Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Sigurd — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 08:47:48 GMT

I have attached a patched version of nrf_delay in this answer.

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

lbehhhh — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 15:02:17 GMT

Admittedly I am no ARM instruction set or compiler expert, but there is a problem with the way the latest IAR toolset is dealing with the asm code block in nrf_delay.h -> nrf_delay_us() function call.

We are currently working with IAR and you guys to resolve this.

One work around is to add/edit these two lines to the nrf_delay.h -> nrf_delay_us function:

"SUBS %0, %0, #1\n" --> Replace %0 with %1 in both locations
add this to the input operand list: [number_of_us] "r" (number_of_us),

This will break the loop I was stuck in. However this does not guarantee that the rest of the project is 'safe' since there may be other asm volatile sections (I havent looked yet) that are not acting as expected. Sigurd is correct, reverting to v7.20.2 did aslo fix the problem.

I will update this blog when I/we find out more.

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Sigurd — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 14:46:36 GMT

Hi lbehhhh,

We have had some reports with issues relating to IAR version 8. If you still are having problems with IAR version 8, I would recommend to downgrade to version 7 for now if possible.

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Daniel Wang — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 22:47:39 GMT

Did you install the nRF-MDK for IAR ? Newest version is 8.12.0

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Sigurd — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 07:51:44 GMT

Does LED1 blink when you used the hex compiled with IAR? What J-Link version do you have? Note that support for nRF52840/PCA10056 was added in J-Link V6.12c.

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

lbehhhh — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 18:41:40 GMT

I started off using the defaults from the project, which are:

define symbol ICFEDIT_region_ROM_start = 0x22000;

define symbol ICFEDIT_region_ROM_end = 0xfffff;

define symbol ICFEDIT_region_RAM_start = 0x20002620;

define symbol ICFEDIT_region_RAM_end = 0x2003ffff;

I was just looking at this post (devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../) and am trying to change these, but have had no success so far. Also please note that I am hanging in nrf_delay.h on a bunch of NOP assembly instructions (around line 172)

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Daniel Wang — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 18:37:59 GMT

What ROM/RAM start/end values are you using in the IAR project? For HRM is should be:

FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x22000, LENGTH = 0xde000
RAM (rwx) :  ORIGIN = 0x20002620, LENGTH = 0x3d9e0

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

lbehhhh — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 18:08:37 GMT

No, flashing from within IAR does not work, nor does flashing the compiled hex file from IAR with nRFgo studio work.

RE: Example code utilizing softdevice will not work properly with IAR compiled hex

Daniel Wang — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 16:58:47 GMT

The problem is only when you debug with IAR? flashing the application with IAR also works?