Source Level Debugging

Created Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:13:07 +0000 by lloyddean

lloyddean

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:13:07 +0000

Can anyone recommend tools - hardware, and or, software to allow source level debugging with both UNO32 and MAX32 boards.

I'm not having problems debugging, this would be for an instructional environment to assist in teaching embedded programming and process control systems.

Why these boards - they're affordable for high-school and technical school students. Plus coupled with the Gameduino they have the speed for projects the student seem interested in to keep their attention.

Suggestions welcome, Thanks

GeneApperson

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:01:30 +0000

Are you talking about source level debugging in general or source level debuggin of code developed within the MPIDE environment?

You can use the Microchip tools (e.g. PICkit3) and MPLAB to develop and debug code on the chipKIT boards. That's the way I've done it since I designed the boards.

Keith Vogel of Digilent, and Jason Kajita of Microchip have figured out a way to use a PICkit3 and MPLAB to do source level debugging of code developed under the MPIDE. Keith has written an APP note on how to do this. I've fallen down on getting it edited and posted on our web site. If there is interest in this, I can bump up the priority of getting it out.

Gene Apperson Digilent

lloyddean

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:06:30 +0000

Gene,

Thanks for making the effort to respond.

In the interest of affordability for students whatever is cheaper. The PICkit3 seems a reasonable price for most, but not all, students. I was under the impression that C++ was not supported with the PICkit3. If that is wrong then, yes, some instruction for using a combo of PICkit3 and Mpide would be very useful.

Mpide's simplicity makes for a great intoduction to programming and keeps the complexity down for the first timer.

Overtime complexity can be added with the introduction of less simple tools - IDE's, CLI's and makefiles. But for the beginner the Mpide along with the Adruino high-level API's are great. Introducing source level debugging compatible with the high-level C++ object oriented API looks to be very useful approach.

svofski

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:02:35 +0000

Just a wild idea: could perhaps a debugger be implemented on the PIC32 itself? I guess it's just too much of an effort for anyone to take on, it's cheaper to just buy a PICKit3. But someone could do a client/server debugger just out of interest. In fact, aren't there any existing ones that could be adopted? MIPS is like 400 years old architecture, it must have everything.

GeneApperson

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:39:35 +0000

@lloyddean

Currently, there is no way to do source level debugging from within the MPIDE environment. I'm don't know for sure that it's even possible. I've written debuggers for x86 processors in the MSDOS/Windows environment, but I haven't looked into the MIPS/PIC32 enough to know what would be needed.

For right now, external hardware (e.g. a PICkit3) and external software (e.g. MPLAB IDE) are needed to do source level debugging.

The current version of the MPLAB IDE don't support debugging of C++ code. Mostly, however, that means that it doesn't know how to use the symbol information to correctly dereference the values of member variables in objects and handle overloaded functions and things like that. For stepping through the code and looking at global variables and local variables within a function, it seems to work OK.

Gene Apperson Digilent

svofski

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:37:35 +0000

This project runs 211bsd on Max32 board. Supposedly you can even compile code directly on the board. Probably there is a debugger too :D http://code.google.com/p/retrobsd/

fvnktion

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:12:47 +0000

@ Gene

Keith Vogel of Digilent, and Jason Kajita of Microchip have figured out a way to use a PICkit3 and MPLAB to do source level debugging of code developed under the MPIDE. Keith has written an APP note on how to do this. I've fallen down on getting it edited and posted on our web site. If there is interest in this, I can bump up the priority of getting it out.

Hi Gene,

I too am looking for a solution of breakpoint debugging of code generated from MPIDE. I am glad to see that there seems to be a solution found using MPLAB and PICKit3, in my case I have a ICD3 and realICE, which I assume would work under the same context? I was about to step into the AVR realm to do this, as it appears that they have found a similar solution using the AVRDragon and AVRStudio. I would prefer to keep using Microchip products as that is what I have used in the past.

I would be very interested in reading the app note written by keith. Could I get access through email or other means, or should I wait until you post it officially? I would be happy to test functionality on realICE or ICD3 if needed.

Thanks for your efforts!

GeneApperson

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:52:11 +0000

I don't have any problem with making it available. I can always clean it up and post a better version later if necessary. I'll get in touch with Keith and make sure I have the latest and greatest version of his document. How do you want me to get it to you?

Gene Apperson Digilent

lloyddean

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:29:02 +0000

Gene,

Do you have a problem with posting it here, and/or, on the WIKI?

fvnktion

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 03:42:11 +0000

It would probably be most convenient for other interested if it were attached to this thread. Otherwise you can email me at mjones at group8tech .

Looking forward to it.

Cheers

GeneApperson

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:00:43 +0000

The forum won't let me attach a pdf file. I'll see if I can put it on the wiki. It will also be on the Digilent web site eventually, but I'm not sure when that will be.

Gene

GeneApperson

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:03:07 +0000

OK, I have added an Applications Notes section to the Documentation page on the wiki and placed it there. Let me know what you think.

Gene Apperson Digilent