Debug and trace tools enhance RISC-V says iSystem
Design and test tools in the BlueBox series by iSystem are now available for RISC-V developers. The iC5700 BlueBox and iC5000 BlueBox support debugging and tracing for complex applications based on the open standard instruction set architecture. The BlueBox unit comes with the integrated development and test environment winIDEA/testIDEA and helps RISC-V developers to efficiently execute debug and testing cycles for industrial, consumer, IoT and automotive applications, said iSystem.
RISC-V is an open standard ISA (instruction set architecture), developed and promoted by RISC-V International (www.riscv.org). iSystem’s BlueBox technology and software support SiFive FE310 and SiFive FU740 SoCs as well as GigaDevice GD32VF microcontrollers as the company’s first commercial products for the RISC-V ecosystem
BlueBox for RISC-V gives developers a debug access via JTAG and allows for on-chip flash and SPI/QSPI flash programming. The probes are suitable for single and multi-core debugging, allowing timing analysis (trace, profiling) and code coverage measurement. Developers can execute stops on reset (depending on the SoC and board), debug from reset vector and multi-core run/stop syncs. The BlueBox is integrated into iSystem’s winIDEA IDE and includes the test tool, testIDEA
winIDEA is based on the look and feel of Microsoft Visual Studio, explained iSystem to developers get a kick start working with the tools. The graphics user interface (GUI) for the BlueBox base units is equally user-friendly, to shorten time to market, claimed iSystem.
testIDEA executes software and regression tests in real-time on the target hardware (on object code level) without requiring any instrumentation. The isystem.connect test automation library can be accessed through scripting (e.g., using Python, C#, C++) and allows for automated software testing (e.g., continuous integration) to develop and test code.
iSystem has been developing and manufacturing tools and solutions for embedded software development and testing since 1986. The privately held company has five locations in Europe and the US. It advises its customers on solving challenges in proving that the software inside a microcontroller or microprocessor will do what it was built to do. iSystem tools can detect software errors and help to correct them for safe embedded systems in versatile applications and different industries.
