I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least. Features needed: -assembler -linker(possibly) -source code debugging -single stepping -register and memory content display -breakpoints -hardware debugging interface -integratioin of simulator Are there companies out there that specialize in creating these types of software solutions. The two companies that I have heard of so far are: retarget compilers and isystem. Any comments on these two companies?
Software debugging tools for custom micro-controller core
Started by ●March 19, 2007
Reply by ●March 19, 20072007-03-19
On Mar 19, 9:42 am, vlsi4...@gmail.com wrote:> I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The > core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- > programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we > would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least. > > Features needed: > -assembler > -linker(possibly) > -source code debugging > -single stepping > -register and memory content display > -breakpoints > -hardware debugging interface > -integratioin of simulator > > Are there companies out there that specialize in creating these types > of software solutions.Yes, Universities. In a place far far away, long long time ago, we did all those in group projects. Just find a few students to do it.
Reply by ●March 19, 20072007-03-19
On 2007-03-19, vlsi4all@gmail.com <vlsi4all@gmail.com> wrote:> I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The > core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- > programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we > would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least. > > Features needed: > -assembler > -linker(possibly) > -source code debugging > -single stepping > -register and memory content display > -breakpoints > -hardware debugging interface > -integratioin of simulator > > Are there companies out there that specialize in creating these types > of software solutions. The two companies that I have heard of so far > are: retarget compilers and isystem. Any comments on these two > companies?If I were you, I'd hire somebody to port Gnu binutils and Gdb. -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! I joined scientology at at a garage sale!! visi.com
Reply by ●March 19, 20072007-03-19
vlsi4all@gmail.com wrote:> I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The > core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- > programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we > would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least.Is the custom microcontroller based on any particular family of processor core? There are Forth systems for many processors. Forth has been used as a bring-up in many a custom hardware situation, even totally new processors.> Features needed: > -assemblerIncluded> -linker(possibly)Not needed> -source code debuggingIncluded> -single steppingNot really needed but feasible.> -register and memory content displayIncluded.> -breakpointsWhen you are debugging one word at a time the breakpoint is automatically the completion of a word.> -hardware debugging interfaceIncluded> -integratioin of simulatorMight be a bit trickier but is often possible.> > Are there companies out there that specialize in creating these types > of software solutions. The two companies that I have heard of so far > are: retarget compilers and isystem. Any comments on these two > companies?Forth Inc and MPE can probably help out (see their links from my web-site's Forth pages). If you are doing a completely new processor you could build your own Forth on it and grow the system from there, right out to the application. -- ******************************************************************** Paul E. Bennett ....................<email://peb@amleth.demon.co.uk> Forth based HIDECS Consultancy .....<http://www.amleth.demon.co.uk/> Mob: +44 (0)7811-639972 Tel: +44 (0)1235-811095 Going Forth Safely ..... EBA. www.electric-boat-association.org.uk.. ********************************************************************
Reply by ●March 19, 20072007-03-19
On 19 Mar 2007 10:42:51 -0700, vlsi4all@gmail.com wrote:>Features needed: >-assembler >-linker(possibly)See Cross32 and XDASM on our web site: www.mpeforth.com/cross32.htm /xdasm.htm These are a retargetable assembler and disassembler.>-source code debugging >-single stepping >-register and memory content display >-breakpoints >-hardware debugging interface >-integratioin of simulatorWe've written all these, see also: www.mpeforth.com/jtagwidget.htm but until we know more about the debug architecture of the CPU we can't say how much work is involved. Stephen -- Stephen Pelc, stephenXXX@mpeforth.com MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time 133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691 web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads
Reply by ●March 19, 20072007-03-19
vlsi4all@gmail.com wrote:> I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The > core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- > programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we > would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least. > > Features needed: > -assembler > -linker(possibly) > -source code debugging > -single stepping > -register and memory content display > -breakpoints > -hardware debugging interface > -integratioin of simulatorThere is AS assembler, that is open-source http://john.ccac.rwth-aachen.de:8000/as/download.html and you can also use almost any macro assembler to create object code Target Source code debug needs a little target HW assistance, what do you have there ? The other tasks are simulator ones, and I think there are also table- Simulators out there. Lattice Mico8 is also opensource, tho their assembler is pretty basic, (even for an assembler) What core is this based on / close to ? -jg
Reply by ●March 22, 20072007-03-22
vlsi4all@gmail.com wrote:> I am looking for a tool chain for a new custom micro-controller. The > core has a very basic instruction set and doesn't have to be C- > programmable. Still, the software is complicated enough, that we > would like to have primitive debug capabilities at least. > > Features needed: > -assembler > -linker(possibly) > -source code debugging > -single stepping > -register and memory content display > -breakpoints > -hardware debugging interface > -integratioin of simulator > > > Are there companies out there that specialize in creating these types > of software solutions. The two companies that I have heard of so far > are: retarget compilers and isystem. Any comments on these two > companies? >There are many companies that make that sort of tool - IAR, ByteCraft, ImageCraft, Green Hills, and dozens more, that make compiler and debugger suites that target a range of cpus. The trouble is, they will want a large market (or a lot of money up-front, or both) before porting their tools. As others have pointed out, there are a number of re-targetable toolchains available for you to do the work yourself. And you can always think slightly differently, such as by aiming for Forth rather than traditional C. You could also turn the problem on its head. Study gcc, and it's internal code representations. Look at some example implementations roughly matching the size of core you are looking for. Then design your core to be a good match for gcc. Similarly with debugging - look at gdb, and make your hardware debugger core a match for gdb's protocols.
