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

[Kim Lux <lux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One more thing: on some variants of the device, XGATE can only execute
code contained in RAM.  These devices have significant amounts of flash.
Thus the xgate code gets stored in flash, copied to RAM at runtime by
the 9S12X processor and then executed. 

Any idea how one tells gdb/eclipse that the code has been relocated ?
The assm/image file in the project is going to have flash addresses, but
the execution will occur at different addresses in RAM. 

There is no OS on the micocontroller. 

Thanks.  


On Fri, 2005-11-11 at 13:41 -0700, Kim Lux wrote:
> 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.