Naveen,
I run gcc and gdb under Linux for MSP430 devices, AVR devices, and Arm
processors. Being able to move across processor families and not have
to change development methods is extremely liberating. Another benefit
is the fact that sharing C code is almost a `no-work' deal.
I gave up using Windows in 1994, so I can't be any help there, but if
you want to use GNU software under Windows then you have to install the
`cygwin' environment and tools. I'm guessing that you want to start
with www.cygwin.com.
Besides a plain text editor you need the gcc, the C compiler, as, the
assembler and ld, the object module linker. You also need tools that
generate code listings, allow you to see memory distribution, and
generate files which can be download into the target microcomputer. All
of those tools are wrapped up in a package called binutils. The
binutils package has to be cross-compiled for the target microcomputer
family you plan to use and installed before the others.
Many programmers use a program called make that automates the process of
compiling and linking. Actually make is a command processor so it can
be used for what ever purpose you want. Make files can be quite simple
if all the files for a project are kept in one directory, but when you
start sharing code from repositories common to other programmers make
gets more complicated. There are so-called Integrated Development
Environments, IDE, that supposedly make writing and debugging code
easier -- maybe a novice can get something working initially using and
IDE, but I think learning how to use make is well worth the learning
curve.
Once you have all the tools in place to be able to generate a program
file, you need an interface between your computer and the target device.
Now, finally you're ready to actually stuff a program into it and wonder
why it doesn't work!
The "hello world" program for microcomputers is generally a flashing LED
connected via a resistor to one of the I/O pins. There are examples of
those to be found but they won't work if you don't wire the LED circuit
to the same pin the program uses. LED circuits are your friends.
I'm putting the final touches on a realtime, premptive, task
multiplexing, message passing system running on an ARM chip. I have six
LED circuits. One is flashing at a rate derived from the timer
interrupt. Another flashes everytime I type a character into the
`stdin' task. The other four are coupled to tasks and they
flash at different rates depending one task states and what messages
they receive from other tasks.
By the time you get your first LED flashing you'll have done a
tremendous amount of learning and work. The MSP430 family is quite
powerful and an excellent choice to learn embedded system programming.
The tough part will be sticking with it until you get over the initial
hurdles.
Sincerely,
David Smead
www.amplepower.com
www.amplepower.net
On Thu, 8 Mar 2007, Naveen Madabhushi wrote:
Looks like i have touched some very sensitive chords there..just to make
things clear..i have only said in my earlier mails that i downloaded IAR as
a first step and whether its right choice or not..i didnt ask about any
issues related to IAR.. only asked for some pointers towards getting started
with MSP 430..it could have been mspgcc or anything else..
i guess i might as well start with mspgcc and then get back to this forum
with any specific problems/doubts..that i feel would be lot better than
taking this discussion into some tangential lines
Naveen
On 3/8/07, Grant Edwards <[email protected]> wrote:
On 2007-03-08, Steffen Netz <[email protected]> wrote:
> Lichen Wang wrote:
>> Naveen,
>>
>> Do you ask questions about Windows in Mac User's Group?
> ???
>> Just kiding. But this is mspgcc-users group. Most of the people here
use GCC for MSP430.
>
> What?
> Why Mac?
It was a metaphor. Asking about IAR in a GCC group is like
asking about Windows in a Mac group. It's like asking about
Porches in a Mercedes-Benz group.
--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! ... Get me a GIN
at and TONIC!!...make it
visi.com HAIR TONIC!!
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