This is an updated version of the former title "Techniques for using DS-5 - Connect to a Running Target".
Arm® DS-5 for Intel® SoC FPGA Edition (DS-5) has been replaced by Arm® Development Studio for Intel® SoC FPGA Edition (Arm® DS), the standard software integrated development environment for Intel® SoC FPGAs. Arm® DS is the successor to DS-5 and is not significantly different in usability. Most of the articles in this series are applicable to both Arm® DS and DS-5, but the differences are clearly noted in this update.
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This article provides additional information on how to use Arm® DS / DS-5, which is available as a software integrated development environment for Intel® SoC FPGAs.
In this article, we will show you how to connect (attach) Arm® DS / DS-5 to a running target environment at a later time. This method does not involve downloading the software to be debugged from the Arm® DS / DS-5, so it is useful for checking the status of the software when a problem occurs in a target environment with autonomous booting from an SD card or Flash ROM.
Note that this article only describes how to set up the debugger connection. Please refer to the Arm® DS / DS-5 manual for information on how to use the debugger and debugging after connection.
Arm® Development Studio documentationpage (Arm® Developer site)
DS-5™ documentation page (Arm® Developer site)
Debug Configuration
To use Arm® DS / DS-5 as an attach-only device, select the "Connect Only" execution control option on the Debugger tab of the Debug Configuration. Basically, this selection is all that is needed to attach. If you want to display the source code associated with the running program in the debugger, additional settings are required.
Figures 1-3 below show examples of actual debug configuration settings. (The example configuration is for the Preloader of the Cyclone® V SoC.)
Connection Tab
The connection configuration is the same as the normal debug procedure of downloading and executing software from the debugger; Linux® Application Debug is not available due to the Ethernet (RSE) connection instead of JTAG.
Figure 1. Debug Configuration - Connection Tab
File Tab
For connect only, no download target is specified. This is necessary when the debug target does not have debug symbol information, such as binaryized software. Specify the application before binaryization (optional) when you want to debug while referring to symbolic information such as connection to source code, functions, variables, etc.
Figure 2. Debugging Configuration - File Tab
Debugger Tab
Select "Connect Only".
Register a script that includes a "stop" command (optional). If you specify symbol loading in the File tab, the symbol loading will fail if the program is not stopped beforehand. Specify the location of the source code (optional) This is necessary to link the execution instruction to the source code.
Figure 3. Debug Configuration - Debugger Tab
Example of script description including stop command (contents of stop.ds)
stop
wait 5s
Image of debugging start and connection completion
All that remains is to start debugging using the example debug configuration.
Figure 4 shows the screen at the completion of connection. The source code associated with the running program is displayed, allowing symbolic debugging at the source code level.
Call stacks and variables are also displayed with symbolic information associated with the source code.
Figure 4. Start of debugging (connection completed)
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