nRF52840-Preview-DK: HardFault exception while debugging ble_app_uart_c code

[syt1293]

Hi,

I am developing a project in IAR Embedded Workbench for nRF52840-Preview-DK. I have integrated different modules (ble, ADC, SPI, I2C) in this project. I don't have any compilation errors but when I download the code, it gets stuck in nrf_sdh_enable_request() which is part of ble_stack_init(). While debugging, I found that the code works fine till it reaches sd_softdevice_enable which is on line number 214 in nrf_sdh.c After this line, the control does not proceed to next instruction. I tried setting a breakpoint and 'stepping into' the function call but it gave me following error.

Thanks!

[Vidar Berg]

Hi,

Please make sure you have the drv_vector_table_base option set to '0' in the debugger configuration (should be by default). This informs the debugger that execution starts at address 0x0 and not at the vector table defined by the application. 

If that doesn't help, verify that you have the same preprocessor symbols that were originally defined in the example project.   

[syt1293]

I did not have following added to the list:

NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION=6
S140
SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT

Now, I added these but still it gets stuck at sd_softdevice_enable.

[Vidar Berg]

Is SWI_DISABLE0 in the list as well? I can't think of any other reasons for getting a hardfault on sd_softdevice_enable(). Do you get the hardfault excepton if you debug the original project? 

I can try to debug it here if you are able to share your modified project. 

[syt1293]

Yes, SWI_DISABLE0 was there before. I have established communication between two boards over BLE as a separate project. The problem started when I integrated everything. Please see this link to my project. There is a Readme file in the folder. Thanks!

[Vidar Berg]

Sorry, I couldn't find the combined project you were reffering to in the readme. The spi example (\nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96\examples\peripheral\spi\pca10056\blank\iar\) only included the SPI part. Is it possible that you may have uploaded an old copy? 

Did you remember to update the linker settings after you added BLE/softdevice to your SPI project? You should be able to use the same configuration used by the ble_app_uart_c example. 

[syt1293]

Yes, the linker settings were up-to-date.

I have updated Readme. This is the new link. Thanks!

[Vidar Berg]

The project was not set up correctly when I opened it in IAR v.8.22.1. The core  set to Cortex M3 instead of Cortex M4 for instance. Suspect it has something to do with different IAR versions.I updated the project settings as shown below. Also moved the ble_stack initialization to beginning of main since I don't have the HW dependencies for TWI and SPI. The softdevice got enabled without errors. 

Updated target settings:

Use Jlink for debugging. Was set to use the simulator.

Updated linker settings:

Modified project:

nrfx_spim_nordic.zip

[syt1293]

Hi, I changed the linker configuration to the values which you have suggested but got following message after download.

I get same error for the modified project as well. If I still start the debugging then control immediately encounters HardFault.

[Vidar Berg]

Hi, The error indicates that the softdevice is not present. The debugger reads out the SP at address 0, which will be 0xFFFFFFFF if the flash page has been erased. 

[syt1293]

Hi, is there any way to get around this issue?

I found this but does not seem like a viable solution.

[Vidar Berg]

Hi, you need to program the softdevice (nordic BT stack) for the application to run. The softdevice binary can be found in \components\softdevice\s140\hex and can be programmed with nrfjprog or with the Programmer app in nRF connect Desktop. 

Programming with nrfjprog:

nrfjprog --program <softdevice>.hex --sectorerase