FM VERİCİ

 My first step in learning the ARM9 platform.



VIA / WonderMedia's WM8505 (ARM926EJ-S):






UART0 Connection:




Serial console connection details:  Project Gus



Required Tools:  all are free =) 

• GNU Toolchain for ARM Processors

Sourcery G++ Lite Edition

• Eclipse IDE for C/C++ Developers

Helios SR2

• Eclipse CDT (C/C++ Development Tooling)

CDT 7 for Eclipse Helios 

• GNU ARM Eclipse Plug-in

Plug-in_Installation

The goal is to run this simple code: (main.c)

int main()<br />{<br /> uart_init();<br /> while(1)<br /> {<br /> uart_puts("hello world, WM8505/ARM926!\r\n");<br /> }<br /> return 0;<br />}


 It should output these strings on UART_0 port, just like this:






 After setting up the tools, here are the next steps:

-Create new project on Eclipse




 -Select target processor (WM8505 is a ARM926EJ-S processor)




-Select binary format for the flash image:




-linker setting:




 - after building the project, open the generated *.map file to verify the linker output

*I don't know, yet, what's with this 0x03F80000 address.

  This is the load address used by Wondermedia version of U-BOOT

- Complete Eclipse project files:



download here: ARM9_WM8505_UART0.zip




* most of the hardware initializations (e.g. clock settings) are already done by the bootloader,

   so we don't have to worry about them for now.




Next question is, "how to load and run the code?


I've tested two ways of how to transfer the generated image to the RAM:


First is through tftp transfer, second is SD card load during boot-up.

Both method uses the bootloader, which is already present in the board (in the SPI flash).


My board got v1.1.4 of U-BOOT.



1. TFTP transfer to RAM.


- get a copy of this freeTFTPD32 server application.


- using the LAN adapter, connect board to host PC Ethernet


enter u-boot console, and type these commands:

tftp {load address} {image file}<br />go {load address}<br />




* RAM load address can use other than 0x0



2. SD card scriptcmd

-guide:  How to edit "scriptcmd"

-during boot-up, the u-boot will read the "scriptcmd" script in the "script" folder of the SD card.

fatload mmc 0 {load address} {image file}<br />go {load address} 


*these commands can also be typed in the uboot console. ("mmcinit" must be sent first)



references:

Wondermedia GPL sources

WM8505 datasheets

forum link:

Let's learn ARM using cheap 7" tablets

I've recently bought a Mini-STM32 kit for the purpose of learning ARM-based MCUs. These development kits were from China and then locally distributed by DIY Hobbyist Corner at an affordable price.
After playing with the example codes, including the uCOS/uCGUI demo, I came up with this Mini UART (serial) Terminal application.

I just utilized the source/library for OS of the uCOS_DEMO since I still don't understand how it works. Luckily I got a copy of uCGUI manual and so I manage to make modifications on the existing sample GUIs (graphical user interface). And later, I'm also able to design my own GUIs.
The USART interface is not difficult to learn since it's almost similar to what other microcontrollers is using. Therefor, it's also easy "porting" the USART code (using standard C language) from my previous MCUs to this STM32 MCU.

The application uses the touch-screen capability of the kit for the keypad interface. However, because of the small LCD area, it's impractical to design the keypad as a full featured "qwerty" keyboard. What I did was just provide alternate characters for most of the existing keys.

"Caps" key pressed and USART baudrate chage:
"QWERTY" key toggled and MainForm minimized(showing desktop background):
Alternate keys/symbols and movable dialog:

It's also possible to use a "gender changer" (DB9 female to DB9 Male) on CON1 of the kit to make it resembles as a common PC serial port.
A problem may also raises because of the possibility that the touch-screen response will vary with different units. So, I added an optional "touch-screen calibrate" at start-up. This option can be found on "miniterm.h" header (the "calibration" code is also copied from one of the demo/example codes).

Source Code (using Keil RVMDK + uVision) download: mini-Term.rar

forum link: Mini STM32 with 2.8 LCD and touchscreen

Serial Port Flash Loader for 8-Pin Z8F Zilog Encore(XP)

One major problem for the ZiLOG 8-pin mcu's is that it needs an expensive usb smart cable in order for the program to be 'flashed'/'burned' to their memory. This application aims to address this problem, by using a common serial port for flash loading (reading and erasing as well) instead of using an expensive tool.



For now,it's only tested with 8-pin Z8F042A. Hopefully in the future, it can also support other ZiLOG MCUs, not only these 8-pins (those 20- and 28-pins should be easier to program).

download: Flash Loader for 8-Pin Z8F.rar

forum link for project progress: Serial Port Flash Loader for 8-Pin Zilog MCUs

update(123009):
already tested with 8-pin z8f0423 and 28-pin z8f082a (yes, soic-28 also)

update(010110):
Win32 Executable verion: Flash Loader for 8-Pin Z8F (WIN32 Executable).rar
it only requires msvcp90.dll - most Win32 OS already have this; if not yet installed, it can be downloaded from Microsoft.