How to install SDK and run the example code for thread and Zigbee SDK?

[Rohit Rajapure]

Hello All,

I am new to Nordic and i have nRF52840 development kit. I want to build code/ programm on thread and Zigbee base. 

I have downloaded the Thread and Zigbee SDK, but the i am unable to how to test sample code and understand the API. 

I have tried as per user guide to test thread UART example but i am getting following error message.

.\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.axf: error: L6002U: Could not open file ..\..\..\..\..\..\..\external\openthread\lib\nrf52840\keil\libnordicsemi-nrf52840-radio-driver-softdevice.lib: No such file or directory

Can one help me out understanding nRF52840 dev-kit and programming procedure.

Thanks and Regards

Rohit 

[awneil]

Rohit Rajapure said:

libnordicsemi-nrf52840-radio-driver-softdevice.lib: No such file or directory

So does that file actually exist on your hard drive?

[Rohit Rajapure]

Hello Awneil,

Yes, in downlaoded SDK it is present in  path,

D:\Project\nRF5_SDK_for_Thread_and_Zigbee_v3.0.0_d310e71\external\openthread\lib\nrf52840\keil

file is present.

Thanks and Regards

Rohit

[Marjeris Romero]

Hi Rohit,

The reason for this error if that you don't have a license for full version of Keil. You will need a license for Keil if you want to compile the projects in the SDK because of their big size. If you don't want to buy a license you can always use Segger Embedded Studio which Nordic also supports and provides a free license for.

Best Regards,

Marjeris

[awneil]

Marjeris Romero said:

The reason for this error if that you don't have a license for full version of Keil

Indeed - see:

http://www.keil.com/demo/limits.asp

However

Marjeris Romero said:

Take a look at the "Getting Started with Thread and Zigbee" guide in the infocenter

It would be helpful if this made clear that the free evaluation versions are not going to be sufficient.

Or, at least, give an indication of the expected executable size - so that users could check against their tools restrictions.

Marjeris Romero said:

Take a closer look to the "Installing the toolchain" section

I think this is particularly misleading - especially for a novice like Rohit Rajapure, who is not likely to have any feel for the size of the executable to be expected.

[Marjeris Romero]

Hi Andrew,

awneil said:

It would be helpful if this made clear that the free evaluation versions are not going to be sufficient.

We have a note about that in our the infocenter, see section "Developing on Windows with ARM Keil".

Best Regards,

Marjeris

 

[awneil]

That's not helpful - as you can clearly see from this case!

It needs to be stated - or, at least, referenced - in the 'Getting Started' and/or 'installing the toolchain' sections that you cited.

[Rohit Rajapure]

Hi Marjeris,

But why peripheral examples are building without any error and I have tried on development kit also by running code. 

Also, I am using Keil since last one year for another project, I haven't faced path/ fatal error.

if I build Zigbee or thread UART example I get this error, \_build\nrf52840_xxaa.axf: error: L6050U: The code size of this image (275904 bytes) exceeds the maximum allowed for this version of the linker.

and if I build a multiprotocol example I get this error,.\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.axf: error: L6002U: Could not open file ..\..\..\..\..\..\..\external\openthread\lib\nrf52840\keil\libnordicsemi-nrf52840-radio-driver-softdevice.lib: No such file or directory

for every example different errors.

I am not understanding, if you could help me to solve it, it would be really helpful for me for further study. I have been stuck here for the last two weeks. 

Thanks and Regards

Rohit

[Marjeris Romero]

Hi Rohit,

That's because each project has a different size, it will depend on what kind of modules are included in the example, etc. If you do any modifications to the projects and add more modules to it then the size will increase as well. Maybe in the past you have only worked with small projects in Keil and that's why you haven't experience this problem before.

And in general you should try to keep the path short. Windows has a limitation to its path length, with max path length being 255 characters. I suggest to copy all the SDK right under C:\ or maybe make a folder for your nordic SDK like C:\SDK. Some examples have dependencies with longer paths than others, so that's why you are experiencing this error in some examples but not in all.

Best Regards,

Marjeris

[awneil]

Rohit Rajapure said:

I am not understanding

You have downloaded the free version of Keil.

This is clearly describe as a "lite" version with limitations - specifically, it will not build projects bigger than 32K:

https://www2.keil.com/mdk5/editions/lite

And, as previously cited: http://www.keil.com/demo/limits.asp 

So you can do "small" projects - under 32K - fine, but "big" projects - over 32K - are bound to fail.

And the message when it fails is very clear:

"The code size of this image (275904 bytes) exceeds the maximum allowed for this version of the linker"

Zigbee is a very Big project!

Note that the SoftDevice is not included in the 32K limit - because it is loaded as a separate binary "blob".

Therefore, you can easily build the simple Nordic examples within the 32K limit - but nothing more advanced.

[Rohit Rajapure]

Hi,

thank you so much for your reply,

I have made a note of all the points suggested, I will work on it to solve.

Thanks and Regards

[awneil]

Rohit Rajapure said:

I will work on it to solve.

You have two options:

1. Buy a full Keil licence
2. Use a different IDE, which supports this size of executable.

No amount of "working on" the Free, "Lite", Keil is going to help here!