Additional Memories

[Yuriy]

Hi,

there are very useful tool – “Embedded Memory Explorer”, but it can show only two types of memory – “FLASH”, and “RAM”

Some MCU (like NXP i.MX RT1050) has three or more non-contiguous RAM regions.

We are trying to add these regions (ITC, DTC, OC SRAM) as “Additional Memories” in VisualGDB Project Properties, but got error (see attachements).

Now we found workaround to see all memory regions – modifiy RAMBase and RAMSize values in nxp_rt1050.xml

But this method is very inconvenient. Do you know another way to see all RAM regions in the Embedded Memory Explorer?

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[support]

Hi,

The Additional Memories page should normally work, so most likely you are using some combination of settings that triggers a bug on our side. If you could reproduce this on a “LEDBlink” project created from scratch and send us the related files (ensure you clean the project before packing it), we should be able to release a hotfix for this promptly.

[Yuriy]

No problem, I can show video (see attachments). Also you can download this video here: https://yadi.sk/i/NNkNbYOWUSVFLg

I created new project LEDBlink for one of supported MCU.

Used latest VisualGDB 5.4R10 (build 3225), and VisualGDB package manager has no updates.

I can provide any additional information, if needed. Thanks!

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Yuriy.

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[support]

Thanks for the detailed description. We have pinpointed the problem and fixed it in this build: VisualGDB-5.4.110.3228.msi

[Yuriy]

Thanks, now “Additional memories” works better. In the example project “LEDBlink” now it’s possible to add new RAM.

In our project it still not work, but error more clear now:

VisualGDB version: 5.4.110.3228
------------------ System.ArgumentException ------------------
System.ArgumentException: The path is not of a legal form.
at System.IO.Path.LegacyNormalizePath(String path, Boolean fullCheck, Int32 maxPathLength, Boolean expandShortPaths)
at System.IO.Path.NormalizePath(String path, Boolean fullCheck, Int32 maxPathLength, Boolean expandShortPaths)
at System.IO.Path.GetFullPathInternal(String path)
at u72.x1(g8 b, EmbeddedProfile c, IProjectEditContext a)
at u72.f_4(de b, Object a)
at d7.q(zp b, IProjectEditContext c, kv1 a)
at d7.j(zp b, kv1 a)
at VisualGDB.Common_GUI.Configuration_editors.ProjectPropertiesEditModel.i(Boolean c, y3 d, String a, Action b)
at VisualGDB.Common_GUI.WPF.ProjectPropertiesWindow3.Apply_Click(Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)

This error appears for exactly the same memory parameters, as in example project.

Anyway, our issue was solved – now we can use “Embedded Memory explorer” for all RAM regions by modifying nxp_rt105.xml file

After modifying nxp_rt105.xml I can see additional memory in “Additional memories” dialog, but I can’t add new items and can’t modify existing memories (added manually to nxp_rt105.xml):

    <ExtraMemories>
        <ExtraMemoryDefinition>
            <Name>RAM_ITC</Name>
            <Address>0</Address>
            <Size>131072</Size>
            <Type>RAM</Type>
            <ContainsText>true</ContainsText>
            <ContainsData>true</ContainsData>
            <ContainsBSS>true</ContainsBSS>
            <PreserveUnusedSymbols>false</PreserveUnusedSymbols>
        </ExtraMemoryDefinition>
        <ExtraMemoryDefinition>
            <Name>RAM_DTC</Name>
            <Address>536870912</Address>
            <Size>131072</Size>
            <Type>RAM</Type>
            <ContainsText>true</ContainsText>
            <ContainsData>true</ContainsData>
            <ContainsBSS>true</ContainsBSS>
            <PreserveUnusedSymbols>false</PreserveUnusedSymbols>
        </ExtraMemoryDefinition>
    </ExtraMemories>

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[support]

This error looks like you are using some special characters or variables in the linker script path and VisualGDB fails to resolve them (it would need to resolve the linker path in order to insert the memory definitions in it). We have added more detailed error message for this error in the following build: VisualGDB-5.4.110.3230.msi

[Yuriy]

Thanks, now it’s clear. Problem was in BSP. We use our BSP, and *.ld files are located in project directories, so we use relative path.

“Additional memories” can’t work with relative path. May be this video can help: https://yadi.sk/i/AxoUnZe4IcFQYQ

[support]

Thanks for the update, we have reproduced the problem and fixed it in the following build: VisualGDB-5.4.111.3233.msi

[Yuriy]

Now everything works fine. Thanks for your support.

[Author]

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