Open source GCC Development Tools

GCC is becoming a favourite tool set for those wishing to develop C code for high end CPUs such as the Power PC, ColdFire and ARM this is to a large extent because it is free.  But if you have not used GCC before what is needed to getting the Linux package going on a Windows system can look a bit daunting.  In order to cut this task short a number of manufacturers of debugging tools now provide the GCC compiler integrated into their development environments, sometimes even with a development board thrown in.  This means that the user can hit the ground running with a package that is delivered "Ready to Run".

COMSOL and its suppliers do not directly provide technical support for use of the GNU compiler.

Each package is described in more detail on its own web page

P&E support for ColdFire and Nexus

The MCF5213 Evaluation Kit

P&E Microcomputer's new DEV5213CF is an ideal evaluation kit for getting started on ColdFire MCF5213 projects.

The evaluation board contains an embedded P&E USB to BDM interface which provides for easy debug and flash programming of the resident ColdFire MCF5213 processor. The MCF5213 device is a 32-bit ColdFire processor which incorporates 256KB of Flash, 32KBytes of RAM, Digital I/O, ADC, QSPI, PWMs, timers, a PLL, I²C and more. The processor runs at a system clock speed of up to 80MHZ which gives 76MIPS of performance.

Included is the 64K Starter Edition of P&E's Pkg ColdFire Pro software development package which provides the capability to compile, debug, and flash program but limited to 64KB of user C code. This software suite includes the P&E In Circuit Debugger, Flash Programmer, and WinIDE integrated environment with built in GCC Compiler. A Quickstart Manual and sample template project will give you an easy introduction to creating your own interrupt driven firmware design.

Package ColdFire Pro

For this P&E's has both parallel and USB interface cables that  provide access to the BDM interface on ColdFire range of microprocessors (or you could even include the CycloneMax and have a standalone programmer for production use) . The package includes all the interface hardware and software needed to start program development for the ColdFire range.  These are P&Es popular Windows IDE and high level debugging package plus the EABI GCC precompiled by P&E to operate directly under the Windows environment without requiring the installation of a Unix shell. The compiler is integrated into WinIDE and allows for one-touch compilation of a C-level project with a binary that is loadable by P&E’s in-circuit flash programmer. A Quickstart Manual and multiple template projects will quickly get you started on an interrupt driven firmware design

Package-NEXUS for PPC 55xx

P&E's PowerPC Nexus Interface  provide access to the JTAG interface on the  PPC 55xx range of microprocessors. The package includes all the interface hardware and software needed to start program development for the Nexus range.  These are a JTAG Cable, P&Es popular Windows IDE and high level debugging package plus the EABI GCC precompiled by P&E to operate directly under the Windows environment without requiring the installation of a Unix shell. The compiler is integrated into WinIDE and allows for one-touch compilation of a C-level project. This compiler produces both the Elf/Dwarf 2.0 and S19 output formats. The Elf/Dwarf format is loadable by P&E’s in-circuit debugger and the S19 is loadable by P&E’s in-circuit flash programmer. 

Embest Support for ARM

Embest provide a copy of GCC integrated into their IDE and debugging environment for the ARM micro that will work - Out of the Box.  In addition they have a wide range of Evaluation boards each of which comes with many source code examples of how to program the peripherals all organised as projects ready to drop into their IDE.  So an Embest UNetICE JTAG debugger + the IDE software + an Embest Evaluation Board makes a well rounded ARM development package. A Number are available as low cost Kits.  Choose the Arm core that most closely matches your requirement....

iSYSTEM support for ARM 68K, ColdFire and Nexus

winIDE Development Environment

The winIDE environment includes GCC compilers for ARM, PPC, 68K and ColdFire. This has been pre-compiled and its operation is integrated into the IDE with examples so it compiles "out of the box". This package is freely available and can be used to create binaries quite independently of the debug environment ( although of course we would quite like you to buy an iSYSTEM one ).  It therefore makes an ideal evaluation tool.

STR7 Development Kit

Combines iSYSTEMS  iONE USB/JTAG interface with an STR711F ARM based development board, winIDEA ( with a 32K download limit) and a GCC compiler integrated into winIDE and working "out of the box".  It comes with lots of examples