nRF52840 DK. May I run two example applications at the same time in the same board?

[p143]

In order to establish a wireless connection from my pca10056 developing card and a second nRF52840 SoC module using example CLI commands, and then being able to check/set several parameters in the SoC module, I would need programming two different example applications in the nRF52840 DK (I mean instead off building a new app and commands on my own). Is this possible?

[Jared]

Hi

I strongly suggest that you merge your examples. The use of thread would require you to use an OS, which would be much more complicated than merging. In addition, the Softdevice isn't thread safe which would make it unsafe to use with threading. 

Best Regards

Jared 

[p143]

Hi Jared.

I'm trying to merge two hex files through mergehex command, but I consistently get this error message:

C:\Users\jtorr>mergehex -m ble_app_interactive_s140_pca10056.hex radio_test_pca10056.hex -o merge_app.hex
Parsing input hex files.
ERROR: One of the files to merge cannot be found.

C:\Users\jtorr>

Of course, both files are in the Windows path

Any suggestion?

Thanks

[Jared]

Hi

Either the path is incorrect or the name of the files is. The error message isn't shown otherwise.

[p143]

 I tried it again but this time using two SDK original files from the blinky example. Then I just copy pasted each windows tree. The command syntax seems to be correct, but again the same error. I am afraid it must be something else?:

----------------------------------------------------

Microsoft Windows [Versión 10.0.17134.407]
(c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation. Todos los derechos reservados.

C:\Users\jtorr>mergehex -m C:\Nordic\SDK\nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96\examples\peripheral\blinky\hex C:\Nordic\SDK\nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96\examples\peripheral\blinky\hex -o out.hex
Parsing input hex files.
ERROR: One of the files to merge is not a valid hex file.

C:\Users\jtorr>

----------------------------------------------------

Thanks for your help

[Jared]

The error code is now different from before. The previous error code was about the path, this one says: "One of The files to merge is not a valid hex file". 

Which clearly explains what the cause of the error is.

[p143]

Hi Jared.

I finally found how to merge hex files successfully.

I am using the SES IDE. When I load one SDK example, I see several folders on the Project Explorer panel. If the goal is merging two different SDK examples and being able to program the merged file to my PCA10056 ble device but keeping the functionalities of both examples, which files from the Project Explorer should I merge from each of them? and, which tool should I use to flash the resulting merged output into the target device, making sure that the device flashed memory contains all the components needed to be fully functional (Application, SoftDevice, MBR, vector info, App data etc)? Is SES able to do it all or I'll have to use the nRF Connect Programmer app and flash each component one by one?

It is obvious I am a newbie in developing matters, but I have a good idea to implement though. Would you please guide me? I would certainly appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

[awneil]

When Jared suggested that you "merge your examples", he meant at the source code level:

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../merging-two-ble-examples-together

You cannot just take the hex files from two separate examples and merge them together!

It doesn't work like that!

[p143]

Thanks for clarifying this concept Awneil.

I feel a bit embarrassed about the confusion though. Any way. I reckon that even if the merge has to be done at the source level, is not going to be as easy as directly copy-pasting the scrip from the examples to be merged so, first of all, could you tell me if this process is something a non qualified sw developer could face with a little bit of help and what the main guidelines would be, or in case the answer would be no, refer me to some comprehensive documentation to understand the complexity of this process? Thanks so much.

Thanks in advance

[awneil]

p143 said:

a non qualified sw developer 

What do you mean by that?

You really need to be a competent 'C' developer - experience with embedded microcontrollers and comms would be a distinct advantage.

Here is the Nordic documentation: https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib 

Here is a blog post on the subject: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/b/blog/posts/merging-two-ble-examples-together