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From: TricoreBeginner on 14 Apr 2006 09:14
Hello,

I'm a complete newbie to Tricore. For a private project, I'm planning
to use it (TC1165), but know very little about it up to now. So before
I'm starting with layouting the PCB, I want to check, whether the tools
etc. I need are available reasonably priced.

As my budget is limited, I'm intending to start downloading the code
using the serial com, instead of buying an expensive JTAG.

Can anyone tell me, what I would need in the minimum to write, compile
and download self written code? Is this possible using the serial com
link at all (with reasonable effort)?

I have downloaded the PXROS TriCore System Developent Platform v3.3.7.1
evaluation version from HighTec. It looks really nice and has the GNU C
Compiler included.

I also have the Schematics of the Evaluation Board, which exists for
the TriCore


-> I don't understand it's limitations of the PXROS Evaluation version
up to now though (have tried very little). It says, it's an evaluation
version, yet there is no time limit mentioned or anything else... so
what's yet better in the real version?

-> are there Bootloader / preloader for the Tricore available which
would help me download the code using the serial link?

-> does anybody have a (cheap) OCDS JTAG he's not using anymore, and
which would work together with a TC1165?

thanks for any info...

From: David R Brooks on 15 Apr 2006 06:29
TricoreBeginner wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm a complete newbie to Tricore. For a private project, I'm planning
> to use it (TC1165), but know very little about it up to now. So before
> I'm starting with layouting the PCB, I want to check, whether the tools
> etc. I need are available reasonably priced.
>
> As my budget is limited, I'm intending to start downloading the code
> using the serial com, instead of buying an expensive JTAG.
>
> Can anyone tell me, what I would need in the minimum to write, compile
> and download self written code? Is this possible using the serial com
> link at all (with reasonable effort)?
>
> I have downloaded the PXROS TriCore System Developent Platform v3.3.7.1
> evaluation version from HighTec. It looks really nice and has the GNU C
> Compiler included.
>
> I also have the Schematics of the Evaluation Board, which exists for
> the TriCore
>
>
> -> I don't understand it's limitations of the PXROS Evaluation version
> up to now though (have tried very little). It says, it's an evaluation
> version, yet there is no time limit mentioned or anything else... so
> what's yet better in the real version?
>
> -> are there Bootloader / preloader for the Tricore available which
> would help me download the code using the serial link?
>
> -> does anybody have a (cheap) OCDS JTAG he's not using anymore, and
> which would work together with a TC1165?
>
> thanks for any info...
>
My experience is with TC1796, not TC1165, so ymmv. Also, I don't have my
notes to hand, so this is from memory:
1. If you have the PCB schematic, you can extract the JTAG/parallel port
bit, it's just a couple of buffer chips. Given that, GDB works fine.
2. Infineon have a free download tool, "MemTool", which programs
on-board flash through the serial port.
3. You don't need PXROS, you can build your own software, or use a
freeware kernel (I did).
4. Another Infineon tool, "DAvE" ("Digital Application virtual Engineer"
- do you think I'm joking?), generates the hardware initialisation code
for TC1796, it may also be available for TC1165. You may argue with its
coding style, but it saves a lot of head-scratching setting up all the
IO registers.
Note the PXROS version of crt0.s may need some tweaking to run with
DAvE's code: I am using a totally re-written version myself, as I wanted
some extra features.
5. If anyone knows of a genuinely free (ie FOSS) compiler, rather than
evaluation versions or high-cost, I'd love to know. The GCC that comes
with PXROS is not FOSS.
The only compiler I know of apart from the GCC that comes with PXROS, is
put out by Altium/Tasking. If you can get a demo of this, it's worth
studying the examples if you plan to use DAvE, as they use it.
6. To get started, if you already have the PXROS kit, use one of the
examples & build on it. This will get you started, although PXROS is not
compatible with DAvE, should you use it.
Tip: the linker - at least for TC1796 - insists on linking the library
version of crt0.s & gcclib.a (names by memory). The "no-std-libs" option
doesn't work. So, if you want to really write all your own code (ie have
no closed source in your project), you need to replace these with empty
files, & explicitly link in your real files.
7. If you set up a testbench with serial (MemTool) & parallel (GDB)
cables connected, you may find GDB sometimes leaves the parallel port in
a bad state when it exits. This stops the board restarting in serial
mode, so MemTool fails. The cure is to unplug the parallel cable, then
MemTool is OK. In any event, GDB will start again OK.
8. I'm not sure if the TC1165 has a PCP (Peripheral Control Processor):
that's a whole new ballgame.

Good luck,
From: TricoreBeginner on 17 Apr 2006 16:48
Hi David,

thanks a lot for your response. I think now, that I'm truly on the
right track with the TRICORE for my project.

Thanks also for all the good advice. I will have to try out all these
things.

b

From: TricoreBeginner on 17 Apr 2006 16:48
Hi David,

thanks a lot for your response. I think now, that I'm truly on the
right track with the TRICORE for my project.

Thanks also for all the good advice. I will have to try out all these
things.

b

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