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CC3220: How to use UniFlash v4.1 Image Creator GUI to connect to CC3220S UART on a custom board

rperezti
Genius 12670 points

Part Number: CC3220

I have a custom board based on CC3220S and I am trying to use UniFlash v4.1 Image Creator GUI to connect to and program the board. Although I have not been able to use the GUI to connect to the board, the Image Creator command line interface communicates with the board and is able to program it successfully. I prefer to use the GUI during the development phase of the project.

Here are more details:

  • Clicking 'connect' in Image Creator GUI gives an error "Operation failed: Unhandled exception: Auto detect failure".
  • Using the image creator command line interface works correctly. For example, I can read the MAC address using this "dslite.bat --mode cc3220 device info --port COM90"
  • Using Windows7 Pro
  • The CC3220S programming (UART0) is connected is connected to an FTDI USB interface bridge and enumerated as a COM port on the PC
  • The SOP2:0 pins = 100

Please let me know what I might be missing to get the GUI connect feature to work and help with these questions:

  1. Is the UniFlash 4.1 Image Creator GUI connect feature only useable with TI Lauchpads or any CC3220 H/W connected to a PC COM port?
  2. Is there a way to specify the COM port for the Image Creator GUI to use with the connect feature?

Thanks,

Ruben

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 28285 points
    Hey Ruben,

    The Uniflash CLI is the backbone to Image Creator, so being able to use the command line interface tells us you should also be able to use the GUI.

    Can you verify nothing is taking control of your COM port while you are trying to connect?

    Have you been able to fully program the device using the CLI, or just the dslite command?

    The Uniflash tool should be able to program any CC3220 that is connected using a USB to UART interface.

    Regards,

    VR
  • 0 in reply to Vincent Rodriguez
    TI__Genius 12670 points
    Hi VR,
    Yes I confirm that no other application on my PC is taking control of the COM port.

    Yes I am able to fully program the device using the following CLI command "dslite.bat --mode cc3220 image program --file "C:\Users\a0322160\AppData\Local\Uniflash\Downloads\CC3220SImage.sli" --port COM90"

    I prefer to use the GUI because it has a nice feature that automatically creates the image with the MAC address read from the device. I don't know of a way to do that with CLI. Right now each time I want to program a new device with the CLI command above, I first have to read out the device MAC address, then manually recreate the image with the GUI so that it has correct MAC address, then program.

    R,
    Ruben
  • 0 in reply to rperezti
    TI__Genius 12670 points

    Hi I'm still stuck on this. I can program our H/W using the CLI over UART, but its very inconvenient. The main inconvenience is that I have to update the MAC address of my image for each unit I program and reading the MAC address is a manual process or using CLI, then copy-pasting into the GUI to recreate the image.

    If I can't use the Uniflash GUI to directly program CC3220 SPI Flash on custom H/W, then can someone show me how to use CLI to replicate the "Use Device Mac Address" feature of the GUI? This feature reads the MAC address from the H/W and automatically includes it in the created image of the "Create & Program" operation. See attached screenshot showing the feature I'm asking about.

    Thanks

  • 0 in reply to rperezti
    TI__Mastermind 28285 points
    Ruben,

    What does Uniflash do when you try to connect to your board? does it immediately tell you it times out, or does it take ~10 seconds? Regarding the MAC Address, if you are creating a production image you shouldn't need the MAC Address to be specified. Try creating a new project that is in production mode and recreating the SLI.

    The CLI I believe has the ability to do set MAC address, And i think you can get device info in JSON format as well. You can view this document for more info:
    www.ti.com/.../swru469a.pdf

    6.4.1 is command line example for getting device info

    Regards,

    VR
  • 0 in reply to Vincent Rodriguez
    TI__Genius 12670 points

    Vincent Rodriguez said:

     
     What does Uniflash do when you try to connect to your board? does it immediately tell you it times out, or does it take ~10 seconds?

    With custom UART to USB COM i/f (FTDI) immediately fails with this error:

    Operation failed: Unhandled exception: Auto detect failure

    With LaunchPad UART to USB COM i/f wired over to CC3220 UART on custom board, fails after 15 to 20 seconds with this error:

    Operation failed: Timeout reading data

    Vincent Rodriguez said:

    Regarding the MAC Address, if you are creating a production image you shouldn't need the MAC Address to be specified. Try creating a new project that is in production mode and recreating the SLI.

    This worked perfectly. Thanks! I don't have any need for the GUI connect feature now.

    Vincent Rodriguez said:

    The CLI I believe has the ability to do set MAC address, And i think you can get device info in JSON format as well. You can view this document for more info:
    www.ti.com/.../swru469a.pdf

    6.4.1 is command line example for getting device info

    I can see all the components of this in the CLI documentation but it seems like I would need to create additional scripting to copy-paste the MAC address from one command to another. I was looking for a more "automatic" way to loop the MAC address back into the image. Anyway, I don't need it now that I know about the "production" image not requiring a MAC address versus "development" image. I need to study up on the purpose of this.