Ways of programming a TMS470 (TI microcontroller with 256k flash)?

"Mayank Kaushik" <prehistorictoad2k@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
news:1110039266.383910.52470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi, Leon
>
>> Olimex's) are compatible with the Macraigor Wiggler, you can use the
> free
>> Macraigor OCD Commander utility for uploading code into the TMS470.
>> Leon
>
> I havent tried anything yet, but the Macraigor site states this about
> the OCD Commander:
> "This debugger is not designed to be used to program flash devices
> connected to your target"
> Is there a workaround?
>
> The Flash programmer has a demo version but costs $$$500 8-Z

You are right, it just lets you load code into RAM for testing. You could 
write some code to program the flash from the RAM.

Leon 

> You are right, it just lets you load code into RAM for testing. You
could
> write some code to program the flash from the RAM.
>
> Leon

Thats an idea, but the RAM in this chip is too limited..12k only.Can u
suggest a way of sending the data (what protocol?) Ive tried this with
the AT91rm9200 using the xmodem protocol, but the protocol
implementation itself left little room for anything else in the RAM.and
that too despite the fact that much of the xmodem stuff was on the
internal ROM. A simple checksum on the receiver would take care of the
error detection, i suppose..

In article <4229e9c5$0$10937$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com>, 
leon_heller@hotmail.com says...
> "Mayank Kaushik" <prehistorictoad2k@yahoo.com> wrote in message 
> news:1110039266.383910.52470@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi, Leon
> >
> >> Olimex's) are compatible with the Macraigor Wiggler, you can use the
> > free
> >> Macraigor OCD Commander utility for uploading code into the TMS470.
> >> Leon
> >
> > I havent tried anything yet, but the Macraigor site states this about
> > the OCD Commander:
> > "This debugger is not designed to be used to program flash devices
> > connected to your target"
> > Is there a workaround?
> >
> > The Flash programmer has a demo version but costs $$$500 8-Z
> 
> You are right, it just lets you load code into RAM for testing. You could 
> write some code to program the flash from the RAM.
> 
That was my first ARM project:  To write a small (<2K) monitor that 
resides in RAM.  This monitor  has the capability to read in new 
programs from the serial or USB port into RAM, then program the flash.  
(It also has to handle memory remapping and burning itself into flash).
I elected to us Moto S-record format,  but you could use any number
of other compiler or assembler output formats.

By the time you've got this monitor working, you will have a good
understanding of the peripherals,  memory mapping,  and flash
burning procedures.   The monitor can remain part of the system
to allow you to load and execute your larger programs.


Mark Borgerson

toby wrote:
> CBFalconer wrote:
>> ...
>> Do not confuse google with a news server.  Google simply archives
>> the happenings in the world of usenet, and provides a broken (see
>> sig below) interface to it.  ...
> 
> Do you think they will ever fix it?! I actually like the interface
> on the whole - although I preferred the pre-beta one - but they
> really need to start paying attention to feedback on it IMHO.
> There are other stupidities in it.

I have no idea.  They did fix the stupid absorption of leading
white space.  I can't understand how they can justify not fixing
the reply link, since all it requires is linking that to different
and pre-existing code.  I suspect the way to apply pressure is to
loudly and publicly ridicule their technical ability, and thus
their long term viability, as long as they fail to fix it.  Sell
the stock short.  Complain to them.

-- 
"If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use
 the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article.  Click on 
 "show options" at the top of the article, then click on the 
 "Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson

CBFalconer wrote:
> toby wrote:
> > CBFalconer wrote:
> >> ...
> >> Do not confuse google with a news server.  Google simply archives
> >> the happenings in the world of usenet, and provides a broken (see
> >> sig below) interface to it.  ...
> >
> > Do you think they will ever fix it?! I actually like the interface
> > on the whole - although I preferred the pre-beta one - but they
> > really need to start paying attention to feedback on it IMHO.
> > There are other stupidities in it.
>
> I have no idea.  They did fix the stupid absorption of leading
> white space.

I think they also fixed that absurd oversight about being able to reply
to old (and ancient) threads - a problem best outlined by Michael
Black:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.folklore.computers/msg/67f2cd1f8e94c395

> I can't understand how they can justify not fixing
> the reply link, since all it requires is linking that to different
> and pre-existing code.

Yes, that's why I've been wondering why they haven't already done it.

> I suspect the way to apply pressure is to
> loudly and publicly ridicule their technical ability, and thus
> their long term viability, as long as they fail to fix it.  Sell
> the stock short.  Complain to them.
>
> --
> "If you want to post a followup via groups.google.com, don't use
>  the broken "Reply" link at the bottom of the article.  Click on
>  "show options" at the top of the article, then click on the
>  "Reply" at the bottom of the article headers." - Keith Thompson

On Sat, 05 Mar 2005 09:39:11 -0800, Mayank Kaushik wrote:
 
> Thats an idea, but the RAM in this chip is too limited..12k only.

12K sounds like it should be enough. I wrote a program to program a H8
microcontroller's flash, and it fitted into the microcontrollers
RAM, which was either 2 or 4K, can't remember which now. The program was
written in C and compiled with the GNU compiler with optimisations enabled
for compact code. It didn't support xmodem though - I wrote some simple
software for a PC that sent my program code over an RS232 connection using
a very simple protocol.

HTH

Paul

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