Help getting started with ARM

[Anuj Deshpande]

I had previously posted about a project on virtual glove . 

https://groups.google.com/group/openarmlab/browse_thread/thread/39283ba1f12b5186?hl=en

We are using ARM7-TDMI for it . (LPC 2148 precisely)

The thing is that we are not using any development boards . So that means that we will be doing bare metal programming (or thats what we concluded).

I found the toolchain presentation on embeddednirvana quite helpful . 

 I had a few questions :

1. What all do you need to take care of while running a basic code on an ARM processor ? Hardware and software wise . We have taken care of the basics like reset logic , power supply , clock , etc . Whats the hello world of h/w programming ? Should I generate a square wave on one of the GPIO pins ?

2.How helpful would QEMU be ? Because we wont be having a GUI as such . We have to just read sensors outputs using the ADC and convert it to signals which we can send to the PC (via USB) . 

3.As we are using LPC 2148 , is it necessary to use flash magic ? http://www.flashmagictool.com

Does anybody have any experience with this ? Is there any other open source tool that could do this ? 

4. If anyone has any good resources which google has missed , those would be most welcome .

As this is my first project on ARM , any other general advice and tips will be most helpful :) 

Cheers

Anuj 

 

[Chaitannya Mahatme]

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 11:40 AM, Anuj Deshpande <anujdes...@gmail.com> wrote:

I had previously posted about a project on virtual glove . 

https://groups.google.com/group/openarmlab/browse_thread/thread/39283ba1f12b5186?hl=en

We are using ARM7-TDMI for it . (LPC 2148 precisely)

The thing is that we are not using any development boards . So that means that we will be doing bare metal programming (or thats what we concluded).

I found the toolchain presentation on embeddednirvana quite helpful . 

 I had a few questions :

1. What all do you need to take care of while running a basic code on an ARM processor ? Hardware and software wise . We have taken care of the basics like reset logic , power supply , clock , etc . Whats the hello world of h/w programming ? Should I generate a square wave on one of the GPIO pins ?

1. I guess for LPC series 2148 lot of code is already available. I would suggest not to re-invent the wheel unless you are doing it as a hobby.

2.How helpful would QEMU be ? Because we wont be having a GUI as such . We have to just read sensors outputs using the ADC and convert it to signals which we can send to the PC (via USB) . 

2. I would suggest you work with the hardware. QEMU would not be much of use, unless you are trying to port some OS, or  some other tool. 

3.As we are using LPC 2148 , is it necessary to use flash magic ? http://www.flashmagictool.com

Don't use flashmagic, get a JTAG (would cost less than 1000 bucks)  and use openocd and GDB. This would be very useful for you debug your program step by step

Does anybody have any experience with this ? Is there any other open source tool that could do this ? 

Open source tools.
GCC (compiler) http://www.codesourcery.com/sgpp/lite/arm/portal/release1802
GDB (debugger)
OpenOCD  (On chip debugger)
Eclipse CDT

4. If anyone has any good resources which google has missed , those would be most welcome .

As this is my first project on ARM , any other general advice and tips will be most helpful :) 

Start using linux if you haven't started with.

Cheers

Anuj 

 

[Anuj Deshpande]

Thanks Chaitanya ! 

Actually we are trying to use as much FOSS as possible . Thats the reason we wanted an alternative for flashmagic . 

[chetan patil]

Hi Anuj,

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 7:28 PM, Anuj Deshpande <anujdes...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Chaitanya ! 

Actually we are trying to use as much FOSS as possible . Thats the reason we wanted an alternative for flashmagic .

If you yet to get started with Linux then I would suggest this spin flavor of Fedora :

http://spins.fedoraproject.org/fel/

Just in case you felt the need of a development board then do check this:

Raspberry Pi : http://www.raspberrypi.org/

--

Thank You and Warm Regards,

 
Chetan Arvind Patil,
www.chetanpatil.info

[Anuj Deshpande]

Actually i was trying to get one of those (raspberry pi) , but just to learn and not for this project as such. I have registered for it , but i guess it will take quite some time .

I actually already use linux as much as i can . I use debian . 

I also wanted to ask about the weekly meetings at embedded nirvana . What are the timings for it ? And where are they held in COEP?

[J T Dsouza]

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 9:40 PM, chetan patil <chtp...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Anuj,

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 7:28 PM, Anuj Deshpande <anujdes...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Chaitanya ! 

Actually we are trying to use as much FOSS as possible . Thats the reason we wanted an alternative for flashmagic .

If you yet to get started with Linux then I would suggest this spin flavor of Fedora :

http://spins.fedoraproject.org/fel/

I would recommend debian for all development work. Fedora and ubuntu tend to be not so debugged, in exchange for having the latest and greatest software and features.
 

[Tanushri Chakravorty]

Hi Anuj,

We usually meet up the Embedded Design Center Lab, COEP, Dept. of Instrumentation and Control. We will post on the group about the next meeting. Till then you can ask your doubts on this group.

Regards,
Tanushri

--
Tanushri Chakravorty