RE: [avr-gcc-list] New Issues: AVRStudio and debugging with .COF Files

[Bryan Jarmain]

Thanks for your assistance, J"org.

Interestingly, "main" is in the coff file (seen using avr-objdump -g), and
is set up in the on the debugging menu of AVR Studio. I will experiment some
more with the Studio settings - possibly something I missed. I however
suspect it may be something in my firmware that is upsetting Studio - this I
can confirm by trying again with a new piece of code.

Are there any recommended ELF debuggers that will work with an AVR JTAG-ICE
- preferably with a front-end? I am still using Windoze. Or will I need to
upgrade to Linix? ;-)

Regards

* Bryan Jarmain (Development Engineer) 
* Control Instruments Fleet Management Services 
* mailto:address@hidden 
* http://www.cidev.com
* Tel: +27-21-883-2288    Fax: +27-21-883-2702 


-----Original Message-----
From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 11:44 AM
To: address@hidden
Subject: Re: [avr-gcc-list] New Issues: AVRStudio and debugging with .COF
Files

Bryan Jarmain <address@hidden> wrote:

> 1) When loading the COFF file into Studio, the debugging doesn't
> start at main. I need to step through until I get past the init
> functions. This is a relatively minor issue, but a bit annoying.

This is the reply i've once got from Svenn-Ivar Svendson of Atmel:

``This is a general message. The jtag ice module in studio tries to
locate the function that is specified in the 'jtag ice options' on the
debug menu of avr studio. By default it is 'main'.
 
If there is a function called 'main' in the program, Studio should be
able to look it up if the COFF file is according to spec (or what is
becomming the corrected spec). Generally, the customer should have
problems with watching variables as well if this message appears.''

(The latter would explain your issue #3.)

So please make sure your options are set up correctly.  Have a look at
the output of avr-objdump -g, it should properly display a main()
function.

> 2) After loading the COFF file, the contents of all constant arrays
> disappear. If I load the HEX file they reappear. If I then reload
> the COFF file, they remain until I reload the COFF, at which point I
> need to repeat the process.

That sounds like the known issue with AVR Studio's COFF parser when
processing avr-gcc files, listed almost at the end of the Beta README
file.


If you're proud enough to call a JTAG ICE your own, my general advise
is to drop that silly COFF stuff, and use avr-gdb directly on the ELF
file (perhaps with a frontend of your choice if you dislike GDB's user
interface).  This gives you access to the full debugging information
of the ELF file, as well as a powerful debugger. ;-)
-- 
J"org Wunsch                                           Unix support engineer
address@hidden        http://www.interface-systems.de/~j/

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