nRF51822 timer problems

[Viktor]

Hi, I've been trying to use the timers on nRF51822 but I just can't get them to work in my code. When debugging (with GDB and Eclipse), the execution always stops with the following error: No source available for ""

timer_test [GDB Hardware Debugging] GDB Hardware Debugger (31.07.13 12:41) (Suspended) Thread [1] (Suspended: Signal 'SIGTRAP' received. Description: Trace/breakpoint trap.) 10 0xfffffffe 9 () 0xfffffff1 8 0x00011488 7 () 0xfffffff9 6 NVIC_SetPendingIRQ() core_cm0.h:558 0x00014810 5 timer_list_handler_sched() app_timer.c:324 0x00014ec6 4 timer_start_op_schedule() app_timer.c:786 0x00015610 3 app_timer_start() app_timer.c:1026 0x000159e0 2 timers_start() main.c:86 0x00014690 1 main() main.c:124 0x0001477c arm-none-eabi-gdb (31.07.13 12:41) C:\workspace\Nordic Semiconductor\nRF51 SDK_v4.3.0.27417\Nordic\nrf51822\Board\pca10001\ble\timer_test\gcc_build\timer_test_bin_s110_xxaa.out (31.07.13 12:41)

It seems to happen right when the function app_timer_start is called. It doesn't happen in any of the examples which use timers, but anytime I try to use them i get this error, so I must be doing something wrong but I have no idea what. Attached is a small project, which I modified from ble_app_template example, where I tried to get the timers working - maybe somebody can look at it and tell me what's wrong.

timer_test.zip

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi Viktor,

I had a look at your project. You are not enabling the S110 stack, which means that you will have to start your LFCLK manually. I also took the liberty of changing a couple of other things in your project, like the power_manage function and disabling the scheduler.

Note: You are enabling the scheduler, but not using it.

Best regards Håkon

main.c

[Håkon Alseth]

The reason why your debugger went haywire is because your assert-handler will cause a soft-reset on the power_manage function if s110 is not enabled. I added a check to see if the S110 stack is enabled for you.

[Viktor]

Thanks! For some reason I thought that the app_timer functionality does not depend on SoftDevice :/

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi

The app_timer does not depend on the softdevice stack, but the power_manage function calls a sd_* sleep function.

[bvrm]

Hi Håkon,

this example helped me a lot to get app_timer working without a softdevice.

Please could you also add the use of the scheduler by the app_timer module to this example?