How to flash *.bin or *.hex generated files into a leaflabs maple?

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How to flash .bin or .hex generated files into a leaflabs maple?

(9 posts) (8 voices)

Started 4 years ago by xavier_lahera
Latest reply from gbulmer

xavier_lahera
Member

Hi everyone,

I am an engineer that works developing control algorithms in the field of robotics. Most of my work is developed in MATLAB/Simulink under Windows 7 (32 bit), which I use to simulate, design, and produce highly efficient C code for embedded controllers. I have been working with various evaluation boards from the DSpace brand, but now I am interested on scaling some designs into leaflabs maple boards (by recommendation of some colleagues).

We adquired a leaflabs maple r5 board, and I got all the procedure of using the maple ide, and flashing various examples. Therefore, I know that all the communication protocol throughout USB channel is properly working.

Now, I am interested on the possibility to flash code that is produce by MATLAB/Simulink. To test this, I have created some simple example, which I can easily simulate and compile with Keil µVision IDE. I do this, because the code produced by MATLAB/Simulink is not in the format MAPLE IDE. From Keil µVision IDE I can produce either *.bin files or *.hex files, by setting the compilation with start in the area 0x8005000 as I got from reading on this forum.

My problem now consists on flashing (transporting) this *.bin or *.hex file into my board, with a similar USB procedure as MAPLE IDE. I thought there would exist some easy tool in maple ide to do so, but I seem to be mistaken. I read around about the use of dfuse demo, and flash loader demo, but as I understand, they use different process than dfu-util.

I would thank very much if somebody could help me figure out how to solve this issue, which problably is rather easy for some of you who are more familiar with this hardware unit. I would like to be able to flash the code, but still been able to use the MAPLE IDE for simpler tasks.

I tried by the command line

dfu-util -d 0110:1001 -a 0 -D file.bin

under the windows cmd.exe, but I only get the message:
Lost device after reset, assuming prod_id was incremented by one
NO DFU capable USB device found

Thanks in advance

Dr. Pedro Xavier Miranda La Hera
Principal Research Engineer
==============================================

Umeå Universitet
Tillämpad fysik och elektronik
SE-90187 Umeå
Sweden

tel (office): +46 (0)90 - 786 97 22
facsimile: +46 (0)90 - 786 64 69
e-mail: xavier.lahera@tfe.umu.se

Posted 4 years ago #
Xavier
Moderator

I think the right command line is :

> dfu-util -a1 -d 0x1EAF:0x0003 -D your-binary.bin -R

This one works for me...

Xavier

Posted 4 years ago #
ala42
Member

You have to reset the board before you can flash, as the board has the run the boot loader, and you need to be fast if you do this manually.

Posted 4 years ago #
samtal
Member

xavier_lahera,

You can easily load any file to flash by your USB port.
It may be too late for this reply, but in case others want to use it, I made some time ago a flash read / write demo that works nice and can be used as a template.
You can download it from http://pastebin.com/h0CxGRQ7.
WARNING:
Flash has a limited number of writing cycles (10,000?).
Be very careful not to get into a flash writing loop.
Such loop can kill a flash (and your board!) within seconds (It did to me!).
samtal

Posted 4 years ago #
poslathian
LeafLabs

the IDE and our command line toolchain bundle a reset script for you. When you upload, you are actually doing two things, sending a out of band signal over the SerialUSB that causes maple to reset into bootloader mode, and then uploading a binary over dfu-util.

You can put the board into bootloader mode by hitting reset, but it will jump back to user code in 2 seconds, so you have to time it right with your call to dfu-util.

The better option is to use perpetual bootloader mode (serach the forums for more info), basically you press and release reset, then *immediately* after releasing reset press and hold the BUT button for about 2 seconds. The LED should blink slowly. All calls to DFU-util should work now.

Note that given you are doing some fancy hacking building binaries with a different toolchain than we provide, you will probably not get your SerialUSB port back, and thus must use perpetual bootloader mode every time until you add your own reset mechanism into the binaries you are building outside the leaflabs toolchain.

also, be careful that your binaries are not mal-configuring pins. Driving a zero or a one onto a pin that is wired to supply or ground will brick that pin and potentially your board. If you stay in toolchain, this shouldnt happen, but if you take a look at the schematic you might find some pins you wont want to touch. I cant think of anything for Maple, but I would double check before running some random binary on the board that wasnt generated by our toolchain.

We would love to see some simulink support! let us know how this works out! feel free to email us or post here.

Posted 4 years ago #
RAJENDRA
Member

hi every one,
i want to upload hex file through usb to STM32
is their any way to do so please help me

Posted 3 years ago #
gbulmer
Moderator

RAJENDRA - are you using a LeafLabs Maple board, or something which has an STM32?

If it is not a Maple board, and you wish to ask STM32 questions, you might try joining the forum at:
https://my.st.com/public/STe2ecommunities/mcu/Lists/cortex_mx_stm32/AllItems.aspx

If it is on a Maple board, please look at the documentation
http://leaflabs.com/docs/unix-toolchain.html
which describes how to load a program onto a Maple board, which has an STM32 which has been pre-programmed with a bootloader.

Posted 3 years ago #
dexterkhm
Member

I have same problem and i have no way to resolve it. I am programming on Eclipse + ARM GCC under Windows XP and i need to know how to upload compiled *.hex or *.bin into Maple stm32 using usb bootloader. Can anyone help me with my question.

Posted 2 years ago #
gbulmer
Moderator

dexterkhm - have you tried using the Maple IDE?

That would provide proof that upload is working.
More importantly the USB DFU upload program would be installed along with the IDE.

Alternatively, you could get the USB DFU upload program directly:
http://dfu-util.gnumonks.org/

You might need to put the Maple into "perpetual bootloader mode" to get upload working:
http://leaflabs.com/docs/troubleshooting.html#perpetual-bootloader-mode

Posted 2 years ago #

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