Programming the nRF52840-DK

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:55:52 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201807"]most embedded IDE´s that you use to build the application[/quote]

+1.

Or the GUI or command-line utilities of your programmer (J-Link, in this case).

This is really no different to any other microcontroller.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:42:31 GMT

Sector erase is a limitation of nRF Connect Programmer. So if you want to overwrite an existing application you need to use a tool that supports that (using sector erase). Those were described in earlier posts, so I will just recap briefly: nrfjprog with the "--sectorerase" option or most embedded IDE´s that you use to build the application.

please spend a few minutes to understand the tools and memory layout of whatever you are trying to program. Then I think you will find that this is quite straightforward.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:05:00 GMT

Yes, I am not starting to bootloader and softdevice example.

I think you are some miss-understanding. I just only working on an application so by using nRF Connect Programmer how I load the only application image?

As I said in the programmer I have found the issue of image over-written by doing "Erase and write" and when I tried to only "Write" option but it is always disabled.

Better to provide a solution for this.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 09:40:00 GMT

[quote userid="82116" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201717"]at the starting phase, all this stuff is a little bit confusing for me[/quote]

Yes - that's why I recommend that you do not start with a SoftDevice example!

And Einar Thorsrud recommend that you do not start with a bootloader example!

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 06:38:21 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201732"]We have. That is the nRF Connect Programmer app that you have been trying, In my opinion, nRF Connect Programmer is more userfriendly, especially since it shows you the memory map of the hex files you have added and the target. So you can easily see how everything fits together. There is, of course, a need to understand the memory layout for it to make sense, but that is something you need to understand when you develop for a uC.[/quote]

Yes, it is a better tool to do it but as you know the problem I am facing to load only application image. Please give me the solution to do it.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 06:06:08 GMT

[quote user="AP040"]This is a proper way to do it?[/quote]

That is one way of doing it. There is no proper way per se, as there is a number of different tools that all do the job.

[quote user="AP040"]I think it will be better to have a proper download tool for flashing the images. Because it is a very tricky one for the beginner to understand it. I hope NRF will lunch the new tool for nrf52840-DK like nrfGo studio.[/quote]

We have. That is the nRF Connect Programmer app that you have been trying, In my opinion, nRF Connect Programmer is more userfriendly, especially since it shows you the memory map of the hex files you have added and the target. So you can easily see how everything fits together. There is, of course, a need to understand the memory layout for it to make sense, but that is something you need to understand when you develop for a uC.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 03:29:08 GMT

Yes, I agreed that it is a waste of time.

But, for one-time programming, it is necessary. After that only application image, we need to load into the board.

By the way, at the starting phase, all this stuff is a little bit confusing for me.

I found a way to burn the program into NRF52840-DK by using SEGGER J-Flash Lite 6.48 and attached screen-shot of it.

This is a proper way to do it? I think it will be better to have a proper download tool for flashing the images. Because it is a very tricky one for the beginner to understand it. I hope NRF will lunch the new tool for nrf52840-DK like nrfGo studio.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:52:26 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201569"]It is simpler to just program them separately most of the time[/quote]

Agreed.

Re-programming the Bootloader and/or SoftDevice every time is just a waste of time.

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201569"]It is better to keep the number of unknowns as low as possible in the beginning[/quote]

Absolutely!

And, for that reason, I would suggest starting with the examples which don't even use a SoftDevice (ie, no BLE).

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:27:24 GMT

[quote user="AP040"]I tried this but not working. How it does not overlap the section?[/quote]

If you try to program something to a flash page that already has some content (anything other than ff's), that means it overlaps. Similarly, if you try to merge two hex files that have data in the same region there is an overlap. This will not work.

[quote user="AP040"]If I want to merge the bootloader and softdevice where I can get those .hex files?[/quote]

The S140 SoftDevice .hex file can be found under <SDK>\components\softdevice\s140\hex\. The application .hex file is produced by your toolchain/IDE and the location depends on the IDE and how it is configured, but it will typically be in a subfolder relative to the project file(s).

[quote user="AP040"]I am using the IAR Workbench. How I did the programming into the NRF52840? Can you give step by step guidance?[/quote]

If you use an example IAR project you can choose to download the file to the target directly in IAR, or chose to debug it. In that case, it will be programmed first. However, you also need to remember to program the SoftDevice, as this is not done automatically. You can do this using nrfjprog, nRF Connect Programmer or any other method you prefer. Alternatively, you can use SES as suggested by awneil, as this will program the SoftDevice for you automatically.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:20:59 GMT

[quote user="awneil"]I think that all of Nordic's SES example projects do this where required ?[/quote]

Yes, that is correct.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:20:09 GMT

It is simpler to just program them separately most of the time. But if you want to merge the hex files for some reason, then mergehex is a good tool. It is part of nRF Command Line Tools.

One additional point: you mention the bootloader, but since you are clearly just starting to get familiar with the nRF ecosystem I suggest you wait a few days with DFU and bootloader, as that tends to complicate things a bit. It is better to keep the number of unknowns as low as possible in the beginning.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:18:47 GMT

To be honest I am not sure. But nRF52840 is not supported by nRFgo Studio (even though some things may work), and should not be any reasons for using it.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:15:06 GMT

Thanks for the information about the mergehex files. But, How I am getting the Bootloader and softdevice file to merge with the application?

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:05:40 GMT

[quote userid="82116" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201553"]I am using the IAR Workbench[/quote]

Not so many people here use IAR.

Have you checked the documentation, and/or contacted IAR for support?

Most IDEs have the facility to run some custom stuff at the end of the build - you could use this to merge your hex files ...

https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ug_nrf5x_cltools/UG/cltools/nrf5x_mergehex.html

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 12:03:17 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201547"]nRFgo Studio is legacy software that does not support nRF52840[/quote]

I tried in other PC it has worked. But in my PC, it is showing "no board detected readback protection" error. Why it is?

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:56:49 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201547"]The "Write" button is enabled if you have read the device flash content and the current content does not overlap with the selected .hex file(s). If they overlap, the only option is to erase before writing.[/quote]

I tried this but not working. How it does not overlap the section?

If I want to merge the bootloader and softdevice where I can get those .hex files?

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201547"]A simpler approach is to use the IDE as awneil suggests,[/quote]

I am using the IAR Workbench. How I did the programming into the NRF52840? Can you give step by step guidance?

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:53:12 GMT

[quote userid="7377" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk/201547"]The .hex file generated by your toolchain when you build the application will always only contain the application only[/quote]

Indeed.

However, when you use SES, it can be configured to also load the SoftDevice when you program the chip.

The is specified as an 'Additional Load File' in the Project configuration.

I think that all of Nordic's SES example projects do this where required ?

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

Einar Thorsrud — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:45:11 GMT

Hi,

[quote user=""]I am new to the NRF52840-DK. To burn the program into the kit, I have lots of tries to install nrfGo studio but it gives me the "no board detected readback protection" error. So, I installed nRF Connect v3.0.0 PC tool and add programmer app.[/quote]

nRFgo Studio is legacy software that does not support nRF52840. Going with nRF Connect Programmer is the most sense if you want a stand-alone GUI programming interface.

[quote user=""][/quote]

Here, my concern is that when I am loading the pre-compiled .hex file given by Nodic, it has included three memory region- MBR or Application, SoftDevice, and Application.

Now, I have made little change in the code and compiled my project which is generated .hex file. When I tried to load this file, it has shown me only the Application region and When I am loading this by doing "Erase and Write" option in the tool it is not working.

The .hex file generated by your toolchain when you build the application will always only contain the application only (or the bootloader only if you compiled the bootloader project). The reason the example .hex files contain both SoftDevice (including MBR) and application is that the SoftDevice .hex file and application hex files have been merged using the mergehex tool before being shipped. So in this case you have to program both the SoftDevice and application .hex. This can be done in several ways, for example by adding both hex files before programming using the nRF Connect Programmer app.

[quote user=""]Now, I have made little change in the code and compiled my project which is generated .hex file. When I tried to load this file, it has shown me only the Application region and When I am loading this by doing "Erase and Write" option in the tool it is not working.[/quote]

This is expected. The .hex file contains only the application, and the "Erase &write" option will erase all flash in the chip before programming the selected .hex file(s). Since you only have selected the application it is the only thing that will be programmed. This will not work since it depends on the SoftDevice.

[quote user=""]There is one option in the tool for only "Write" but it is not enabled.[/quote]

The "Write" button is enabled if you have read the device flash content and the current content does not overlap with the selected .hex file(s). If they overlap, the only option is to erase before writing.

[quote user=""]What should I do here? If we only want to load application image what we do here? Like we have the option in nRFgo studio for selection Application, Boot-loader, and SofDevice.[/quote]

Fron nRF Connect the only option is to add both the SoftDevice and the application .hex files (either at the same time or program them one after the other, since they do not overlap). Alternatively, you can merge the hex files, but that is just a waste of time in my opinion. A simpler approach is to use the IDE as awneil suggests, or just use nrfjprog on the command line together with the --sectorerase option. This will make the tool erase only the sectors that you are writing to, keeping the SoftDevice pages etc. untouched.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

AP040 — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 08:53:33 GMT

Yes, I have experience with other MCUs. I have used IAR workbench IDE.

RE: Programming the nRF52840-DK

awneil — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 08:33:10 GMT

[quote userid="82116" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk"]I am new to the NRF52840-DK[/quote]

Do you have experience with any other microcontroller(s)

[quote userid="82116" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/50452/programming-the-nrf52840-dk"] I have made little change in the code and compiled my project which is generated .hex file.[/quote]

What IDE did you use?

Rather than mess about with nRF Connect, I find it easier to program the Target direct from the IDE...