Multiple HEX files for nRF5340

[WesC]

I have been playing with the nRF5340 and specifically the HCI-RPMSG.

I have looked at these files below.  They all worked when programmed in the nRF5340.

When viewed in WINMERGE, They were all different except the 2 highlighted in green.

Do you know why they would be different? 

Would there be a suggestion to use one over the other, since they all appear to work?

 

C:\Users\Wes\ncs\v1.3.0-rc1\zephyr\samples\bluetooth\hci_rpmsg\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpunet\zephyr

Zephyr.hex

  

C:\Users\Wes\ncs\v1.3.0-rc1\nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_uart\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuappns\hci_rpmsg\zephyr

Zephyr.hex

 

C:\Users\Wes\ncs\v1.3.0-rc1\nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_uart\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuappns\hci_rpmsg\zephyr

merged_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpunet.hex

 

C:\Users\Wes\ncs\v1.3.0-rc1\nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_uart\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuappns\hci_rpmsg\zephyr

app.hex

[Simon]

The hex files in zephyr\samples\bluetooth\hci_rpmsg\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpunet\zephyr and nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_uart\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuappns\hci_rpmsg\zephyr should be the same.

The reason you can find the hex file for the hci_rpmsg sample when building the peripheral_uart sample is that it is added as a child image if CONFIG_BT_RPMSG_NRF53 is set to y (which it should by default when building examples for the nRF53 DK app core). This line will add the child image where it's added.

Similarly, when building for the nRF91 DK, the SPM was added as a child image. However, I noticed one difference. In nRF9160 applications, the file nrf\samples\nrf9160\at_client\build\zephyr\merged.hex would contain both the child image (SPM) as well as the application (e.g. at_client) and both of the samples could be flashed at once using west flash (which flashes the file merged.hex).

This was not the case with the file nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_lbs\build_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuapp\zephyr\<merged_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuapp/merged>.hex. It only contained the peripheral_lbs sample.

I am not sure why this is, but I will look into investigate it and get back to you. Also, I am not sure what the difference is between the files merged_nrf5340pdk_nrf5340_cpuapp.hex and merged.hex and what the file app.hex is for, but I'll look into this as well.

However, you should still be able to make this work by programming the samples separately, as explained in:

• https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/nrf-connect-sdk-guides/b/getting-started/posts/ncs-tutorial---temporary#h67sk646yl2d1o7b0c616t5mlg1flcovq
• http://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/ug_nrf5340.html#building-and-programming-a-sample

Best regards,

Simon

[Zeedel]

Hi Simon,

Have your team had a chance to look into why the merged.hex for the nRF53 DK only contains the parent image instead of combining parent and child into a single hex? I tripped over this glitch as well.

Thanks.