Segger Embedded Studio not linking nRF51 SDK examples

[MaurizioB]

Hello, 

I tried to build the SDK ble_app_beacon example for nRF51 using SES. SES version I used is V4.12 (for Windows 64 bit) and SDK version is 12.3.0.

I closely followed the instructions reported in this tutorial. Since SES and SDK versions are different than reported in the tutorial and since I'm targeting nRF51-DK board (as opposed to the nRF52 board used in the tutorial), I applied the following minor (?) changes:

• I imported the file C:\Nordic\nRF5_SDK_12.3.0_d7731ad\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_beacon\pca10028\s130\arm5_no_packs\ble_app_beacon_pca10028_s130.uvprojx
• I included the files system_nfr51.c and 3324.ses_nrf51_startup.s into the "Internal Files" folder of Project Explorer. Initially I replaced the existing file SEGGER_THUMB_Startup.s  with the file thumb_crt0.s (modified as described in the tutorial). Since however I was getting many linking errors (indicating that most of the symbols used in thumb_crt0.s were undefined), I ended up removing  thumb_crt0.s and keeping SEGGER_THUMB_Startup.s (as indicated in the below screenshot).
• In order to get rid of a compile error "cannot open source input file core_cm0.h", I also included the following directory within the Preprocessor user's includes: ../../../../../../components/toolchain/cmsis/include.
• I managed to load the flash_placement.xml file, corrected also to include the following additional line: <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".fs_data" />

My Project Explorer looks like this:

After building, I obtain the following errors: undefined symbols __SRAM_segment_end__ and __data_start__

Can you please help me to figure out how to solve the problem?

Thank you very much!

[Omnipara]

Also in SES V4.12 they have added Segger Linker. U need to also disable that and use GNU linker with flash_placement.xml file

[awneil]

I've had this kind of problem before.

The lesson to learn is that you need to use the specific SES version stated by Nordic - this is a case where going for the latest is not the way to go. Especially as you are using a rather old SDK!

Segger is an independent company - their SES releases are not synchronised in any way to Nordic's SDK releases.

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/39878/segger-embedded-studio-4-10-for-arm/154692#154692

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/34784/conflicting-types-for-_putchar/137159#137159

[haxxa]

Thanks I will give that a go, as a newbie these issues can be very frustrating. Just getting to a point where the included examples compile is an exercise in itself. 

[MaurizioB]

Using the specific SES version reported in the Nordic tutorial was my second attempt... unfortunately I believe that that specific SES version is so old that is not even available in the SES download page anymore. I ended up downloading the closest version (3.10f) but then I encountered a problem with the free Segger license, that didn't allow me to use that SES version at all.

[awneil]

So why not use a more recent SDK version ?

[Bjørn Kvaale]

Most likely Nordic did not have the free license option with Segger Embedded Studio with the 3.10f version. This option could have come at a later point in time.

[Bjørn Kvaale]

awneil The last SDK that was officially supported for the nRF51 is SDK 12.3, which MaurizioB is currently using.