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IAR I-jet Trace vs Segger J-Trace

Dave Hohl
Expert 2315 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: SEGGER

I am using the IAR tool chain to develop code for the TM4C129 family. I currently have and IAR I-jet, but am thinking about purchasing a trace-capable debugger to help with debugging some of the weird problems I have been encountering.

My first inclination was to get the I-jet Trace from IAR, which costs $2000. However, the Segger J-Trace is under $1250 and seems to provide similar, if not superior, functionality. I am slightly reluctant to go with Segger, however, because it adds yet another vendor into the mix when trying to figure out why something is not working.

What are people's experiences with these debuggers? Any arguments pro or con for either? I'd be especially interested to hear from anyone who has used the J-Trace with the IAR tools.

Thanks,

Dave

  • Guru 47900 points

    Our small firm has 2 "J-Traces" - yet crack marketing staff has done so well we've only (slightly) explored them.    

    I believe results may vary based upon the target MCU.   We plan to launch our serious "J-Trace" use w/another's M7 - and have no interest in 129x - so my future comments may not prove entirely useful.

    While anecdotal - several clients have the J-Trace and appear content - which led to our purchase...

  • Guru 10570 points
    I can't speak to j-trace since I've not had reason to need it, but I can say that j-link and its utilities make a good combination

    Robert
  • in reply to Robert Adsett72
    Guru 47900 points

    Indeed Robert - btw - as I plan to speak w/Ms. Claudia this week - suspect she'll ask about your, (bit prolonged) "student discount status."

    (not that there's anything "wrong" with one moving slowly, methodically...)

  • in reply to cb1
    Expert 2315 points

    Thanks for the feedback. I was all ready to purchase a J-Trace, but then I discovered that for some reason TI did not enable the ETM signals onto the JTAG connector on the dev kit board. So the J-Trace would not be able to provide the trace info I want.

    --Dave

  • in reply to Dave Hohl
    Guru 47900 points

    Dave Hohl said:
    ... for some reason...did not enable the ETM signals - onto the JTAG connector - on the dev kit board.

    Might that reason be that few (very few) are equipped to profit from those signals?    And - that the deployment of those signals as "trace" subtracts from the total pins available for the "normal" mission?

    We've found that most "super scalar" MCUs are (only) those usually equipped to make best use of these (serious) trace capabilities...

  • in reply to cb1
    Expert 2315 points
    Hi, cb1-,

    I looked at the schematic for the dev kit board and found that the pins containing the trace data info are being used for the ethernet and flash bus interfaces. So I guess you are right -- those features are probably more valuable to folks than the trace data.

    --Dave
  • in reply to Dave Hohl
    Guru 47900 points
    One suspects the number of users - requiring and/or benefitting from trace - approaches the inverse of those who escape dreaded NMI, "discovery."