topic Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4 in 8-bit Microcontrollers

How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

PeterK — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 01:34:16 GMT

Disclaimer: all info here is something I discovered by trial & error, and
   I do not think it would be supported by Freescale and/or Softec.
   Proceed at own risk.

I though it might be of interest to some of the readers of this forum
to know how to make the USBSPYDER08 programmer/ICD
work with the new ka8/ka4 parts.

Short answer is:
1)
Have latest version of CodeWarrior Special Edition + KA8/4 patches   (Feb/2008)
In CW create you project (target should be KA8/4 of course)
2) A dialog comes up, select "SofTec" or was it "USBSPYDER08"
   then also select "KA1" or "KA2" as device (there is no "KA4" or "KA8")
3) Select "OK" or "Load (load will "fail" .. see below)
4)
edit the "SofTec_RS08.ini" file (it's in the project directory somewhere)
change "DeviceName = " line to reflect your target (only tested KA8 but KA4 should work too)
3) finito

Long explanation:

The problem seems to be that the USBSPYDER08 only knows
about KA1/KA2 devices and when you try to load onto a KA8
target device, it throws up a dialog box
something like "Target device does not match .. ... whatever"
and also "Communication problem ... bla bla"
At this point you can tell it to "Ignore" and it then goes ahead
but then claims that it cannot write to location 0x2000
or communication error.
and that's the end.

Being brand new to USBSPYDER8 and freescale MCUs
this msg did not make a lot of sense to me, but having spent some
time reading datasheets for both KA2 & KA8 devices in
particular their memory maps you realize that the start address
of their code segments are different. The KA2 starts at 0x3800
and KA8 at ... you guessed it! ... 0x2000.   This seems kind of
nasty, doesn't it? As if the USBSPYDER loader knows about
devices and their internals. "Bad design", you think, or perhaps
"they must have been desperate". .. Ok, back on track.

Having tried different work-arounds, where most of them did not have
a "positive" effect, (some of them worked .. kinda) I happened to try
the work-around described above in desperation, not really believing
in n it. But surprise surprise. Seems to work great.

cheers
PeterK

Message Edited by PeterK on 2008-03-24 02:50 PM

Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

JimDon — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:06:48 GMT

Thanks Peter.
I found out over the weekend myself that this did not work.

I did email softec support over the issue, as the literature for the SPYDER does say RSKA family suport.

I knew it was because a config file did not get updated, but since I have a P&E BDM that supports RS, and because P&E is really good about keep these files up to date, I just went ahead and used that.
Because the P&E does not supply power, I had to make a board with 3 6 pins connectors so I could inject power, but that is somthing I have been meaning to do and it did work.

It also seems like the P&E single steps faster than the spyder.

Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

PeterK — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:24:36 GMT

Hello Jim,

yes, single stepping is not fast, but overall
USBSPYDER08 is a nice little tool for evaluation.

I have since found that in addition to what was
described it works best if

a) you disconnect power from your target before
loading (or before you hit F5 in CW) and reconnect
target power when the spyder
asks you to. ( turn power on and off etc).

b)
something seems to edit the "SofTec_RS08.ini"
and reset the devicename back to ...KA2 or ..KA1.
It does not seem to happen at each load
Perhaps it is only when the loader has had problems.
To avoid this I have made the file read-only. Doing
this does not seem to have ill side-effects.

Have you heard back from SofTec?

cheers,
Peterk

Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

JimDon — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:18:01 GMT

No they didn't, but why don't you submit a freescale service request.
Technically it is freescales job to do that - even if it comes from the vendor.
Remind them that the specs say it will support it. SofTec probably wants you to but the 400.00 one,
but near as I can tell the P&E 99.00 unit is just as good.
I did that once for a similar situation, and they emailed an update that fixed it until the next release.
(was not a SPYDER, it was config file for serial monitor on HC12)

Yes, it will keeping undoing that. I think the dll actually has be updated as well.
Try write protecting the ini file.

Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

JimDon — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:49:48 GMT

Here is the response from SofTec:

Dear Jim,

USBSPYDER08 supports some of the KA family, ie.KA1 and KA2.
On the other hand, it is a low cost evaluation tool and it will not
update to support the latest KA8 devices.

Best regards,

So, I guess your method is the only way to make it work.:

Re: How to make USBSPYDER08 work with mc9rs08ka8 & mc9rs08ka4

burusj — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:04:23 GMT

Hello,

does somebody knows how to modify SofTec_BDC08.dll file to make USBSPYDER08 device compatible with hcs08DZ family? It is compatible with QG QD family but I have found a modified file and it unlocked QE family. So i think that it is possible?

Thanks

Damian