Remote debugging ( target : ARM7/linux ) (host x86/linux ) with JTAG emulator : how to choose ???????

Remote debugging ( target : ARM7/linux ) (host x86/linux ) with JTAG emulator : how to choose ???????

[Thomas TESTASECCA]

Hi everybody,

I need help to understand and choose the right product.

I develop for an embedded target : a cyrrus logic CDB89712 card, it is
composed of an ARM720 ( cs89712 ), the OS on the board is linux BlueCat from
LynuxWorks.
I want to develop from a Linux Host.
I need a good debugging tool, to debug the kernel, and user applications,
with source code support.
For that i have chosen to use the JTAG bus of the ARM processor, but there
is a lot of emulators :

    - Macgraigor OCDemon
    - Lauterbach products
    - Abatron BDI2000
    - EPI JEENI
    - ...

I want to use GNU utils like GDB under linux.
Does someone know what are the difference between these components, the ones
which works well with GDB/Insight ?
This processor/OS use MMU, does it make a difference ?
What is the difference between the diffrerent protocols (Angel, ICE, RDI
...) ?
What is the difference between the diffrerent file format ( ELF, AIF, COFF
...) ?
Does remote debug really works the same way than  local mode ?
Can i debug the kernel easily, with the source files view ?

I know that's a lot of questions but i must decide and i'm in trouble ...

Thanks a lot by advance.

Thomas TESTASECCA
ETIC telecom
FRANCE

my e-mail : thomas.testasecca@etictelecom.com

I'm new, in the mailing, i don't really know how it works ;)

Re: Remote debugging ( target : ARM7/linux ) (host x86/linux ) with JTAG emulator : how to choose ???????

[William A. Gatliff]

Thomas:


>     - Abatron BDI2000

I have one of these, for CPU32, and I recommend it highly.

It's an ethernet-to-BDM/JTAG bridge, and it speaks gdb's native remote
protocol on the ethernet side.  It's easy to set up, and the best part
is that since it speaks the native protocol, the *standard* gdb runs
fine with it.  No patches, no b.s..  That would also include Insight
and DDD.

The bdi2000 has been great for me.  It's fast, sets up easily, and is
stable and reliable.  I use it to test debugging stubs, RTOS code and
interrupt handlers, and it just keeps coming back for more.  Abatron's
support has been excellent, too.

The OCDemon is similar, except I've heard from several places that it
is slower to download, and the information at http://www.ocdemon.com
makes it sound like you need a (binary) proxy to talk to it (see the
text "modified GDB and Insight" in the FAQ).  That's just one more
thing to break in the process, in my opinion.  I wouldn't go there.
In fact, I didn't.  :^)



> This processor/OS use MMU, does it make a difference ?

It may.

If you are debugging applications running under Linux (i.e. in an mmu
environment) on the target, then you'll probably use gdbserver, not
one of the widgets you mentioned above.  The BDI2000 et all will be
for KERNEL debugging, not APPLICATION debugging.


> What is the difference between the diffrerent protocols (Angel, ICE, RDI
> ...) ?

Basically the same differences as french vs. english vs. Klingon, in
no particular order.  It's just the name for the protocol spoken
between the debugger and the target.  It's always best if the two use
the same protocol.  :^)

> What is the difference between the diffrerent file format ( ELF, AIF, COFF
> ...) ?

The key difference is in how the symbol information in the image is
encoded.  If you debugger can't understand an ELF format, then you
can't do anything with that file.

> Does remote debug really works the same way than  local mode ?

No.

> Can i debug the kernel easily, with the source files view ?

Yes.



b.g.

-- 
Bill Gatliff
bgat@billgatliff.com

Re: Remote debugging ( target : ARM7/linux ) (host x86/linux ) with JTAG emulator : how to choose ???????

[William A. Gatliff]

Thomas:


> > Can i debug the kernel easily, with the source files view ?
> 
> Yes.
> 

Um, let me rephrase that.

Yes, you can see the source files.  No, that doesn't necessarily make
kernel debugging any easier.  :^)


b.g.
-- 
Bill Gatliff
bgat@billgatliff.com

Re: Remote debugging ( target : ARM7/linux ) (host x86/linux ) with JTAG emulator : how to choose ???????

[Shaun Jackman]

> I want to use GNU utils like GDB under linux.
> Does someone know what are the difference between these components, the
> ones which works well with GDB/Insight ?
Both the BDI2000 and the Jeeni work well with GDB/Insight.

> This processor/OS use MMU, does it make a difference ?
I'm only familiar with the ARM7TDMI, but it works fabulously!

> What is the difference between the different protocols (Angel, ICE, RDI
> ...) ?
In my experience Angel (and RDI, same thing) aren't as well supported under 
GDB as the GDB remote protocol is. The Jeeni speaks RDI, the BDI2000 speaks 
GDB. The BDI2000 also has a handy telnet terminal, for when you're having 
trouble with GDB.

> What is the difference between the different file format ( ELF, AIF, COFF
> ...) ?
I'm only familiar with elf. It seems to be the most common format for ARM 
targets. Works well.

> Does remote debug really works the same way than  local mode ?
> Can i debug the kernel easily, with the source files view ?
If by "kernel" you mean Linux kernel, I have no idea as I'm not running Linux 
on my target. I am able to debug our in-house RTOS quite well though. I'd 
even be willing to say it works *better* than local mode because you can step 
through interrupt handlers much easier.

Cheers,
Shaun