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  • Debugging Sitara AM2x Microcontrollers

    • SPRAD28 October   2022 AM2431 , AM2432 , AM2434 , AM2631 , AM2631-Q1 , AM2632 , AM2632-Q1 , AM2634 , AM2634-Q1 , AM263P2-Q1 , AM263P4 , AM263P4-Q1 , AM26C31 , AM26C31-EP , AM26C31M , AM26C32 , AM26C32-EP , AM26C32C , AM26C32M , AM26LS31 , AM26LS31M , AM26LS32A , AM26LS32AC , AM26LS32AM , AM26LS33A , AM26LS33A-SP , AM26LS33AM , AM26LV31 , AM26LV31E , AM26LV31E-EP , AM26LV32 , AM26LV32E , AM26LV32E-EP , AM26S10 , AM2732 , AM2732-Q1

       

  • CONTENTS
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  • Debugging Sitara AM2x Microcontrollers
  1.   Abstract
  2.   Trademarks
  3. 1 Building for Debug
    1. 1.1 Disable Code Optimization
    2. 1.2 Using the Debug SDK Libraries
  4. 2 Code Composer Studio Stop-Mode Debugging
    1. 2.1 Configuring the Debugger
    2. 2.2 Breakpoints and Watchpoints
      1. 2.2.1 Software Breakpoints
      2. 2.2.2 Hardware Breakpoints
      3. 2.2.3 Watchpoints
    3. 2.3 Inspecting Device Registers
    4. 2.4 Inspecting Disassembly
  5. 3 Debug Logging
    1. 3.1 Logging Methods
    2. 3.2 Log Zones
    3. 3.3 Asserts
    4. 3.4 Example Usage
  6. 4 Multi-Core Debug
    1. 4.1 Grouping Cores
      1. 4.1.1 Fixed Group
      2. 4.1.2 Hiding Cores
    2. 4.2 Using Multiple Workbench Windows
    3. 4.3 Global Breakpoints
  7. 5 Debugging Arm Cortex-R5 Exceptions
    1. 5.1 Exception Priority Order
    2. 5.2 Aborts
      1. 5.2.1 Data Aborts
        1. 5.2.1.1 Alignment
        2. 5.2.1.2 Background Aborts
        3. 5.2.1.3 Permission
        4. 5.2.1.4 Synchronous/Asynchronous External
        5. 5.2.1.5 Synchronous/Asynchronous ECC
      2. 5.2.2 Synchronous/Asynchronous Aborts
        1. 5.2.2.1 Changing an Asynchronous Abort to a Synchronous Abort
        2. 5.2.2.2 Synchronous Abort
        3. 5.2.2.3 Asynchronous Abort
        4. 5.2.2.4 Debugging Asynchronous Abort
      3. 5.2.3 Prefetch Abort
        1. 5.2.3.1 Possible Reasons for Prefetch Abort
        2. 5.2.3.2 Handling Prefetch Abort Exception
      4. 5.2.4 Undefined Instruction
        1. 5.2.4.1 Possible Reasons for Undefined Instruction Exception
        2. 5.2.4.2 Handling Undefined Instruction Exception
    3. 5.3 Fetching Core Registers Inside an Abort Handler
  8. 6 Debugging Arm Cortex-M4 Exceptions
    1. 6.1 Exception Entry and Exit Sequence
      1. 6.1.1 Entry Sequence
      2. 6.1.2 Exception Exit Sequence
      3. 6.1.3 Decoding EXC_RETURN Value
    2. 6.2 Faults Handling
      1. 6.2.1 There are 15 System Exceptions by Arm Cortex M Processors
        1. 6.2.1.1 Causes of Faults
      2. 6.2.2 HardFault Exception
        1. 6.2.2.1 Causes of HardFault Exception
      3. 6.2.3 Configurable Fault Exceptions
        1. 6.2.3.1 Mem Manage Fault Exception
        2. 6.2.3.2 BusFault Exception
        3. 6.2.3.3 Usage Fault Exception
      4. 6.2.4 Control Registers
        1. 6.2.4.1 SHP - System Handler Priority Register
      5. 6.2.5 Status Registers
        1. 6.2.5.1 Undefined Instruction Handling Example
        2. 6.2.5.2 Invalid State Handling Example
      6. 6.2.6 Printing the Stack Frame
  9. 7 Debugging Memory
    1. 7.1 Viewing Device Memory
    2. 7.2 Linker Command File (linker.cmd)
      1. 7.2.1 The Memory Directive
      2. 7.2.2 The Sections Directive
    3. 7.3 Stack Overflow
      1. 7.3.1 -fstack-protector
      2. 7.3.2 -fstack-protector-strong
      3. 7.3.3 -fstack-protector-all
      4. 7.3.4 Enabling Stack Smashing Detection
      5. 7.3.5 Enabling Stack Smashing Detection
    4. 7.4 Variables and Expressions View in CCS
    5. 7.5 Understanding Your Application's Memory Allocation
    6. 7.6 FreeRTOS ROV
  10. 8 Debugging Boot
    1. 8.1 ROM Boot
    2. 8.2 SBL Boot
    3. 8.3 GEL Files
      1. 8.3.1 Debugging Init Code
        1. 8.3.1.1 Disable Auto-Run to Main
  11. 9 Debugging Real-Time Control Loops
    1. 9.1 Trace
      1. 9.1.1 Processor / Core Trace
      2. 9.1.2 How to Use CCS to Capture Trace Data on an AM243x
    2. 9.2 Code Profile / Coverage
      1. 9.2.1 CCS Count Event
    3. 9.3 Real-Time UART Monitor
      1. 9.3.1 Confirm CCS Features
      2. 9.3.2 Create Target Configuration File
      3. 9.3.3 Add Serial Command Monitor Software
      4. 9.3.4 Launch Real Time Debug
  12. 10E2E Support Forums
  13. IMPORTANT NOTICE
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APPLICATION NOTE

Debugging Sitara AM2x Microcontrollers

Abstract

This application note covers the various debugging tools and techniques available to users developing applications with Sitara™ AM2x microcontrollers (MCUs).

Trademarks

Sitara™ and Code Composer Studio™ are trademarks of Texas Instruments.

Arm® is a registered trademark of tm.

Cortex® is a registered trademark of Arm Limited (or its subsidiaries) in the US and/or elsewhere.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

1 Building for Debug

This section covers how to build your application for optimal debugging.

1.1 Disable Code Optimization

Before debugging your code, disable any compiler optimization. When compiler optimization is enabled, stepping through code can become unpredictable, and breakpoints sometimes cannot be set to the exact line in the C source code. This is because the optimizer can condense code and impact the correlation between the assembly instruction and the C source. Due to this, the recommendation is to turn off compiler optimization when stepping through code.

To disable compiler optimization, go to your project's properties > Build > Arm Compiler > Optimization, and set the optimization level to none or 0. If building with makefiles, this can be done by modifying the makefiles directly. For MCU+ SDK, this is typically done within the submodule's makefile (not the top-level makefile).

1.2 Using the Debug SDK Libraries

The SDK provides two versions of libs: "Debug" and "Release". The "Debug" version is built with optimization disabled, while the "Release" version is built with optimization enabled. The recommendation is to use the "Debug" version of an SDK lib when debugging.

The SDK libs follow the naming convention: "{library name}.{device}.{core}.{compiler}.{version}.lib"

For example, "drivers.am243x.m4f.ti-arm-clang.release.lib" implies the following:

  • Library Name: Drivers Library
  • Device: AM243x MCU
  • Core: Arm® Cortex®-M4F Core
  • Compiler: TI Arm Clang Compiler
  • Version: Release

The libraries that are linked to your project can be configured in the project properties under Build > Arm Linker > File Search Path.

2 Code Composer Studio Stop-Mode Debugging

This section covers the key debug features offered by Code Composer Studio™ (CCS) for stop-mode debugging. Stop-mode debugging refers to debugging where stopping or halting the core is involved, as opposed to real-time debugging, which involves debugging without stopping the core (real-time debug is discussed in this application note in a later section).

2.1 Configuring the Debugger

The chip can be debugged using CCS via the JTAG port. If using a Sitara AM2x MCU evaluation board, you can use the on-board JTAG debug probe. There is also typically support for using your own JTAG debug probe via an external header.

To setup your board and debugger for CCS debug, see the EVM Setup section of the MCU+ SDK Getting Started guide for your device to setup your board and debugger for CCS debug.

 
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