ARM processor model

Hi Romain,

     What project do you want to do? I am not currently familiar with Visual GDB

Romain Michard said:

I know it's ARM cortex-M3 but I need something else.

See, Tiva kits. 

- kel  

Hi, 

For compile/link phase you can find out all needed info/switches in makefiles provided by TI in StellarisWare package, since all examples are compatible with GNU tools.

For debugger, the problems are a little bit more complicated - you need to use a gdb server, and, several ones may be used - depends on you. The cheapest one, OpenOCD, free, rises some problems - it does not work directly with FTDI drivers, as you normally do with your CCS board. Insted, uses the free usblib package, which for sure conflicts with your board, since will be recognized as ICDI/FTDI, so you must block/uninstall the original FTDI drivers, creating some problems, since from time to time you may use LMFlash or Uniflash applications.

And one more, but this is strictly "de gustibus": same functionality, even better may be obtained free with the combination Eclipse + GCC + gnuarmeclipse plugin (with same problems with drivers). CCS is anyaw better.

Petrei

I'm trying to use VisualGDB and I need the model to start a project. Someone knows?

What model ?

Do you want to run the whole chip including firmware in a simulation ? Or do you want to start development with a simulated target ?

For the former, you might need to approach TI, if they are willing to provide such a model (they surely have).

For the latter, Keil had a simulated cortex M3 target for uVision, but the last time I looked (more than 2 years ago) it was only a generic one, without any specific peripherals.

However, you need to be more specific.

Sometimes the best question is the one NOT asked!

Why do you want to do this?  You're very far from normal/customary usage (w/your VisualGDB selection) AND you're using an MCU set adrift as NRND and potentially EOL.  (and impossible to find in stock - should harm befall...)

Pardon but seems so much effort potentially devoted to an MCU w/out much (i.e. any) future.  Why?

We note that newer, likely superior Cortex M4 eval boards exist, and are plentiful & low cost.  Multiple IDEs dot the development landscape - you'll find far more assistance by steering your project in this direction - "dead MCU" & VisualGDB - not so much...

I want to do that http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/at91sam7/ as required in http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/openocd/

I'd like to understand how to debug my board as I really don't know how to use openOCD.

If someone knows and can help me, I would appreciate.

Thanks.

Hi, 

Don't be so expensive to talk - at least tell us what board(s) do you have - if you have one from TI (which one in this case) or your own or other tools. As I told you in my previous post, be prepared to make some compromises, due to driver conflicts. Which openOCD do you have?

Petrei

I've told you in the first post, I've got the Stellaris LM3S2965 board.

As for the openOCD version, it's the Windows 0.8.0 one.

Hi,
OK, next steps means some preparations:
1) In your openocd folder, search and look for the folder ../share/openocd/scripts/board and here add a new file named ek-lm3s2965.cfg, with the following content:

# TI EK-lm3S2965
# 20k working area
set WORKAREASIZE 0x4000
set CHIPNAME lm3s2965
source [find target/stellaris.cfg]

2) Now follow the procedures indicated in this link: http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/openocd/ as follows:
a) Debug: choose Manual setup and look the next picture (point 2)
-debug method: OpenOCD
-interface: do not insert anything
-CPU: LM3S2965
-board: board/ek-lm3s2965.cfg - this will call all you need
-target:do not insert anything
-explicitly specify JTAG speed - set it to 1 MHz
-keep other settings as in the picture
Check the button Test selected OpenOCD settings. Note: if something wrong, this test can be made outside this, from the cmd window. You should see similar like in point 7.
Note on point 8: AFAIK and used, openOCD does not use FTDI drivers, some licencing problems stop that, but has libusb drivers already inside the package. You must stop/uninstall FTDI drivers if already installed (stop/disable is more convenient)
For the rest follow the indications given for yur application

Petrei

OK, here are detailed instructions, I thank you

But when following http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/openocd/ I have to open my project. My project should be created as in http://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arm/at91sam7/ but I don't know what device to choose. Can you help me?

Hi,

Do steps 1,2,3 as written on the web page. One mention for step 3: maybe it will be useful to try also later, to import a project (this is for StellarisWare examples).

Step 4: selecting the tool: in my opinion the right tool would be arm-none-eabi, since this package is for Cortex. Next, try first to download support for more devices - and if you do not find out your device, click on the button "Specify flags manually" and complete whatever you may find out there. If in trouble, please post a capture of that page (use snipit tool)

The rest of the steps remain the same as in the web page.

Petrei

Here is a screen capture:

I don't have the "non-eabi" toolchain and I don't know what my device is..

Hi,

No, not this one - what I meant was to click on "Specify the flags manually" and post that a picture of that new tab - it is clear your device it is not on the list, can be seen from the beginning, that's why I suggested the Eclipse+...

Petrei

Petrei said:

it is clear your device it is not on the list

Are we sure?  Poster's snip only reveals STM32 MCUs (why is that?  seems ill-focused) - thus LM3S29xx may still appear - somewhere.  Should such (proper) search succeed - would that not save great time/effort & greatly reduce "back-forth" for, "helper?"  (i.e. Petrei)

Stand by the earlier suggestion that forum is being steered far afield by poster's (unexplained) urge to use (only) this complex procedure.  (I'll now shut up - go away...objection registered - CCS IDE "stands in the wings as more natural/easier alternative  {yet not w/out it's own pitfalls}...)

I don't really understand. When I create a new project, the first screen is:

and 

and the second one was posted earlier.

What should I do exactly?

Hi, 

@cb1,

Well, all micro familes suported are specified on manufacturer web site, and neither Tiva nor Stellaris appear (while MSP430 is present) and the "legacy" special info is present, so if the o/p processors is not on the list, could be treated as "legacy", meaning the user can write/pass the compiler switches (as explained in that page). So that was my thinking.

The weird thing is the compilers packages specified are all arm-eabi- which defy the usual convention that bare-metal arm micros are all arm-none-eabi- and however the STM32F4xx are presents on the list - maybe is something special and of coarse this should be asked at the manufacturer, not here.

@Romain, I was speaking about the step#4 in the indications page; see the message "Specify the flags manually" - click on that to set all compiler switches as specified in the legacy page - my intention was to force you to find it out and to use it. 

One more question: why do you need that application instead CCS for instance? 

Petrei

Petrei said:

bare-metal arm micros are all arm-none-eabi-

Agreed!  That's exactly what our group used when we started (10 years past) w/ARM 7 via AT91SAM7Sxxx.  And then - as you/I realized - productivity needs forced us to IAR.

So glad to see you now "steer" user to far simpler, vastly better supported CCS IDE.  (that was my original thrust - your generosity & expertise will be fully taxed - complying w/client's (unjustified) desire!)  (and still may not succeed!)

Such intense demands should be accompanied by (some) justification.  Perhaps you've noted - the more specialized/demanding the request - the less the justification of such need!   Not the best way to win friends/support - other than you/very few others - willing to go above/beyond!   Poster should bend. (awaken)

Thread will surely grow beyond 30 "back-forth" w/no promise of "Safe harbor!"  (i.e. successful debug/program result)

@Petrei:

@Romain, I was speaking about the step#4 in the indications page; see the message "Specify the flags manually" - click on that to set all compiler switches as specified in the legacy page - my intention was to force you to find it out and to use it. 

I've found this manual option but the next screen asked me for the flags and I don't know what to write there. What you call the "legacy page" is something I can't find. What is it exactly?

One more question: why do you need that application instead CCS for instance?

What is CSS?

Hi,

Short answers to your questions:

a) Legacy page is to be found on easily - look on this picture:

It is named "Legacy devices". 

b) CCS stand for Code Composer Studio - it is TI's tool for developing applications for micro controllers, including ARM Cortex; it is free to use with the specific board.

Also, there are some software examples and a peripheral driver library, in a bundle called TivaWare; both these items can be accessed from this link.

Cortex-M3 devices (now deprecated) were supported by a library called StellarisWare (search TI if you don't have it). All examples there, can be compiled for GCC - and there are several Makefiles to allow that; inside them you can find out all settings needed for "legacy" page of your IDE.

But I strongly suggest to start first with CCS and later, if you don't like it to move to other tools. It is a good thing to be able to work with several tools.

Petrei

OK, I've installed CCS but I don't know how to make it work with my board.

The documentation delivered with the box said to use IAR. I was doing great with that but CCS surely needs drivers for the board. I've created an empty project for this board but when trying to run a simple main.c on the board, it won't work. The console tells:

CORTEX_M3_0: GEL Output:
Memory Map Initialization Complete
CORTEX_M3_0: Trouble Writing Memory Block at 0x400fe060 on Page 0 of Length 0x4

Can you help me?

Thanks.

Hi,

OK, I understand; you should read and specify that from the beginning. Since your micro is no longer available, nor supported by TI, the only wise solution is to spend $12 (or Euro 12 if you are in Europe) to by the simplest Tiva board, EK-TM4C123GXL and play with. (The other not-expensive board is $19, with TM4C1294 micro, with Ethernet module, if you need).

Note2: for Cortex-M3, TI used to provide separate boards to work with separate toolchains, not anymore the case with Tiva boards. 

Petrei

Since your micro is no longer available, nor supported by TI, the only wise solution is to spend $12 (or Euro 12 if you are in Europe) to by the simplest Tiva board, EK-TM4C123GXL and play with

Or you can try if the free (and codesize-limited) versions of IAR Workbench or Keil uVision support you board. There should be a good chance.

But in the long run, I agree with Petrei - updating you aged hardware seems the better solution.

It depends on my boss need. I'll see...

It depends on my boss need. I'll see...

So your boss might need to comprehend the meaning of "NRND" ...

f. m. said:

So your boss might need to comprehend the meaning of "NRND" ...

And might the concept of, "efficiency/lost time"  dawn on that, "boss?"

Outdated - impossible to replace board AND MCU - hardest possible programming environment to master - your time/effort must be worth something!

We note past post (week ago):

"Sometimes the best question is the one NOT asked!

Why do you want to do this?"   (made NO sense then - makes LESS sense now...)