TMS570LS1224: Hercules TMS570 - printf() in 2024

Varban Metodiev

Part Number: TMS570LS1224
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: HALCOGEN, TM4C129ENCPDT

Tool/software:

Hi,

After allocating 1024 bytes stack for my FreeRTOS task with printf() inside, I get the following warning upon build:

creating output section ".sysmem" without a SECTIONS specification

In HALCoGen, I am not able to find a section where I can specify it (I guess it is not present as a functionality). Could you please provide me an example how to proceed, maybe for the sys_link.cmd file?

Also, is the printf function "piped" through the scilinREG? Shall I expect any output?

Thanks in advance!

over 1 year ago

0 jagadish gundavarapu over 1 year ago

TI__Guru 70241 points

Hi Varban,

.system section indicates the dynamic memory size allocated.

Please refer below thread, here i explained how we can change or can calculate the amount of dynamic memory.

(+) BQ79616EVM-021: RTI_TIMEOUT allway == 0 - Code Composer Studio forum - Code Composer Studio︎ - TI E2E support forums

--
Thanks & regards,
Jagadish.

0 Varban Metodiev over 1 year ago in reply to jagadish gundavarapu

Intellectual 690 points

Thank you, Jagadish! I just got printf() working within FreeRTOS.

Now, last question...

How is the printf() forwarded to the CCS console? Is it a separate virtual COM port? Is there a configuration setting to redirect it to the SCI?

0 jagadish gundavarapu over 1 year ago in reply to Varban Metodiev

TI__Guru 70241 points

Hi Varban,

Varban Metodiev said:
How is the printf() forwarded to the CCS console? Is it a separate virtual COM port? Is there a configuration setting to redirect it to the SCI?

As per my understanding, no it is not a separate virtual COM port. The printf will be work based on JTAG debugger communication only, so we can't redirect it to the SCI.

I don't know which board you are using, custom or TI-Specific?

If you are using any of the TI-Specific board then there is an onboard debugger will be there, so using this on-board debugger they gave provision for single USB to act as both JTAG and COM-Port.

So, using same USB connector we can do both flashing and debugging of the controller and also, we can do serial communication with controller in parallel. But if you are using custom board and if you gave provision for only JTAG then this is not possible, here we can only do flashing or debugging through JTAG.

--
Thanks & regards,
Jagadish.

0 Varban Metodiev over 1 year ago in reply to jagadish gundavarapu

Intellectual 690 points

Hi Jagadish,

I am using the Hercules Launchpad XL2 kit. Here is the output from the Device Manager:

Does the CCS console send over one of those virtual COMs?

Or is it something else related to the JTAG only?

0 jagadish gundavarapu over 1 year ago in reply to Varban Metodiev

TI__Guru 70241 points

Hi Varban,

Yes, you can use the COM5 (user UART) to send data from controller to the PC.

But here you can't use pritnf to send data to the UART port, instead of you should need to use SCI routines.

For example, go through the Help Topics section in HALCoGen

And here you can find a example called SCI/UART:

Follow the steps given in this example to send data to the COM5 in your case.

After configurations, in the end you can find the example code:

As you can see here customer sending data strings like "HERCULES", "MICROCONTROLLERS" and "TEXAS INSTRUMENTS" etc right.

And all these strings will get transmitted to the COM5 if you set the above UART configuration in serial communication tool. So, similarly whatever the string you are passing to the printf statement can be pass to the sciDisplayText function.

If you want, you can also refer video tutorial example for SCI in below FAQ:

(+) [FAQ] TMS570LC4357: Examples and Demos available for Hercules Controllers (E.g. TMS570x, RM57x and RM46x etc) - Arm-based microcontrollers forum - Arm-based microcontrollers - TI E2E support forums

--
Thanks & regards,
Jagadish.

0 Varban Metodiev over 1 year ago in reply to jagadish gundavarapu

Intellectual 690 points

Thanks once again, Jagadish!

However, I have an idea how to "implement" my version of printf over the SCI.

In the above post I was just curious how exactly CCS uses the JTAG port to send string messages.

0 jagadish gundavarapu over 1 year ago in reply to Varban Metodiev

TI__Guru 70241 points

Hi Varban,

Actually, it is not CCS who is sending the messages over JTAG to the COM port, in real these messages are transmitted from controller.

The below is the basic connectivity in Launchpad:

On launchpad there will be a controller called TM4C129ENCPDT which will be act as a XDS110 debug probe. This IC JTAG and UART will be connected to the controller JTAG and SCI. And another end of this XDS110 controller will be connected to the PC over USB.

Here TM4C129ENCPDT can be able to perform two independent functionalities that are,

1. USB to JTAG

2. USB to UART (SCI)

So, whenever you are opening CCS and debugging the project then this will happen over USB to JTAG. Similarly, if you are SCI driver API's and trying to send or receive data from controller to the serial COM on PC then this will happen with USB to UART.

As per my understanding printf will work as below, the printf data will send through JTAG of controller to the XDS110 and from XDS110 to the USB and from USB to the CCS. I think this path will not use the SCI in the controller. So, it is difficult to view this data directly on COM port, so the better and easy way is to use my above-mentioned method.

--
Thanks & regards,
Jagadish.

0 Varban Metodiev over 1 year ago in reply to jagadish gundavarapu

Intellectual 690 points

Jagadish,

It seems like that it actually uses the JTAG to transfer the "output" of printf() to the CCS console. Refer to the below:

https://e2e.ti.com/support/tools/code-composer-studio-group/ccs/f/code-composer-studio-forum/485440/printf-statement-using-jtag-terminal-for-tms570ls3137-and-28335-processors

https://software-dl.ti.com/ccs/esd/documents/sdto_cgt_tips_for_using_printf.html

+1 jagadish gundavarapu over 1 year ago in reply to Varban Metodiev

TI__Guru 70241 points

Hi Varban,

Varban Metodiev said:
It seems like that it actually uses the JTAG to transfer the "output" of printf() to the CCS console. Refer to the below:

Yes, that is correct and i am also trying to explain the same:

jagadish gundavarapu said:
the printf data will send through JTAG of controller to the XDS110 and from XDS110 to the USB and from USB to the CCS.

See in the end JTAG is in between the controller and CCS right, so the printf data will be transmitted from controller to the CCS console through JTAG only.

In my testing also i found these things:

As you can see initially the printf data is stored in the flash memory of the controller