Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC3200
Hello,
We are using the CC3200MOD. This device has a serial Flash (SFLASH) internally. My understanding is that SFLASH contains all program code and a bootloader will copy this code into SRAM at startup. The SFLASH contains 1 Mbyte of space and holds (among other things) the exectuable code image and a file system. The bootloader uses the lower 16 Kbytes of SRAM for internal purposes while running.
1) Is there any reason to create a new linker command file for Flash code? The current linker command file locates everything in SRAM. Since the final target code will be copied over by the bootloader, the same linker command file can be used for development and the final target image. Correct?
2) My current binary output is in a .out file and is about 3.8 Mbytes. The SRAM only holds 256 Kbytes, so the .out file can not be only the executable image. I assume the rest of the .out file is things like symbols and other things for debug. How can I create the minimum size binary file with none of the extra stuff? We need to give the file to a distributor to flash the parts before delivery and there is no benefit for them to get symbols and whatever else is in that file. I will also need the stripped executable image for software updates in the field (see below).
3) The product is designed to allow code updates. How do I do that? Does the binary image appear in the file system with a special file name and the bootloader does the rest? Our code image is around 160 Kbytes and there won't be enough space to contain two code images in SRAM at the same time. The new software will be downloaded through the SimpleLink WiFi or other connectivity. Can I just write it into the file system in some temp file? After that, how do I make it the new image next time the system reboots?
4) Assuming I change the executable image in SFLASH, how do I reboot the CPU under software control to get the image to become active? Is there some kind of API that will do this, or should I just divide by zero? ;-)
5) How much usable disk space is available on the internal flash? Worst case, the boot image could be as large as ~220 Kbytes, so is the remainder of the 1 Mbyte available to the file system? (Yes, I know there is some space take for WiFi management. I am looking for rough numbers here, I am not counting bytes)
6) The downloader needs 16 Kbytes during startup so we can't locate code there. Is there a way I can return that 16 Kbytes to the operating system so it can be used for mailboxes and queues or other RTOS objects?
7) The SFLASH uses a SPI bus. Is that the same SPI bus that comes out for the user or is it a dedicated SPI bus for SFLASH and WIFi?
8) Interrupt vectors are also loaded into SRAM when the system starts up. Do these have to start at a specific memory address or does the executable image know how to change the base address?
9) We have an external SFLASH part to add more nonvolatile storage. Is there a way to mount this as a second disk so we can use normal disk I/O to manage it? Is there a document that describes how to do this?
Please let me know of any app notes or data sheets available that cover the file system, boot image details, or other items related to the SFLASH. I am aware of the CC3200_ProgrammersGuide (swru369c)
Side Note : Is there some place where I can find all documents related to the CC3200? App notes, data sheets, reference manuals, etc. It is hard to be sure I have everything.
Second Side Note : Is there a document that describes all supported parameters and what they do for the XDC configuration file? I find individual items mentioned in many places in various forums but no single comprehensive list.
