.syscfg -> Go to Memory Configurator -> Section
Add a new section and select Load Memory and Run Memory as TCMA
Add an Output Section in TCM Variables

Now let's define the variable in our created .tcmVarSection

uint32_t counter  __attribute__ ((__section__(".tcmVarSection")));

Rest of the code

void main(void *args)
{
    /* Open drivers to open the UART driver for console */
    Drivers_open();
    Board_driversOpen();

    counter = 0;

    while(1)
    {   

        DebugP_log("counter: %u \r\n", counter);
        ClockP_sleep(1); /* Some delay added to compensate for TCM's fast memory access */
        counter++;
        if(counter == 10)
            break;
    }

    DebugP_log("All tests have passed!!\r\n");

    Board_driversClose();
    Drivers_close();
}

Our section is added in the linker

Map File

MEMORY CONFIGURATION

         name            origin    length      used     unused   attr    fill
----------------------  --------  ---------  --------  --------  ----  --------
  R5F_VECS              00000000   00000040  00000040  00000000  RWIX
  R5F_TCMA              00000040   00007fc0  00000008  00007fb8  RWIX
  R5F_TCMB              00080000   00008000  00000000  00008000  RWIX
  MAILBOX_HSM           44000000   000003ce  00000000  000003ce  RWIX
  MAILBOX_R5F           44000400   000003ce  00000000  000003ce  RWIX
  FLASH                 60100000   00080000  00000000  00080000  RWIX
  SBL                   70000000   00040000  00000000  00040000  RWIX
  OCRAM                 70040000   00040000  00016068  00029f98  RWIX
  USER_SHM_MEM          701d0000   00004000  00000000  00004000  RWIX
  LOG_SHM_MEM           701d4000   00004000  00000000  00004000  RWIX
  RTOS_NORTOS_IPC_SHM_M 72000000   00003e80  00000000  00003e80  RWIX


SEGMENT ALLOCATION MAP

run origin  load origin   length   init length attrs members
----------  ----------- ---------- ----------- ----- -------
00000000    00000000    00000040   00000040    r-x
  00000000    00000000    00000040   00000040    r-x .vectors
00000040    00000040    00000008   00000000    rw-
  00000040    00000040    00000008   00000000    rw- .tcmVarSection

To put other sections in TCM

In example.syscfg -> Go to Memory Configurator -> Section -> Select Multiple Memory Regions
Select the memory regions
Build
- Linker

Regards,
Akshit