Category Archives: Tips & Tricks

Tutorial: Creating and using ROM Libraries with GNU Build Tools

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You might never heard about ROM Libraries, and you are probably not alone. Some might thing that this refers to the boot ROM modern MCUs have built in, which is kinda close. But the thing here is about to build your own (possibly constant) ROM library, program it to your device of choice, and then use it from the application running on the device.

So the concept is to have a (fixed, stable) part with code and data on your device, which can be used by a (possibly changing) application: Think about a stable LoRaWAN network stack in the ROM, with a changing application using it: Would that not be cool?

ROM Library Concept

This not only adds flexibility, but as well allows smaller updates, as only a part of the program has to be changed or updated.

The question is: how to create and use such a ROM Library with the normal GNU build tools?

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Include .bin Binary Files in a GNU Linker File

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Sometimes it is needed or desired just to add or link a piece of data or BLOB (Binary Large OBject) to the application. For example I have created a .bin file of my code and constant data, and I need to add it to an application using the linker file. How to do this?

added BLOB to application
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Resurrecting ‘bricked’ NXP Kinetis Devices

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Modern MCUs like the NXP Kinetis have security features which prevent reverse engineering, but can ‘brick’ devices too. Depending on the settings, it prevents read-out from the FLASH or reprogramming the device. While some of the protection is (mostly) not by-passable by design, in many case the devices looks like ‘bricked’ but still can be recovered. In this article I’ll get you some ways for a (hopefully) successful recovery.

J-Link EDU Mini recovering a tinyK22 with needle adapter
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Refilling the non-refillable Miele AutoDos Dishwasher Automatic Detergent Dispensing Disks

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Did you know that modern (dish) washing machines have the ability to automatically dispense detergents? The positive side is: this can reduce the amount of detergents used. The machine will monitor the washing process, and ‘cleaner’ dishes should require less detergents.

Our new energy Miele Dishwasher came with that exact feature: the Miele AutoDos System, an automatic detergent dispensing system. The detergent is inside a rotating disk, dispensing detergents as needed, making it (hopefully) more environment-friendly:

Miele AutoDos Power Disk in Miele Dishwasher

The downside is: Miele did not make it refillable: after around 20 washing cycles, you have to replace the disk with a new one. This is not environment friendly. So I wanted to change this….

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Installing Processor Expert into MCUXpresso IDE

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With the new MCUXpresso versions out, and because it has been a while I showed how to install Processor Expert into Eclipse, here is an update how to do this.

Processor Expert in MCUXpresso IDE
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Debugging the LPC804 on the MCU-Link Pro with an external Debug Probe

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The NXP MCU-Link Pro debug probe includes a LPC804 as an additional microcontroller on the board, including its debug header.

MCU-Link Pro Debug Probe Board

The question is: how to debug the on-board extra LPC804 microcontroller with an external debug probe?

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GNU Coverage (gcov) with NXP S32 Design Studio IDE

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The open-source GNU tools provide a rich set of tools to help developing software. Some are clearly more for the high-end application development. But many of the tools are applicable for the more restricted embedded software development process as well. One is gcov, or the GNU Coverage Tool. Coverage is essential for the testing phase, as it tells you what part of code have been used and ‘covered’. This article describes how GNU coverage can be added the NXP S32 Design Studio IDE.

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Recovering bricked LPC55Sxx EVK Boards

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While developing applications, it can happen that things go wrong. And in my case I ended up with two LPC55Sxx EVK boards on my desk, which seemed not to be usable any more. The issue: the boards were not accessible with the debug probe, because right after main they muxed the pins in a wrong way :-(.

bricked board with set of debut probes

The standard GDB debug connections (both on-board and off-board) were not able to regain access of the board, because the MCU was running into the fault condition pretty much right out of reset.

Luckily, after a lot of trial-and-error, I have found a way to recover them.

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Using Custom Source File Extensions with Eclipse CDT Gnu Make Builder Projects

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One great thing with the Eclipse Gnu Make Builder (aka ‘auto make’ or ‘auto build’) feature: just add source files (*.c, *.cpp, …), and with kind of magic, they all get compiled and linked properly.

But for something easy and convenient: is it hard to use custom file extensions? So what if I want to use a different file extension for my source files, different from the standard ones? Actually Eclipse CDT can do this too, it just takes two settings to recognize, compile and link source files with custom extension.

Custom file extension with Eclipse auto-build
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Debugging with Dynamic Printf Breakpoints

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I’m not a big fan of using printf() in embedded applications, but I have to admit that in some cases it is very useful. One problem in debugging embedded systems debugging is getting values or information off the target: because of the limited resources this can be very challenging.

So why not doing this with the debugger in an automated way? And here dynamic printf breakpoints can help: it adds printf()-style output on-the-fly to your program without the need to recompile or restart your program, without the need to run printf() on the target:

Using Dynamic Printf Breakpoint
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