TriCore Development Platform

The Development Platform consists of the following basic elements:

• a GNU-based C/C++ compiler toolchain from HighTec with professional maintenance and services
• the integrated development environment Eclipse, and
• the Universal Debug Engine.

The TriCore Development Platform is a  well integrated joint product of HighTec and PLS Development Tools. The platform can be extended by the PXROS-HR real-time operating system with integrated MPU management.

Main Features

The Platform includes an Eclipse-based integrated Development Environment with powerful wizards, and supports all TriCore derivatives. It manages the project settings and the entire build process for compiler, assembler and linker. PLS have integrated their UDE debugger into the standard Eclipse environment. Launching the debugger within Eclipse will open the new UDE perspective with high-end debugging features.

Eclipse IDE

• Project management
• Setup wizards
• Version control
• DAvE importer
• Model-driven memory layout definition

The Eclipse-based 'TriCore Development Platform' allows the simple definition of projects. After having selected a particular microcontroller derivative, the generation of a project with a correct startup code, the necessary hardware initialization, a valid memory layout, and the corresponding header file for the names and bit fields of the peripheral register can be prompted virtually at the push of a button. The project contains a simple main function, which allows the implementation to be started immediately.

GNU C/C++ compiler

• PCP C compiler
• Built-in _bit type
• Use of optimal addressing modes: absolute, register relative, circular
• Saturating integer arithmetic and packed data operations
• FPU support
• Additional floating point software emulation
• Professional long-term maintenance and services

UDE Support

For debugging and testing the applications, the Development Platform includes a direct connection to the PLS Universal Debug Engine (UDE). The UDE can be started with all necessary settings directly from the IDE, thus hugely simplifying program function tests on the target hardware. Of course, the UDE also allows testing of PXROS-HR applications with memory protection.

• Target access via JTAG
• Supports OCDS LII and on-chip trace
• FLASH programming
• Real time Data Monitoring and Graphical View
• Execution Time measurement
• Instruction Pointer Profiling
• Simulated I/O

PXROS-HR with Memory Protection

The PXROS-HR realtime operating system with integrated MPU management is an optional component of the Development Platform. Modern micro-controllers, such as ARM-Cortex-M3, TriCore and Power Architecture, include a Memory Protection Unit, which guarantees safe integration of functionalities consisting of different software components. With these features PXROS-HR is ideally suited for safety-critical applications and rugged industrial solutions.

Furthermore, a library, especially developed for the PXROS debug monitor PXmon, allows the Universal Debug Engine to use the JTAG debug channel as fast communication vehicle for the exchange of data with running PXROS-HR applications. System conditions, such as the stack consumption of individual tasks, the process sequence of tasks, the processor workload due to individual application parts as well as the workload of resources are graphically displayed. The user is thus provided with an effective tool for testing PXROS-HR based programs and optimising the performance parameters of the application.

Trademarks: Eclipse ist a trademark of the Eclipse Foundation. TriCore is a trademark of Infineon Technologies. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders.