Controlling GPIO within nrfjprog

[Jon]

Hello,

I have a product with QSPI flash that I would like to use nrfjprog to program the flash part. However, the QSPI flash's VCC is controlled (via a FET) from a GPIO line. I am looking for a way to have nrfjprog enable the GPIO line before attempting to access the QSPI flash (so that the flash is powered up). Is there a way from qspiinit.ini to do this?

Thanks,

Jon

[Vidar Berg]

Hello Jon,

Unfortunately, nrfjprog currently does not have a setting to let you define the IO state for a particular GPIO during QSPI programming. I will make a feature request for it internally. In the meantime, maybe you can use pynrfjprog instead. Here is an example script proposed by one of the developers:

from pynrfjprog import LowLevel
from pathlib import Path
import logging
# Uncomment to enable verbose log output
# logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
target_cp = LowLevel.CoProcessor.CP_APPLICATION
debugger_snr = 960158306 # Update with your snr here
hex_to_flash = Path('qspi_hex.hex')
if not hex_to_flash.exists():
    raise AssertionError(f"Selected hex {hex_to_flash} file does not exist")
with LowLevel.API("NRF53", log=True) as api:
    # Connect and halt target core
    print("Connect to target")
    api.connect_to_emu_with_snr(debugger_snr)
    api.enable_coprocessor(target_cp)
    api.select_coprocessor(target_cp)
    api.connect_to_device()
    api.halt()
    # Disable MPU/SPU if enabled. Behaviour is device spesific.
    # For nRF53 it will issue a system reset w/halt
    print("Disable bprot")
    api.disable_bprot()
    
    # Example set GPIO P0.31 low (will light up LED4 on nRF53 DK)
    # Refer to device datasheet for addresses and values
    print("Set pin low")
    pin = 31
    gpio_base = 0x50842500
    gpio_dirset = gpio_base + 0x018
    gpio_outclr = gpio_base + 0x00C
    val = (1 << pin)
    api.write_u32(gpio_dirset, val, False)
    api.write_u32(gpio_outclr, val, False)
    # Enable qspi module
    api.qspi_init()
    
    # Do the programming yourself using QSPI functions
    addr = 0 # Address 0 is start of QSPI 
    data_len = 100
    data = list(range(0, data_len)) # data = [0,1,2,3 ... , 99]
    api.qspi_erase(addr, LowLevel.QSPIEraseLen.ERASE4KB) # Erase first page
    api.qspi_write(addr, data) # Write data
    # Read and verify
    device_data = api.qspi_read(addr, data_len) 
    assert data == list(device_data)
    # Optionally reset programmed device
    print("Applying pin reset")
    api.pin_reset()
    print("Done")

Optionally you can try to use the program_file function. But we do not guarantee that there will not be a reset during programming (which will result in the GPIO being reset

from pynrfjprog import LowLevel
from pathlib import Path
import logging
# Uncomment to enable verbose log output
# logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
target_cp = LowLevel.CoProcessor.CP_APPLICATION
debugger_snr = 960158306 # Update with your snr here
hex_to_flash = Path('qspi_hex.hex')
if not hex_to_flash.exists():
    raise AssertionError(f"Selected hex {hex_to_flash} file does not exist")
with LowLevel.API("NRF53", log=True) as api:
    # Connect and halt target core
    print("Connect to target")
    api.connect_to_emu_with_snr(debugger_snr)
    api.enable_coprocessor(target_cp)
    api.select_coprocessor(target_cp)
    api.connect_to_device()
    api.halt()
    # Disable MPU/SPU if enabled. Behaviour is device spesific.
    # For nRF53 it will issue a system reset w/halt
    print("Disable bprot")
    api.disable_bprot()
    
    # Example set GPIO P0.31 low (will light up LED4 on nRF53 DK)
    # Refer to device datasheet for addresses and values
    print("Set pin low")
    pin = 31
    gpio_base = 0x50842500
    gpio_dirset = gpio_base + 0x018
    gpio_outclr = gpio_base + 0x00C
    val = (1 << pin)
    api.write_u32(gpio_dirset, val, False)
    api.write_u32(gpio_outclr, val, False)
    # Program your hex file
    print("Programming device")
    api.erase_file(hex_to_flash) # Optional: erase memory before writing
    api.program_file(hex_to_flash)
    api.verify_file(hex_to_flash) # Optional: verify after write
    # Optionally reset programmed device
    print("Applying pin reset")
    api.pin_reset()
    print("done")

Best regards,

Vidar

[Ian Stegner]

Vidar Berg said:

I will make a feature request for it internally.

Was this ever implimented/planned?

[Vidar Berg]

Unfortunately it did not end up being added. Are you programming with nrfutil or nrfjprog? I suspect it may be easiest to create a batch script that first loads a minimal FW that asserts the GPIO and enable flash, and then starts the serial programming. It is also possible that you may be able to perform memory writes and configure the GPIO directly with nrfutil device without the chip being reset afterward.

[Ian Stegner]

I've been using nrfjprog for my testing so far, but was planning on using nrfutil long-term. I'm using a nrf5340 though, so I can't use the x-write command to set the gpio pin yet. So far the easiest thing to do is run nrfjprog memwr as Jon mentioned.