What is the preferred method for adding the xxxMDK_xxx_IAR.msi file changes to the IAR project?

[DeanOSLI]

When I execute nRF5x_MDK_8_7_1_IAR.msi from the SDK 11 directory the files from the .msi are added to the IAR install directory, not the SDK. These changes are ignored when the project is compiled.

What is the preferred method for adding the MDKxxx.msi file changes to the project?

[Vidar Berg]

Hi,

The IAR examples uses the device files included with the SDK (\nRF5_SDK_11.0.0\components\toolchain) while the installer only copies the files to \IAR Systems\Embedded Workbench x.x\arm\src\NordicSemiconductor. So the update is not being applied automatically.

I think it would have been better to link the system_nrf5x.c and iar_startup_nrf5x files from \IAR Systems\Embedded Workbench x.x\arm\src\NordicSemiconductor rather than the toolchain directory in the SDK. That way they would always be in sync with latest MDK installation. Will report this as a feature request internally.

There are two ways to do this as I see it; copy the updated system_nrf5x.c and iar_startup_nrf5x files and replace them with the ones included in the SDK, or remove these files from the IAR project and instead add the files from the NordicSemiconductor folder.

[DeanOSLI]

In order for us to put projects under version control we would prefer that no files be updated in the IAR install directories and all updates occur in the SDK directories. We have several developers working on Nordic projects concurrently and would prefer to maintain an SDK that can be used by all developers. Modifications to local IAR installations are very problematic. Why can't the MDK updates be supplied as a zip file that is placed in the SDK root directory and modifies the SDK directories appropriately replacing, deleting, or adding files as necessary? Using a MSI file also makes it difficult to see what files are being updated. Are the 4 files in the xxx\arm\src\NordicSemiconductor directory the only files that need to be moved to the SDK directories?

[Vidar Berg]

Agree with all your points, and have forwarded them to our MDK team. Thanks for the feedback! Yes, it is the four files in xxx\arm\src\NordicSemiconductor you want to copy to your SDK in addition to the header files in xxx\IAR Systems\Embedded Workbench 7.3\arm\inc\NordicSemiconductor.

Note that device support and flash configurations for the nRF5 series are updated through this installer as well so it should still be installed on each setup even if the SDK is patched.

[DeanOSLI]

I was able to find the SDK directories for the 4 files from the IAR xxx\arm\src\NordicSemiconductor directory and was able to replace those files. There are 15 files in the IAR xxx\arm\inc\NordicSemiconductor directory. I was able to find the SDK directories for 11 of these files and replaced them. There are 4 files, nrf5xxxx_peripherals.h, that I couldn't find in the SDK. Where do I place these files? Since this update is not automated, can you provide the SDK directory paths for each of the src & inc files in the MDK update, we need it for our verification documentation?

[Vidar Berg]

The files should be replaced with the ones located in \components\device and \components\toolchain. The nrf5xxxx_peripherals.h headers are not being used in the SDK 11.0.0 release, assume they will be in the upcoming SDK release.