[cdt-debug-dev] Debugging multiple core microcontrollers.

[Kim Lux <lux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi guys. 

I'm an Eclipse newbie.  A couple of us are test driving it as the IDE
for developing microcontroller code, using gcc, gdb.  So far it looks
excellent.  (A few issues here and there, but I'm sure it will
mature...) 

Anyway, we need to start working with a dual core processor, the
Freescale (formerly Motorola) 68HC9S12XDP256.

This processor has 2 completely separate cores.  The first is a
conventional 9S12 processor with a few extended operands to handle
communications with the other processor. (It is now called the 9S12X.) 

The second processor is called XGATE.  It runs within the same memory
map as the 9S12X does, but it has its own registers, instruction set,
code areas, data areas, etc. 

We are working on building gas, gcc and gdb ports for the XGATE now.  As
it sits right now, it looks like we will have separate gcc, gas, ld and
gdb executables for each processor.

As far as building goes, we think the following will be true right now:

a) separate C source files for each processor, although we could
probably easily build a perl front end to the gccs that allowed us to
use files containing source for both.

b) we could write one version of gdb to handle both processors, but I
think it would be a nightmare.  Having a separate instance of gdb for
each processor would make the problem straight forward. 

c) each processor has its own breakpoints, registers, PC, etc.  We can
stop each independently of each other.    

So... how do you suggest we handle this in Eclipse ?  My first
inclination is to run 2 simultaneous instances of it, although I am not
sure that is possible.  Right now it gives a workspace in use error.    

Just to throw another wrench in the works, our embedded project has a PC
UI component that we are going to develop in Java using... Eclipse.
Ideally, I would like to run/debug the 9S12X, XGate and Java UI code all
on the same PC as being able to debug and make code changes on both the
microcontroller and PC components at the same time makes things a lot
easier. 

I look forward to your comments.   

-- 
Kim Lux,  Diesel Research Inc.