F021 API lib for TMS570 - SIL-compliant SW

Dear Jiri,

The currently released flash API software library is not developed compliant to IEC 61508 or ISO 26262.  Compliant versions are in discussion.  Until such versions are available, we recommend that customers carry out an appropriate software qualification process on the provided libraries.

Regards,

Karl

Hello Karl,

thanks for your quick reply!

It sounds good that you are considering this - may I ask you for a rough estimation when such lib version can be available?

Sorry, I am a bit confused now - as far as I know source code of TI Flash API is not available for customers, right? This can be a problem in terms of the SW qualification proces, cannot?

If source code is available, then we can also modify the build process - as mentioned in the linked forum thread...

Thanks for your comments in advance,

Best regards, Jiri 

Dear TI experts,

may you comment my questions regarding the SW quaility process above?

I would really appreciate that.

Thanks in advance, Best regards, Jiri

Hello Jiri,

Sorry for the delayed response - I was not notified of your update over the holiday break.

I cannot publicly comment on schedules for unreleased products or products under discussion.  I would suggest that you contact TI sales to arrange for a discussion under NDA.

As a standard product the Flash API is delivered only in library form.  We have arranged source code licenses in certain cases where a customer felt source code access was necessary for safety assessment.  This is another area where you would need to contact TI sales to arrange a discussion.  Please note that this is not mandatory for the standards which I am aware of - black box software qualification is well accepted.

I do not know if modification rights are included with the source code license for assessment.  I will ask one of our API developers to chime in to this thread with more details.

Regards,
Karl 

Hello Jiri,

There is the possibility of getting the Flash API source code through either in document form (review only) or file form (allows for building), but these require the execution of a signed license agreement and in the case of the file form,  you would assume all liability for device Flash operation (voids Flash datasheet specifications). 

Either one of these needs to be initiated through a request to your local TI representative and is not a quick process (lawyers have to be involved).

On the issue of modifying the existing released libraries by stripping the symbols, any modification to the released libraries is not supported and is considered a violation of the F021 Flash API license agreement and would void any Flash datasheet specifications, including, but not limited to, data retention life, number of write / erase cycles, etc.

I will submit a request for you to have a version of the libraries without debug symbols and it will be considered for a future release of the API.

Hello Karl and John,

thanks for you detailed information! Based on that I would like to submit further queries:

1) As far as I know our company has the valid NDA with TI - so may I ask you for additional communication of confidential issues via email (jiri.janacek@skoda.cz)?  Of course, I can provide you with a copy of the signed NDA via email to confirm that.

2) As John mentioned you will consider a stripped library version for a future release - great, really appreciated! Another proposal is whether you can prepare a library properly working with GNU toolchain (GCC + GDB)? Or is the target of your library just Code Composer environment?

3) The current version of the Flash API is 2.0.0 Beta - may you estimate when the official version 2.0.0 will be released? Yes, this can be aswered just secretly with signed NDA, right?

Many thanks for your hints in advance,

Best regards, Jiri

Hello Jiri,

What distribution of gcc and gdb are you using?  I have another customer that does not have any issues using the library as released.

The F021 Flash API v02.00.01 was released yesterday.

Hello John,

I have just tried the latest API version (02.00.01 - no changes as strippping applied) with the latest (as far as I know) GCC and GDB versions (4.7 2013q2) - unfortunately the issue described in this forum thread is pending...

Important remark:

This GNU toolchain has been built by our side - the "default" release of GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors does not support Cortex R4(F) in the big endian variant as TMS570 is. Please may you identify and report here which versions are used by your another costumer?

Many thanks in advance,

Best regards,

Jiri

Hello Jiri,

They used at the last time I had discussions with them over 1-1/2 years ago, gcc 4.6.2 and gdb 7.3.

Hello John,

as I wrote previously I tried the GNU package in the version 4.6 2012q4 and 4.7 2013q2 which include following version of GCC and GDB:

1)

arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe (GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors) 4.6.2

GNU gdb (GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors) 7.3.1.

2) 

arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe (GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors) 4.7.4

GNU gdb (GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors) 7.4.1.

It seems that I can follow this way although it does not make me happy:

- for debugging session I will use the stripped version of your lib

- for release I will link the complete Flash API lib

Another idea:

Does your another costumer use TMS570 device? I would assume that ;-) So may you connect me with them - I would try to discuss the needed re-build of the GNU tool-chain with them if I can.

Many thanks in advance,

cheers, Jiri

Jiri,

They are using TMS570.  Unfortunately I am not in a position where I can connect them up with you.

Hello Jiri,

Our tools team is suspecting this issue is due to the TI compiler not setting the symbol size field for function symbols.  If this is the case then they consider this an issue with the GNU tools as neither ELF nor ARM EABI require that the symbol size must be non-zero.