CC2652R: UART prints for debugging in TI-RTOS Thread examples (empty_mtd or cli_mtd)

Hi,

Will Wang1 said:

To create our own Thread based application (the device is a sleeping end), should I start with empty-mtd or cli-mtd? How to setup the typical display_printf() over UART?

I would recommend empty-mtd, since this is more application-based (similar model to our temp_sensor example).

Will Wang1 said:

Then, assuming empty-mtd is the starting point for our app, I spent a few hours but I couldn’t figure out how to UART printf(). Empty-mtd has a custom TI CUI menu; cli-mtd has the Thread CLI UART interface.  

To enable traditional line-by-line serial logs (vs CUI), ensure that these are in your pre-defined symbols:
BOARD_DISPLAY_USE_UART=1
TIOP_CUI=0

I tried this out, and am able to see the "Empty Example initialized! Have fun!" in PuTTY.

Can you try this out?
Please let us know if you run into any other issues.

Thanks for developing with TI devices,
Toby

Hi Toby,

Suggestion worked. Thanks!

1. How/when should we use the TI CUI? I see there is a menu for app but sub-menu is empty. What's the purpose of TI CUI?

2. How to enable the Openthread debug outputs to the same UART terminal? Eg. otPlatLog() outputs. Based on this tutorial, this should work together with the Thread CLI example, so I think should also work for empty example. I tried the instructions here (changed ENABLE_ALL_LOGS_TO_UART to 1 in openthread-config-cc12x2_26x2-mtd.h), but see no OT debug output. but https://dev.ti.com/tirex/content/simplelink_cc13x2_26x2_sdk_5_20_00_52/docs/thread/html/thread-guide/debugging-index.html#controlling-log-output

3. Any tips to speed up the build for empty_mtd project? I turned off compiler optimizations, ensured parallel build is on, but still takes ~5min to run (right click on the project, select "build")

Thanks,

Will

Will Wang1 said:

1. How/when should we use the TI CUI? I see there is a menu for app but sub-menu is empty. What's the purpose of TI CUI?

Example Applications — SimpleLink CC13x2 / CC26x2 SDK Thread User's Guide 1.08.04.00 documentation

It's another tool that can be used during development/debug phase.
It gives a method of input/output through the UART interface (e.g. you can use the keyboard arrow keys for input).

Will Wang1 said:

2. How to enable the Openthread debug outputs to the same UART terminal? Eg. otPlatLog() outputs. Based on this tutorial, this should work together with the Thread CLI example, so I think should also work for empty example. I tried the instructions here (changed ENABLE_ALL_LOGS_TO_UART to 1 in openthread-config-cc12x2_26x2-mtd.h), but see no OT debug output. but https://dev.ti.com/tirex/content/simplelink_cc13x2_26x2_sdk_5_20_00_52/docs/thread/html/thread-guide/debugging-index.html#controlling-log-output

In disp_utils.c, try commenting this line out: "#if (OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_LOG_OUTPUT == OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_LOG_OUTPUT_APP)"

I'll need to investigate a bit more to see why this worked for me.

Will Wang1 said:

3. Any tips to speed up the build for empty_mtd project? I turned off compiler optimizations, ensured parallel build is on, but still takes ~5min to run (right click on the project, select "build")

I think you've hit all the points here.
Here is an additional reference point: https://e2e.ti.com/support/wireless-connectivity/zigbee-thread-group/zigbee-and-thread/f/zigbee-thread-forum/1022477/launchxl-cc1352r1-cli_ftd-example-not-compiling-and-blocking-the-ccs

Thank you. I'm good with #1 and #3. 

About #2: 

In the empty_ftd/mtd, After modify both disp_utils.c (as you mentioned above) and openthread-config-cc12x2_26x2-mtd/ftd.h, I can finally see the otLogger outputs (and traditional UART display printf).

In the cli_ftd/mtd, there is no disp_utils.c file. I'm curious how you enable both the CLI and otLogger output simultaneously as shown in: https://dev.ti.com/tirex/content/simplelink_cc13x2_26x2_sdk_5_20_00_52/docs/thread/html/thread-guide/debugging-index.html#controlling-log-output

Thanks,

Will