Relatively inexpensive PowerPC debugger?

[Gatecrasher]

I've only ever found 30 day evals, or versions with a 64k code size limit. The full featured versions for MPC55xx and 56xx are $OMG$.

https://www.nxp.com/design/design-cente ... metric_Tab

[04colyZQ8]

I’ve got a lot of experience with mpc565 and multi link fx is crap, I own it as well. And extensively use ntusb for everything now!

Multi link fx is extremely expensive and doesn’t work with code warrior which for mpc565 needs to use a super old version that only runs on windows 32 xp, and no drivers for multi link fx work with that setup. To top that off the multi link never read the entire flash correctly because of the salve ecu causing a reset their support sucks and never got it to work.. waisted 900 usd on that crap!!!

USB nt supper is amazing and works for so many things and is really cheap! However cannot step
Through the code on anything that I’m aware off but it’s the best thing since sliced bread. I wish I could meet him and just hangout coolest guy ever:) you have to appreciate it’s simplicity and amazing speed … for such a tiny thing it’s the fastest way to program I’ve ever seen!!

So in summary I cannot step through anything! But j tag is still great to fix errors.

I use ghidra to patch and write new code then upload via j tag if it fails no biggie just find the error and reflash. However be nice to step through!

With other stuff I use like arm7 I found online simulators to test chunks of code and you can step through it.

If anyone has a good emulator for mpc5xx that works I’d love to try that approach.

[Tazzi]

So in summary I cannot step through anything! But j tag is still great to fix errors.

I use ghidra to patch and write new code then upload via j tag if it fails no biggie just find the error and reflash. However be nice to step through!

With other stuff I use like arm7 I found online simulators to test chunks of code and you can step through it.

If anyone has a good emulator for mpc5xx that works I’d love to try that approach.

If you are referring to the USBJtag guy that I had mentioned before, you can step through running firmware or custom made kernels using his tools!

[04colyZQ8]

So in summary I cannot step through anything! But j tag is still great to fix errors.

I use ghidra to patch and write new code then upload via j tag if it fails no biggie just find the error and reflash. However be nice to step through!

With other stuff I use like arm7 I found online simulators to test chunks of code and you can step through it.

If anyone has a good emulator for mpc5xx that works I’d love to try that approach.

If you are referring to the USBJtag guy that I had mentioned before, you can step through running firmware or custom made kernels using his tools!

You can for which targets how? I’m sure it’s the same guy usbjtag.com

[Gatecrasher]

I'll buy one right now if someone can show me an example of it being done on an mpc56xx chip.

[Tazzi]

You can for which targets how? I’m sure it’s the same guy usbjtag.com

I'll buy one right now if someone can show me an example of it being done on an mpc56xx chip.

Depending on your target (Such as most GM ECUs using MPC55XX and MCP56XX), you will need to know the shadow password to be able to use any debugging.

Its been a while since he showed me how, but you can peek/poke at registers and all sorts while it is running. I believe he uses it himself to test custom code/kernels that he creates too.
Would need to ask him the questions again to recall the commands.

[04colyZQ8]

You can for which targets how? I’m sure it’s the same guy usbjtag.com

I'll buy one right now if someone can show me an example of it being done on an mpc56xx chip.

Depending on your target (Such as most GM ECUs using MPC55XX and MCP56XX), you will need to know the shadow password to be able to use any debugging.

Its been a while since he showed me how, but you can peek/poke at registers and all sorts while it is running. I believe he uses it himself to test custom code/kernels that he creates too.
Would need to ask him the questions again to recall the commands.

Yes peek poke is used but not quite stepping through, and or be nubs to put break points I don’t think we can do that. I have not needed a password for the mpc565, seeks to allow most things without it.

[Tazzi]

MPC565 (Any MPC5XX) processors don't appear to be locked by GM.

It is not until you go to the MPC5XXX there they are.

But yes, can step through. He did explicitly show my that a while ago.

[Gatecrasher]

How's $25 sound for inexpensive?

I picked up this Cyclone up on eBay in pretty sad condition. It was sold as not working, but for $20 shipped it was basically zero risk.



My electronic repair skills are average at best, so I'm usually not one to talk down about other people's work, but damn....whoever was in this thing before me was a butcher. The DC jack was hanging on by a thread of ugly solder and a wad of hot glue. A couple of the nearby capacitors were damaged. It would barely power up if you very delicately held it in exactly the right position.



The screw holes in the housing were mostly stripped, and several screws were missing. A few of the buttons on the right side of the front panel were smashed or missing entirely. About $5 in repair parts got it cleaned up and working.

This is what got me going down the PE Micro road.

https://community.nxp.com/t5/MPC5xxx/MP ... d-p/471453

For the older Power MPC5xx/8xx chips, I think you still need old software like 04coly was talking about. But for the newer Qorivva MPC5xxx stuff I'm working on, you can use S32 Design Studio for Power Architecture. It's free, and there are no code size limits. It might be possible to use something like OpenOCD with the PE GDB server for the older stuff. We'll come back to that.

I'll get into this in more detail later if someone wants me to. Here's the high level summary. It works, but it was clunky as hell to set up. I can't seamlessly suspend and resume the CPU, but I can halt on connect, run to breakpoints, step through code, and dump all of the flash. Code, data, and shadow. I can see the active RAM, and the registers. Those were the main things I wanted. Once I learn my way around the program a little more I'm sure I'll be able to come up with a more comprehensive workspace.

This should all apply to a Multilink too. It doesn't have to be a Cyclone.





The clunky part is that I couldn't get it to work with the debug settings that ship with S32DS. I finally figured how how to get it to work by launching the PE Micro GDB server outside of S32DS, and then have S32DS connect to that server via localhost telnet.

The module I'm testing is a Ford gateway module (MPC5602C). I picked it because it was cheap, disposable, easy to trace the JTAG pins on, and I had an extra one laying around. It'll be great for learning. The global BCM is what I'm really after, but that can wait until I refine this setup a little more.

[antus]

Most excellent progress. Well done