TMS320F280039: variable cannot display in expression for coff format project

Terry Deng

Part Number: TMS320F280039
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: C2000WARE

Tool/software:

How to display variable in expression for COFF format project?

Do test by using cla_ex1_asin example project from C:\ti\c2000\C2000Ware_5_00_00_00\driverlib\f28003x\examples\cla base on CCS v12.

1, Complier base on eabi (ELF) format then running project, the variable could display normal as below

2, Change output format to legacy COFF, and also replace "driverlib.lib" with COFF format, complier then running project, the variable could not display as below;

9 months ago

0 Ki 9 months ago

TI__Guru**** 474421 points

Hi Terry,

Can you attach your project for the COFF version?

Thanks

0 Terry Deng 9 months ago in reply to Ki

TI__Expert 3015 points

please check the COFF version project at below, using CPU1_FLASH configuration.

Actually it is example project from SDK without modify, just change ELF to COFF.

https://e2e.ti.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/171/cla_5F00_ex1_5F00_asin.7z

0 Ki 9 months ago in reply to Terry Deng

TI__Guru**** 474421 points

Thanks, I can reproduce the issue.

It looks like CCS is reading the wrong memory page for COFF executables.

For example, for ELF:

It is correctly reading from the Data page

For COFF:

It is incorrectly reading from the Program page and the debugger memory map is blocking what it thinks is invalid memory accesses to the Program page.

Note that if I explicitly turn off the debugger memory mapping, the debugger can then access the program page at those addresses:

I can reproduce the same issue in CCS 20. I filed a bug for this. Tracking link:https://sir.ext.ti.com/jira/browse/EXT_EP-12393

Please note that I only filed for CCS 20 since CCS 12.x has been deprecated in support.

Thanks

0 Terry Deng 9 months ago in reply to Ki

TI__Expert 3015 points

Hi Ki

Thanks your support, I confirm variable display return normal on cpu side after using your method, however cla side still cannot display variable as below capture, may need your further investigation, thanks

0 Ki 9 months ago in reply to Terry Deng

TI__Guru**** 474421 points

Terry Deng said:
however cla side still cannot display variable as below capture, may need your further investigation, thanks

This is also already a known issue that we will address in a future release.

0 Terry Deng 9 months ago in reply to Ki

TI__Expert 3015 points

so you mean we have not workaround to display variable in cla side? what is our suggestion for customer to debug cla variable? when we can fix it in future release?

0 Ki 9 months ago in reply to Terry Deng

TI__Guru**** 474421 points

The issue is that the debugger is again looking at the wrong page (Program instead of Data):

https://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontrollers/c2000-microcontrollers-group/c2000/f/c2000-microcontrollers-forum/1195576/tms320f28388d-variables-are-not-changed-in-cla-debug-mode/4522161#4522161

One suggestion is to use the memory browser and explicitly view the Data page.

The CLA issue is a bit more tricky as the generated debug symbol information does not have the correct information. It may require the symbols to have additional information generated. Discussion is ongoing.

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TMS320F280039: variable cannot display in expression for coff format project