DM6446 framework components VICP example

Orjan, Are you trying to leverage the VICP accelerator on DM644x? If so, have you seen the VICP Lib here: http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/sprc831.html?
Gagan

Yes, that is exactly what I want to do.  I have seen (and downloaded) the VICP lib but I haven't taken a closer look at it yet; I will now.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Orjan

Note that v3.3 was posted last week on TI website: www.ti.com/vicp

It contains a few bug fixes.

Thanks.  Any suggestions on an existing example app to modify to make use of the VICP lib?  I toyed around with the readwrite example from dsplink a while ago; would that be a good starting point?

Orjan,

Are you looking at DSPLink only to boot load the DSP? Then any example app should help you.

Deepali

No, not really: I was looking for a good place to start using the VICP lib.  I'll be doing that this week, will update on progress.

Ok, I found that the VICP lib has a folder with several example applications; excellent.  But it seems the Linux version only contains CCS project files and no Makefiles.  Anyone managed to build these example applications under Linux?  (I'm thinking I can probably use the pre-built libraries.)  The normal compile I can probably manage since the source files are listed in the .pjt file, but there's a dm6446.tcf and dm6446cfg.cmd (looks like a linker script) which makes it non-obvious how to do it.

In the meantime, I'll see if I can get it to build under Windows.

Thanks

Hello,

Even though there is a "Linux" release, the target platfform is DSP c64x. Sorry for the confusion.

So first you will have to develop your application in c64x/DSP BIOS environment. Then to make it callable from ARM side in Linux environment, you will have to use DSP link to boot load your vicp application.

Yes, I understand that the build target is the C64x DSP.  I was hoping that the cross-compiling build host could be either Linux or Windows.

However, I've had no luck in building on Windows either with CCS v4.0 (batchBuild.pl 6446 -delete), of course after installing the Windows version of the VICP lib.  The CCS_SCRIPTING_PERL.pm file which batchBuild.pl complains about not finding is nowhere to be found in my installation.

batchBuild.pl says:

  # If the script returns an error such as: 'CCS_SCRIPTING_PERL.pm not found' make sure
  # you have the following environment variable defined:
  # PERL5LIB= C:\Perl\bin;C:\CCStudio_v3.3\bin\utilities\ccs_scripting

and

  # User must have Active Perl 5.6 or 5.8 and CCStudio Scripting patch installed

Could it be this only works with older CCS versions?  I haven't been able to find this "scripting patch".

Yes, it could be that the building script doesn't work on CCS 4.0 as it was only validated on CCSv3.3 .

You can individually build the projects by opening each *.pjt file in CCS .  You don't have to use the script, which offers a way of automatically building all the projects at once.

I have successfully built the arrayOp example in CCS 4.0 (using EDMA3 LLD 1.05 and BIOS 5.33), but I haven't been able to run it yet.

In the target configuration menu, I selected Texas Instruments Simulator under "connection", and DM6446 Device Cycle Accurate Simulator, Little Endian under "device".  (I selected DM6446 instead of C64x+ because of the need for VICP support).

When running the program inside CCS I immediately get an error message saying

  TMS320C64X+: RTDX: Not a valid RTDX program: RTDX protocol (JTAG) does not match CCS setup (SIMULATOR)

but the execution can be followed all the way to the CPIS_init call, at which point CCS locks up completely.

Do I need to change any project option (build-related or otherwise) to be able to run the example in a simulator context?

Thanks a lot,

Orjan

Ok, I managed to change the RTDX mode from JTAG to Simulator in the DSP/BIOS configuration tool (clicking the dm6446.tcf file in the project).  Launching a debug session, it now says

  TMS320C64X+: RTDX: RTDX program mode is simulator.

but the CCS environment still locks up at the CPIS_init call.  By assembly stepping, it seems to hang somewhere around edma3MemCpy.

Thanks,

Orjan

Hello Orjan,

You need an actual DM6446 or DM648 EVM to run the VICP library as I am not sure the device simulator supports the VICP.

Victor

Hi Victor,

I was under the impression it could run in a simulated enironment since the target configuration help for the DM6446 Device Cycle Accurate Simulator says:

  "Simulates the C64x+ core, MegaModule, SCR, EDMA3CC, EDMA3TC, Imaging Co-processor (VICP) [...]"

(emphasis mine).

/Orjan

Hello Orjan,

You may be the first person to try it on the simulator. I never tried to run the vicp lib on the simulator as I knew it would be very very slow based on past experience.

regards,

Victor

Hi Victor,

Ok, I'll be ordering an XDS510 USB JTAG emulator to work with the Spectrum Digital EVM board.

Thanks,

Orjan

Orjan,

Were you successful in working with VICP libraries running on simulator?

Thanks,

Manju

No, we got ourselves the XDS510 USB emulator and the 14-to-20 pin adapter board (which worked fine).