CCS/CODECOMPOSER: How to read high memory from CCS plugin

Jakub Tymejczyk16

Prodigy 60 points

Part Number: CODECOMPOSER
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F5659, MSP-EXP430FR5994, MSP-EXP430F5529LP

Tool/software: Code Composer Studio

Code Composer Studio version: Version: 8.3.0.00009

Host OS: Windows 10 64 bit

Processor: MSP430F5659
Processor options: mspx, large data and code model

Debugger: MSP-EXP430F5529LP and MSP-EXP430FR5994

I'm trying to write plugin for CCS which needs to read high memory (address 0x10000 or higher).

I'm able to read low memory with this snippet:

long startAddress = 0x8000;

long toRead = 0x10;

IMemoryBlockRetrieval memoryblockretr = (IMemoryBlockRetrieval)context.getAdapter(IMemoryBlockRetrieval.class);

IMemoryBlockExtension memoryblock = ((IMemoryBlockRetrievalExtension)memoryblockretr).getExtendedMemoryBlock(Long.toString(startAddress), (Object)context);

MemoryByte[] bytes = memoryblock.getBytesFromAddress(memoryblock.getBigBaseAddress(), toRead);

It works for both RAM and FLASH memory in MSP430X.

However, when I change startAddress to 0x10000, 0x18000, or 0xf0000 it reads memory from 0x0000, 0x8000, or 0x0000 respectively. It looks like it lost 4 most significant bits of address.

Reading 0x20 bytes from 0xfff0 works correctly: I'm getting bytes from 0xfff0 to 0x10010.

How to read memory from 0x10000 or higher?

Can this be a bug connected with ?

over 6 years ago

0 Ki over 6 years ago

TI__Guru**** 476481 points

Hello Jakub,
There are some considerations when working with high memory on MSP430 devices. I am going to move this thread to the MSP forum where the experts there are most familiar with these considerations.

Thanks
ki

0 Eason Zhou over 6 years ago

TI__Mastermind 40135 points

Hi,

I am sorry that I can't understand the plugin.

But in MSP430, the assembly code to access the 20-bit address is quite different from 16-bit. You can refer to this picture.

For more information, you can look into our user guide.

Eason

0 Dietmar Walther over 6 years ago in reply to Eason Zhou

TI__Genius 14165 points

Hi Jakub,

is it possible to post a snapshot of the disassembly window of these functions to see what the compiler generates out of it for the code accessing the MSP?
Normally as Eason mentioned it should be possible and because you using long varibalbes it should work. Also the CCS memory window can read at these addresses right?
I only can think of wrong datatype definition somehow causing the compiler to not convert it into the extended instructions.

0 Jakub Tymejczyk16 over 6 years ago in reply to Eason Zhou

Prodigy 60 points

That has nothing to do with MSP Assembly.

I'm trying to read memory using CCS interface.

Implementation of getBytesFromAddress method is available at

As I said it works for lower memory and truncates high memory addresses.

0 Jakub Tymejczyk16 over 6 years ago in reply to Dietmar Walther

Prodigy 60 points

Yes, CCS memory browser works OK. That tells me it should be possible to do from plugin also.

I don't know how CCS plugin accesses MSP neither how to debug plugin in CCS.

0 Jakub Tymejczyk16 over 6 years ago in reply to Jakub Tymejczyk16

Prodigy 60 points

I also checked memoryblock in both cases by invoking getBigBaseAddress(), getMemoryBlockStartAddress(), getBigLength(), getAddressSize(). In both cases (low and high memory) functions return same values, expect getBigBaseAddress(). getBigBaseAddress() returns correct address, not truncated. getAddressSize() returns 3.

0 Dietmar Walther over 6 years ago in reply to Jakub Tymejczyk16

TI__Genius 14165 points

Jakub,

I will reach out to another CCS expert and will come back latest next Tuesday.

0 Eason Zhou over 6 years ago in reply to Jakub Tymejczyk16

TI__Mastermind 40135 points

Hi,
That is a very grey area. We are still finding whether someone can answer your question.
Eason

0 desouza over 6 years ago in reply to Eason Zhou

TI__Guru**** 171519 points

Jakub,

Please apologize; I was waiting for confirmation from the dev teams.

It seems you are using standard Eclipse APIs to interface with the CCS debugger, but unfortunately we (TI) do not provide direct support for this. Sorry.

Regards,
Rafael

0 Jakub Tymejczyk16 over 6 years ago in reply to desouza

Prodigy 60 points

Thanks for your reply.

Is there any API provided by TI which allows to read x bytes of data from address y? Which works for both low and high memory?

0 desouza over 6 years ago in reply to Jakub Tymejczyk16

TI__Guru**** 171519 points

Jakub,

We do have two interfaces of scripting tools that perform Memory Reads and Writes (among other functions):
- Scripting Console, which is directly accessible from inside CCS
- Debug Server Scripting (DSS), which allows fully automation from the command line.

Both options are thoroughly documented at the Scripting Handbook below:
software-dl.ti.com/.../sdto_dss_handbook.html

Although I haven't tested, both options above are fully supported by TI and definitely support high memory access on MSP devices, provided the specific conditions hinted by @Ki-Soo Lee above are met.

Regards,
Rafael

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CCS/CODECOMPOSER: How to read high memory from CCS plugin