Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 21:32:38 GMT

Cannot comment on Keil, you need to find out at their local reseller. But yes, you should be able to go with GCC without limit, it just needs more effort then "open project and hit build button". Follow the tutorials and submit question if you hit any problem. Regarding powering the target: many cheap boards like NXP LPC don't drive 3V3 pin on JTAGs 10-pin connector. Simply measure it and provide external power from different PIN of your STM32 board where it gives enough power.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 21:12:18 GMT

I'll try that but I have a few questions: My application will probably take more than 32K that's why I wanted to use eclipse.

how much would a licence for that software cost? 2)what do you think about the fact that I cant get any voltage out of the SWD port on my STM32 disco board? is it normal?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 13:39:40 GMT

(2/2)

Now recompile the project again and it should pass (HEX binary should be produced).
In the end if your STM32 dev kit really works as SEGGER J-Link it should be connectable to your machine and Keil exactly the same way as nRF52 DK so all what is explained in the Keil and BLE blinky tutorials by Nordic on this site should be applicable.

If you encounter any problem, please set new question where you exactly explain what HW and SW are you using, what steps you made, what you expect to see and what happened instead. I'm sure you will get further support...

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 13:36:57 GMT

I would go this way:

Installing Keil MDK5 which can work without paid license up to 32kB of app binary.
Open nRF5_SDK_14.0.0_3bcc1f7\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_blinky\pca10040\s132\arm5_no_packs\ project and recompile.
If all is OK then go to project settings and instead of BOARD_PCA10040 global define set BOARD_CUSTOM. That will cause that in nRF5_SDK_14.0.0_3bcc1f7\components\boards\boards.h file it will direct to your custom board layout definition.
Copy nRF5_SDK_14.0.0_3bcc1f7\components\boards\pca10040.h file into project space nRF5_SDK_14.0.0_3bcc1f7\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_blinky\pca10040\s132\config\ and rename it to custom_board.h. Open the file and align with your actual HW set-up (I cannot help you much here, you need to know what are you using and how).

(1/x)

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 13:00:24 GMT

Yes I took a look at those pages several times and didn't fin'd some that could help me.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:52:13 GMT

That's the point: most of the people practice flashing and verify HW just by using pre-compiled HWX files from SDK. You've decided to skip that by not using Nordic DK so you have some more steps to go. E.g. compilation in Keil MDK5 IDE typically works out of the box so it's question if you will go by harder way (making GCC and Eclipse or any other combination work) or if you will start from there. Changing board isn't so hard as you just need to change few global defines and write one or two header files from templates such as PCA10040.h. The only thing which might change are LF/HF clock sources, LDO/DCDC usage and particular GPIO PIN routs. So it's matter of minutes, then basic examples from SDK should work on any other HW.

Did you have time to look how basic tutorials and SDK getting started work?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:43:28 GMT

Yeah but I couldn't find any programming tutorials on that topic so even if I got the flashing thing on my IDE of choice(Eclipse) I won't know or understand how to even blink a certain led or read from a certain output and the examples they include with the SDK are just pre built HEX files and not source codes.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:38:14 GMT

Well I'm afraid the standard way is to use DK and thus having flashing and debugging sorted out thanks to SEGGER J-Link OB. All the tutorial on this page and Nordic Infocenter are suited for that set-up. If you want to use different flasher (SEGGER J-Link on STM32) and different target board layout (custom instead of nRF52 DK) then you have two more steps to solve. If your STM32 board works with SEGGER J-Link then you should be able to erase it with nrfjprog or nRFgo Studio. I would stay on that topic until succeeding. Then you can move to compiling some of nRF5 SDK v14 examples with your favorite IDE and toolchain (there are like 5 or more options) and then debugging through LED/GPIO/UART and logical analyzer + UART serial to USB cable (if you have any). Anyway if you encounter problems on that path it's always 1st search for related Q&S and if no help found then ask new question.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:28:06 GMT

Wow that's one quick replay thanks!

So I know it works because I managed to flash a softdevice S132 to it from the arduino ide and run a simple code to blink the onboard led's vibrator OLED display(although it has problems after rebooting for some reason...) and connected it to my phone and sending and receiving data to it with a library all that using arduino.

But I figured that has issues and not compatible with everything I need like NFC and other stuff so I'd like to get a little deeper to pure programming that relates to that MCU so up untill now I've set the required GCC compiler set up eclipse(can build the attached blink example in the tutorial but don't know how to flash it) and converted my STM32 disco board to a j link(for some reason can't get 3.3V out of the SWD port don't know if it's normal) and not I need a guide with example on how to wire a program to blink an LED.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:15:36 GMT

So to sum up: you have custom hardware with nRF52832 Rev1 chip and you are sure that JTAG/SWD flashing and debugging works (how?). What is then new step you need help with?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:10:29 GMT

Hi, had to revive this post as I finally have time to deal with it so what page/video series with examples do you suggest to use? of course it has to be related to the nrf52832 and it's features. I don't think the DK is realy not that necessary as I've already proved that the hardware and BLE functionality on my PCB's work do work!

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 05:09:45 GMT

Oh yes, that disillusion coming from toy to Ferrari;) So beside need to understand little bit of ANSI C and getting used to little bit higher coding culture (like global defines and compile time switches, macros...) it's just little bit of routine, you can get it in few months. Or not, if you don't invest that little bi of time. There are general embedded development training courses all over the internet so you can go through these things. There are also alternatives to "raw" Nordic SDK like mbed which are trying to simplify the process and might remind you Arduino IDE.

Back to the "stuck at flash download and can't find that executable file" - then it looks like wiring problem because there are pre-compiled HEX files (that's usually the binary format everyone uses) in SDK so you don't need to do anything to start out of the box.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 21:38:33 GMT

What ever I'll just buy two of those DK's but anyways following this tutorial: I still got stuck at flash download and can't find that executable file. and anyways how to approach a code.

When I started learning program and in particular arduino I understood that you first have to setup a pin as input(or input with internal pull up resistor) or output and then there was a function whether for setting the pin state high or low if output mode was chosen or an input function to read out the state of the pin and you didn't even have to approach the datasheet of the MCU to do those things now all I see in other's codes are lots of hex number and #define elements not even having a clue where they started understanding these things from and I just need to make a practical device with meaningful code playing around as little as possible.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 21:22:23 GMT

So meaning you don't have problem with flashing the target any more (do you? Otherwise we will set-up the donation project and once we get 40 bucks you will buy one nRF5x DK with SEGGER J-Link OB and flash it in 30 seconds by one or two lines in command line...) Are you now looking for some tutorial? Which of Nordic or 3rd party guides have you followed and where has it failed for you? I believe that Nordic moderators of this forum always suggest to open new question with new specific problem (this one being about flashing, if solved let's formulate new one - as detailed as possible - and you will get support, don't worry;)

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 21:10:40 GMT

Yeah so this is still relevant.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 21:05:32 GMT

Sorry for not letting this post die I just found some time to mess around with it where do you suggest I start learning that pure C programming assuming I'm a semi pro with arduino and programming? I just need a kick start to a video tutorial showing for to upload a blink code with that programmer to the MCU because I just don't know what elements I have or still need to do that.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:35:51 GMT

Well true I'm new to that kind of thing migrating from Arduino.

I guess I'll have to see how I work out with my custom board because I don't have money or time to buy two more DK's(Sins I have NFC involved if my project.)

Anyway's thank you very much that's been very helpful will grand the two answers at the top once confirmed to be working.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:27:45 GMT

Also Soft Device isn't any kind of bootloader, it's simply BLE stack implementing certain parts of BT SIG specification on nRF5x HW. Soft Device itself does nothing, you need to build your application FW on top of its API, compile and link it properly for given start address (specific for each SD version) and load it to the chip. Only then something can run (but it will be mainly your FW code which will "boot" the chip and say if and when and how stack will be initialized).

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:25:06 GMT

Ooops, sorry but it would get a book to answer all these I'm afraid. If you are new to pure C development under GCC (where Makefiles and LD scripts are used to build and link the binary) you will need to find some general tutorials to this techno, there are many of them on the internet. Once you are fine with that you could approach nRF5 SDK. I would highly suggest to start with the latest release (v13.1.0) and nRF52 DK (PCA10040) board and just simply run few pre-compiled examples, then build them yourself and run again. Only then I would go to custom board (there are few rather simple steps how to "derive" header files for your custom board) and custom code. Sure, you can skip these steps but I cannot help you with that, sorry.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 09:16:20 GMT

Yeah I've done just that. Is it suppose to work like seggers J link now?

Also a few thing I wanted to sort out for me but I don't think it's appropriate to post a whole question topic what is makefile for compilers? and when I want to upload an example from my SDK 11.0 to my 3rd party module which board folder to I head up to(for example PCA10040)? Can you get a visual C++ code from those examples? all I can see there is a makefile and .ld file

What is soft device? I have the S132 flashed on my board I assume it's some kind of bootloader for bluetooth could you make the bluetooth peripheral and central work without it?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:13:00 GMT

Yes I've used this exact dev kit as ST-Link with ST software to flash external STM32L0 targets. Also according to SEGGER web page it can be converted to J-Link OB but I've never tried that so cannot confirm.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:40:11 GMT

Well thank you very much I'll take a look at it tomorrow. Do you think this: www.youtube.com/watch STM32L053 discovery board can work as an ST LINK? (Can't physically brake it up) from what I understand the ST LINK is different from the ST LINK V2 thus can be converted to a J link unlike the ST LINK V2

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:24:17 GMT

No I don't, but here is tutorial how to set-up OpenOCD and Eclipse for nRF51/52. Sure, it's not ST-Link but combining these two tutorials should help.

Also to your complain about different target: difference between STM32xxx and nRF52832 in OpenOCD is just different name of target (which leads to usage of different config/exec files) but all the rest will be the same, it should be basically 95% applicable.

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

MikeLemon — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:11:25 GMT

Well that kinda helps understand how simple it may be if such an option is available but this tutorial is for the spark core STM32F10x chip and I need it for nrf52832. Maybe you have such a useful thing for the nrf52832?

RE: Flashing a 3rd party NFR52832 with ST link V2 on Eclise?

endnode — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:36:57 GMT

ST-Link isn't supported by Nordic tools out of the box but i works with OpenOCD which can be set-up with Eclipse. Here is one of many guides from the internet...