Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Mon, 23 May 2022 19:24:42 GMT

Yeah I saw that reference. That workaround didn't work for me for some reason. I'm using the other solution and not configuring my board using the "debug" option for thread debugging.

Thanks,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user111508 — Fri, 20 May 2022 08:12:36 GMT

I came across the same problems, I can confirm the following workaround works:

Update: A workaround is to be to start debugging by Run -> Start Debugging (or pressing F5) instead of starting by clicking the "Debug Application" icon within the nRF Connect for VS Code plugin.

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Thu, 19 May 2022 17:31:47 GMT

Hi Einar,

I'm not sure why you can't re-produce the issue, it sounds like from the case I found lots of other developers were having the same issue, one just using the blinky app with the bootloader. In any case, I'll use the workaround that I have now which is fine. I'm also good not worrying about that Cortex debug warning as long as the tools keep working.

Regards,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user7377 — Thu, 19 May 2022 11:55:20 GMT

Hi Pam,

Thanks for the version info - that was the latest until today and should been good. I will forward it to the team working on the plugin, though I cannot promise any fast progress (at least not while not being able to reproduce).

Regarding the warning that is just an informational notice about future deprecation, and should be addressed in due time. And I recommend you use whatever we provide with the nRF Connect for Desktop Toolchain manager, as that is tested. You can see this thread for a bit more info.

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Wed, 18 May 2022 16:17:12 GMT

Hi Einar,

I am using: Visual Studio Version 1.67.1 and nRF Connect Version 2022.4.219

Also, I see this error message every time I run the debugger:

WARNING: Cortex-Debug will deprecate use of GDB version 8 after July 2022. Please upgrade to version 9+

Any idea if this is a concern or how to update this "Cortex-Debug" software?

Thanks and regards,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user7377 — Wed, 18 May 2022 08:23:18 GMT

Hi Pam,

Thanks for updating me on your findings. It is a bit strange that I was not able to reproduce it though, and this issue should have been fixed. Can you let me know which VS Code version and which version of the nRF Connect for VS Code plugin you have?

Einar

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Tue, 17 May 2022 17:26:48 GMT

Hi Einar,

It seems like a Visual Studio or Zephyr bug of some sort. See the case below, this is the exact issue I have run across. I'll work around it for now as suggested by using a build without the debug option selected or incorporate multiple threads.

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/79881/unable-to-use-debugger-in-vs-code-using-nrf-connect/330690#330690

Thanks and regards,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Tue, 17 May 2022 04:25:25 GMT

Hi Einar,

I am still having a problem with debugging when the "mcuboot" is included in my build. I don't experience these issues when the bootloader is not included. Here is some of the output from the debug console window when the debugger stalls (after the code is downloaded).

Reading symbols from c:/Soberlink/soberlink_sfw/trunk_NordicBLE/SL_Connect_ST/build_connect/mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.elf...
2
Resetting target
[New Thread 536878448]
[New Thread 536877896]
[Switching to Thread 536878448]
Run to 'main' timed out. Trying to pause program
GDB never responded to an interrupt request. Trying to end session anyways

Could there be a RAM issue perhaps causing it to have difficulty switching threads? I'm struggling with how to debug this, I don't see an easy way to work with any type of debugging in the bootloader.

Any help would be great. I can get it to work when I select "Recover Board" via the connected JTAG device just before the download. But I have to do this every time to get it to work.

Thanks for your help and best regards,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user7377 — Thu, 12 May 2022 13:03:37 GMT

Hi Pam,

[quote user="pkeiles"]After referencing this sample project I tweaked my own project and was able to get it to download and successfully run as well with the debugger. [/quote]

That is good to hear.

[quote user="pkeiles"]Although it doesn't work consistently, sometimes there are issues where it gets "stuck" and never makes it out of the bootloader after the download. I'm still trying to identify the exact problem, but maybe it's related to the state of the chip along with the external hardware on the board?[/quote]

That could be. It id difficult to say without knowing more. It could make sense to debug to bootloader to see what state it is in when it is seemingly stuck.

[quote user="pkeiles"]Is there any documentation on the SMP protocol if I end up using that versus something custom? [/quote]

The Simple Management Protocol (SMP) protocol comes from the mcumgr project. The documentation is unfortunately sparse, though. Or as they put it in the mcumgr documentation: "Information and documentation for mcumgr is stored within the source". There is a small chapter on the protocol, though.

Einar

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user64801 — Thu, 12 May 2022 00:13:47 GMT

Hi Einar,

I wasn't able to get the "overlay-bt.conf" version of the project to build because it is too large for the NRF52832. However I did get the "overlay-bt-tiny.conf" and the "overlay-serial.conf" versions to build and run on the dev board.

After referencing this sample project I tweaked my own project and was able to get it to download and successfully run as well with the debugger. Although it doesn't work consistently, sometimes there are issues where it gets "stuck" and never makes it out of the bootloader after the download. I'm still trying to identify the exact problem, but maybe it's related to the state of the chip along with the external hardware on the board?

I will try to see if I can get somewhere on the DFU design in my project. Is there any documentation on the SMP protocol if I end up using that versus something custom? The update image is being transferred via the UART from a different processor in our device so the application on the Nordic chip just has to write the new image to flash and initiate the switch/update via the bootloader.

Thanks,

Pam

RE: Can't Debug with image including MCUBoot Bootloader

user7377 — Wed, 11 May 2022 12:26:48 GMT

Hi Pam,

I have not been able to reproduce this. Just to check that the tools are in place, can you try building the unmodified smp_svr sample with overlay-bt.conf and ensure you check the "Enable debug options" checkbox? Does debugging work then? (On my end, using the latest VS Code (1.67.1), nRF Connect for VS Code plugin (v2022.4.219) and nRF Connect SDK 1.9.1 this works out of the box.)

If this works, then we can look at your project (though I see you wrote that you tested with another sample - which, and with which modifications and build configuration)? If this also fails, we should look at your development environment configuration.

Einar