Using Segger J-Link Against chipKIT Boards

Created Sun, 05 Mar 2017 14:00:56 +0000 by avenue33

avenue33

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 14:00:56 +0000

Hi!

I'm a big fan of standard tools, i.e. silicon vendor independent, like the Segger J-Link Programmer-Debugger I've reviewed.

The Segger J-Link programmer-debugger lists Microchip PIC32MX and PIC32MZ among the MCUs it supports.

Has anyone managed to connect the Segger J-Link and debug against a chipKIT board? 

Thank you!

EmbeddedMan

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:31:38 +0000

avenue33 - Yes, I have (as well as some other chipKIT devs at Microchip) and it works great. I've used it from within MPLAB X.

Now, there is a new chipKIT sketch importer being released from Microchip that will allow you to very easily pull chipKIT/Arduino sketches into MPLAB X for complete hardware debugging. It was announced yesterday. It should be available for download very soon (maybe a couple days?) with documentation and such. That's the easiest way I know of to use hardware debuggers (including the JLink) with chipKIT boards.

*Brian

avenue33

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:16:27 +0000

Thank you for your answer. I haven't found the new chipKIT sketch importer you mentioned (is it released?) but other interesting documents.

For the chipKIT uC32, the SEGGER J-Link for MPLAB® X IDE application note, as well as the J-Link Microchip Adapter schematics for Microchip Debug Tool Connector / 2-wire JTAG corresponding to JP3 connector.

However, the chipKIT Wi-Fire features 3 debugging ports: JP1 for Microchip Debug Tool Connector / 2-wire JTAG, undocumented JP3 labelled JTAG for 4-wire JTAG, and undocumented JP4 for trace (according to PIC32MZ2048EFG100 data-sheet)

Does Digilent plan to release more information about how to debug the chipKIT boards with Segger J-Link, and how to use the chipKIT JP3 and JP4 connectors?

EmbeddedMan

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:40:17 +0000

The importer plugin has not yet been released - it's awaiting its final documentation. I hope it will be very soon! I will post an announcement on this forum as soon as it is available.

As far as Digilent - I doubt they're planning on releasing any more documentation for that board, but I could be wrong. You'd have to ask them directly. (They may not see your message here.)

*Brian

avenue33

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:55:54 +0000

I've already posted at the Digilent forum.

lstandage

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 22:36:09 +0000

Regarding the WiFire: The JTAG header on the WiFire lines up with the Digilent JTAG tools, but they do not have a corresponding header for the J-Link. You'd have to manually wire it up. The 2-Wire interface works with the J-Link/Microchip adapter.

Regarding the uC32: Certain older PIC32 devices (the ones on WF32, MAX32, and, unfortunately, the uC32) had an internal debugger circuit that is not compatible with the 2-wire capabilities of the J-Link. For those parts, the only option is 4-wire JTAG. It looks like these are where the JTAG pins are on the uC32: TMS -> A3 TDO -> A9 TCK -> A4 TDI -> A10

avenue33

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 23:31:58 +0000

Thank you for the details.

Indeed, the PIC32MZ generation used in the chipKIT Wi-Fire includes many improvements over the previous PIC32MX series used in the chipKIT uC32, MAX32 et al..