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extra Hardware needed to debugging nRF52832 through USB ?

Automotriz_bgn

Hi, maybe my question is a little basic, but this is my first time developing with a Nordic chip, i have been reading how to debug a nrf52 based device, and i know that i must upload a custom bootloader if i want to debug my device through USB or UART, my question is about HW,
as i understand i need a USB to UART chip to debugging the device through UART, but if i want to debug my device through SWD interface but using a USB connection on my board , additionally to upload the bootloader,must i have a USB to SWD chip integrated to my board to achieve the communication?

Thanks for reading 

Best regard

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  • 0

    Hi,

    The nRF52 DK comes with an onboard SWD debugger (J-Link), so I recommend you go with that. This debugger can also be used to debug other boards via the Debug out connector. The USB connector on the DK is connected to the onboard debugger, which in turn is connected to the SWD pins on the nRF52832. (The nRF52832 does not have a USB interface, so there is no way to do DFU over USB. You consider the nRF52840 instead.)

    You may also find the SDK Getting started guide useful.

    I somewhat disagree with the previous answer when it comes to development environment. In my option, the easiest way to get started with nRF development is using Segger Embedded Studio, which is a fully featured integrated IDE which can be used free of charge for any project where the target device is a Nordic product.

  • 0 in reply to Einar Thorsrud

    I am also somewhat disagree with your statement as well. SES is not 100% free.  It is free to use only & only with with nRF and jlink.  Not free otherwise.  100% free means not locked in to any thing.  Lifetime free upgrade et al...  I can use it on any processor any jtag.  

  • 0 in reply to Nguyen Hoan Hoang

    I have no problem understanding that you might want to use another tool than SES for those or other reasons. This is a bit off topic, but I wanted to comment on this as I have a distinct feeling that most users find SES easier to use than Eclipse, and also most users care more about actual monetary cost than mor philosophical aspects of free software. And also importantly: most guides and documentation nRF5 devices assumes you use SES or Keil. If you use Eclipse you will have a bigger job of configuring the tools, and you will get less help if you struggle. This is OK for an experienced guy like yourself, but in my experience it is not so good for beginners.

  • 0 in reply to Einar Thorsrud
    Einar Thorsrud said:
    importantly: most guides and documentation nRF5 devices assumes you use SES or Keil

    I think that really is the key point point here.

    The OP is clearly a beginner, so it will be much easier for her/him to get started with a supported IDE rather also trying to get to grips with an unsupported IDE - especially Eclipse.

    Einar Thorsrud said:
    If you use Eclipse you will have a bigger job of configuring the tools

    Configuring Eclipse is a non-trivial task for an experienced developer - it really isn't something for a beginner.

    Einar Thorsrud said:
    and you will get less help if you struggle

    indeed - especially with the "special" features of the nRF chips

    Einar Thorsrud said:
    This is OK for an experienced guy like yourself, but in my experience it is not so good for beginners

    Absolutely.

  • 0 in reply to awneil
    awneil said:
    The OP is clearly a beginner, so it will be much easier for her/him to get started with a supported IDE

    Being a beginner is not an excuse.  Whether you're beginner or not, there is always a leaning curve in any environment.  SES or Eclipse, both use the same tool same compiler.  Search the forum and see how many people having issues when they move beyond the example and start working on their own projects.  It is not any harder using Eclipse now a days.  It is just a mater of tastes.  If you are an embedded software engineer and wants to make a career out of it, you are likely to need to work with other MCU vendors such as TI, NXP, Freescale (NXP), ST (STM32)... Guess what all those vendors also provide you with free IDE.  OMG they are all Eclipse!  Unless you are a Nordic only developper, you are likely to have to learn to use Eclipse anyway.  None of them provides you SES.

        

  • 0 in reply to Nguyen Hoan Hoang
    Nguyen Hoan Hoang said:
    None of them provides you SES

    But what they do is provide you with a configured and ready-to-go IDE (based on Eclipse).

    And none of those vendor-customised IDEs is going to work well with other vendors chips.

  • 0 in reply to awneil

    Ah! There you go, why wouldn't Nordic provides support for it like all other vendors?  It's totally free no string attached.  Anyway it is very easy now to install and use Eclipse compares to 10 years ago.  All the tools have installer now.  Executing the installer isn't that hard.  To get Eclipse cross dev for ARM is also a lot easier too. Just go to Marketplace from the 'Help' menu. Search for ARM then click install the GNU ARM plugin, et voila.  Simple as 1-2-3.  So what's all that fuss about?

    What was the compiler tools that come with SES already?  Oh yeah, it's an old version of GCC! I think it was 2 or 3 versions behind. 

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  • 0 in reply to awneil

    Ah! There you go, why wouldn't Nordic provides support for it like all other vendors?  It's totally free no string attached.  Anyway it is very easy now to install and use Eclipse compares to 10 years ago.  All the tools have installer now.  Executing the installer isn't that hard.  To get Eclipse cross dev for ARM is also a lot easier too. Just go to Marketplace from the 'Help' menu. Search for ARM then click install the GNU ARM plugin, et voila.  Simple as 1-2-3.  So what's all that fuss about?

    What was the compiler tools that come with SES already?  Oh yeah, it's an old version of GCC! I think it was 2 or 3 versions behind. 

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