The latest NXP MCUXpresso VS Code extension and LinkServer software included a small but very helpful feature for me: the ability to identify a connected probe with a blinky:
Debug Probe Identification with a Blinky
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NXP LinkServer Adds Standalone Power & Energy Measurement
NXP has released a new LinkServer v26.9.130. And it comes with a major new feature: it now includes power and energy measurement:
Additionally, it has a command line interface for this, making it ideal for AI agent usage or for automated tests in a CI/CD environment.
Continue readingInstalling MCUXpresso Installer in DevContainer
Setting up the correct tools for a development environment can be complex and time consuming. I’m using DevContainers with Docker for almost all of my projects. Because that way I get an isolated development environment. For this I spend time to craft dedicated docker files, to have everything installed correctly with the the right versions.
Outside a docker or DevContainer environment, I’m using the NXP MCUXpresso installer. It is a standalone application which can be used from VS Code to check and install all the necessary tools.
In this article, I show how to have the NXP MCUXpresso Installer installed in a DevContainer so it can be used with VS Code.
Continue readingExplore Freedom of Choice with Debug Extensions for NXP and Cortex-Debug
I’m using different MCUS from NXP with VS Code, and for this I’m mostly using the NXP MCUXpresso extension for VS Code.
At the same time, I’m using the cortex-debug extension for other ARM Cortex-M based MCUs, for example the Raspberry Pi Pico series.
Does it makes sense to use cortex-debug for NXP devices, and what would be the benefit? More precise: can I use the NXP MCU-Link (LinkServer based) debug probes with cortex-debug, to debug another NXP MCU?
Using Tracealyzer for Embedded Systems Analysis
In my latest research project I’m using the NXP FRDM-MCXN947 board. As part of that project I have to collect and export application trace data for later analysis. In that project I’m using the the Tracealyzer product from Percepio.
In this article I describe different ways to export trace data from the embedded target: using generic GDB commands or with an trace exporter in VS Code.
Continue readingSemihosting with LinkServer in VS Code
For an university research project, I need to write some console output and the same time write a file with data from the embedded board to the host. A logical choice for this is using semihosting.
Build and Debug QEMU in Docker
For an university research project we are implementing a software simulator for the EZH (or SmartDMA) co-prozessor present on some NXP MCUs.
This article describes how to setup and build QEMU in a docker container, including debugging QEMU with VS Code.
Continue readingDebug C/C++ Apps in Docker with VS Code: A Step-by-Step Guide
Debugging a C/C++ application inside a Docker Container using VS Code is surprisingly easy.
This article shows the needed steps.
Continue readingVisualize Embedded Power Data in VS Code
With the NXP MCU-Link Pro I can measure current and power/energy of an embedded target. In this article I describe how I can use and visualize that data in VS Code:
Building the MetaClockClock78: My Largest Clock Project Yet
From my previous MetaClockClock project, I still had some hardware available. So I decided to build my largest build so far: to clocks with 78 clocks each.
