No gcc tools

[Jim Peschke]

Installed nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96 to use with the nRF528240 DK.  The SPI example suggests using a makefile.  My computer does not have "make", nor gcc.  Did I need to install another package?  I assume I need the right GCC/MAKE and I do not seem to have them.

[awneil]

Jim Peschke said:

The SPI example

Which SPI example?

I can see four SPI examples:

1. https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/SDK_Doc/nRF5_SDK/v15-2-0/spi_master_example
2. https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/SDK_Doc/nRF5_SDK/v15-2-0/nrfx_spim_example
3. https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/SDK_Doc/nRF5_SDK/v15-2-0/spi_slave_example
4. https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/SDK_Doc/nRF5_SDK/v15-2-0/nrf_spi_mngr_example

Jim Peschke said:

suggests using a makefile

Does it?

I don't see that suggestion in any of the above.

I have 15.0.0 installed (not 15.2.0), but it has projects for all the usual IDEs ...

[Jim Peschke]

I'm finding the documentation for this kit very confusing and scattered, so I'm going through the dev documentation step by step.  The QSPI example I'm referring to is on this webpage:

https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/SDK_Doc/nRF5_SDK/v15-2-0/getting_started_qspi

Under the heading "Procedure", you'll see that we're directed to navigate to the project directory and make the example:

make flash

This is where I realized that I do not have the gcc tools.

I am planning to use IAR for development.  I'm trying to get this working, but the documentation is chaotic.  Maybe I don't need gcc anyway, and I certainly don't plan to use quad SPI in the final product.  This was just the "next step" in the documentation chain.

If there is a better place I should be looking to get me up and running I'd love to know.  I can already run the "blinky" example but haven't succeeded with SoftDevices yet.

Once I can make SoftDevice based examples build, run, and debug under IAR things should be good, but its unclear how to get there.

[awneil]

Jim Peschke said:

The QSPI example

Ah;  you said SPI - not QSPI.

Jim Peschke said:

I am planning to use IAR for development

Some of the examples do have IAR projects - so try one of them.

Jim Peschke said:

the documentation is chaotic

My opinion of the new documentation library is here: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/41098/what-is-this-horrible-new-documentation-library

Getting Started page:

  https://www.nordicsemi.com/DocLib/Content/User_Guides/getting_started/latest/UG/gs/product_development

[Jim Peschke]

Thanks for the quick response.  Yes, I noticed that I missed the "Q".

Before taking the methodical approach I am taking now, I "jumped in" and tried to load, build, and run IAR examples.  The "blinky" examples worked fine.  I went to a BLE example (can't remember which).  IAR built it but couldn't debug anything.

I assumed this had to do with the SoftDevices, so I started down the "Getting Started" path since I have no experience with SoftDevices.  It is here that things got ugly - emphasis on Keil, gcc, etc.  I'm trying to get through the make-It-work-in-IAR-with-SoftDevice phase.

Once I get past this, I expect to then get to the "real work" of understanding the whole Nordic ecosystem and BLE 5.0 in general.  That's where I want to put the effort, not in the idiosyncrasies of the toolset.

[awneil]

Indeed, IAR is a "minority interest".

I presume you're using it because you've already paid the (considerable) licence fee?

Perhaps IAR can help you?

But, at the end of the day, as far as the toolchain is concerned, the nRF52 is just a Cortex-M4.

The main thing with the SoftDevice is reserving the memory (Flash & RAM) for it - apart from that, the toolchain (whatever you use) is pretty much oblivious.

But I think the original question of this thread has been answered - so best to start a new thread for further discussions 

PM me if you're looking for paid assistance ...

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

The GCC toolchain is here https://developer.arm.com/open-source/gnu-toolchain/gnu-rm

If you wish to use completely free IDE and GCC. checkout the Eclipse setup for nRF51/nRF52 from this blog page http://embeddedsoftdev.blogspot.com/p/ehal-nrf51.html.

For easy getting started with BLE programming with nRF5x series se this page http://embeddedsoftdev.blogspot.com/2017/12/bluetooth-le-with-nordic-nrf51-nrf52.html

[Jim Peschke]

Thank you very much.  This information is very useful!