topic Re: ITM console view with FreeMaster in FreeMASTER

ITM console view with FreeMaster

Maurizio2 — Fri, 23 May 2025 07:27:15 GMT

Is it possibile to show the ITM printf with Freemaster tool? I need a software like SWO ITM Console ( in MCUxpresso ). MCUxpresso (SWO ITM Console windows) works very fine but it works only in debug session. I need a standalone software for ITM printf.

Re: ITM console view with FreeMaster

MichalH — Fri, 23 May 2025 08:16:54 GMT

Dear Maurizio,

there is no option for ITM read-out in FreeMASTER. I would recommend two other options which are more or less compatible with FreeMASTER:

If you use J-Link probe, then Segger RTT could be what you need - a data streaming over JTAG with a standalone PC tools like RTT console (JlinkRTTViewer). The NXP MCUXpresso SDK includes the Segger RTT driver as reusable software component. Note that FreeMASTER supports communication over RTT too, so once your application would support the RTT, you could then easily switch between console and FreeMASTER modes or even run both simultaneously each on a separate RTT port. There is fmstr_rtt demo application in MCUXpresso SDK packages for most of the CortexM microcontroller parts.
Use FreeMASTER Pipes and the FMSTR_PipeWrite, FMSTR_PipePuts, FMSTR_PipePrintf and similar methods. This will enable you to print any text output to FreeMASTER pipe view over the FreeMASTER protocol (so it will work the same over UART, CAN, Ethernet and also Segger RTT).

Regards,
Michal

Re: ITM console view with FreeMaster

Maurizio2 — Fri, 23 May 2025 12:26:30 GMT

I haven't J-Link probe I use MCU Link debug probe. Is it possible with MCU Link (CMSIS-DAP) ?

Re: ITM console view with FreeMaster

MichalH — Mon, 26 May 2025 06:14:27 GMT

Hello,

the RTT only works with Segger J-Link probes. The FreeMASTER PD-BDM technology is somewhat similar to RTT in a sense that JTAG interface is used for physical transfer and serves as a transport layer for FreeMASTER protocol. This enables FreeMASTER features like Oscilloscope, Recorder and Pipes to work over JTAG.

The PD-BDM plug-in can be configured in FreeMASTER to use J-Link or CMSIS-DAP as a low-layer access to JTAG.

You should be able to see it working in fmstr_pdbdm example application. As I wrote previously, one of Pipes could be then used for your console-like output.

Regards,
Michal