Custom build step crashing

[scottm]

I'm trying to set up a custom build step in CW 10.6 and it works once, then crashes with an error:

Errors occurred during the build.

Errors running builder 'CDT Builder' on project '...'.

java.lang.NullPointerException

The resource being built is just a text file to be linked in as a binary object (I've tried both objcopy and xxd) and the build step will create an output but only once.  I'm working with the ColdFire tool chain in this case, but the same thing needs to work with the Kinetis version of the project.

Any ideas?  The error is not much to go on.  I've used custom build steps like this before in other IDEs (Visual Studio, IAR) without any trouble.

Thanks,

Scott

[trytohelp]

Hi Scott,

It's difficult to provide you help.

Do you try to manage the build operation using Build Steps dialog ?

The problem could be linked to Eclipse.

We need more information to understand the problem.

Have a great day,
Pascal
NXP Technical Support

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[scottm]

Yes, I'm using the build steps.  To recreate the problem I can use the following steps:

Add the file to the project (linked or copied, doesn't matter)

Right-click and select properties

Under build settings, select 'apply custom build step overriding other tools'

Enter any command (or no command at all) in the Command field

Exit and press control-B to build.

It completes the build once, without apparently attempting to execute the custom build step.  Try to build it again or clean the project, and CDT Builder crashes with the above error.

Am I doing something wrong?

[trytohelp]

Hi Scott,

I've reproduced the problem but for me it's a Eclipse issue.

CW for MCU V10.6.4 (last version) is based on Eclipse Juno 4.2.

The Eclipse CDT GDB Common 7.0.0 and Eclipse CDT Eclipse C/C++ 8.1.1 are used.

On Eclipse.org I've found some information regarding the CDT problems:

     Bug 389536 – NPE in AdditionalInput for projects containing files with custom build-steps

KDS V3.0.0 is based on Eclipse Luna SR2 (4.4.2).

This version is using CDT 8.6.0.

I've checked and the problem doesn't occur on this version.

Unfortunately it's a Eclipse bug and we can not solve it.

The problem is solved on more recent version.

At this time we don't have plan to move on more recent Eclipse version.

If you're using Kinetis device we recommend to switch on KDS.

Now may be we could try to found a workaround or another solution to execute the operation you want to do.

This option is associated to a project file0

So the build operation is not apply to this file but you define another operation.

A solution could be to define a post build process.

After the project build operation was executed, you can launch another operation via the post build.

This is just a suggestion.

Have a great day,
Pascal
NXP Technical Support

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[scottm]

Well, that's kind of disappointing.  Is the use of a custom build step really so rare that no one caught this?  I though it was a widely-used feature.

I'm sure I can come up with a workaround.  Worst case, I create a batch file that runs all of my custom build steps and run it manually when I need it.  Or maybe there's a plugin I can use to accomplish the same thing.

This particular project has both Kinetis and ColdFire versions maintained in parallel.  I also have many other ColdFire and HCS08 projects to be maintained so I have no intention of switching to KDS until I'm forced to, and even then I'd rather switch to IAR for the sake of having a commercially-supported solution.

Does this mean that Freescale/NXP is abandoning Eclipse for HCS08 and ColdFire as well?  I understand the desire to get out of the ARM development tool business, but I hadn't heard that no future support for HCS08 and ColdFire was to be expected.

Thanks,

Scott

[trytohelp]

Hi Scott,

You're not using Kinetis devices only but Coldfire so you can not switch to KDS.

It's not a problem, you can keep the CW for MCU v10.x for your application.

We just recommend KDS in case of development based on Kinetis device as it's a dedicated development tool for Kinetis devices.

KDS support is done via community only (excepted some cases) but support team, marketing, sometimes development and for sure other customers will handle the questions.

For MCU v10.x (and all other tools excepted KDS), the customer can use community and Service Request system (now named Case).

We, the support team, are checking both systems.

What's about CW for MCU ?

CW for MCU V10.6.4 (+patch V10.6.5) is the last version released in Q2 for MCU V10.6.4 and in Q3 for the patch V10.6.5.

A new patch should be released soon.

The patch correct bugs in build tool chain (compiler, linker, assembler), in Processor Expert, etc ...

The development team is always (never stopped) working on it and releases several patches yearly (4 in 2015).

However at this time we don't have plan to move on a new Eclipse version.

Eclipse as the compiler for instance is a tool included in CW for MCU.

I will log the problem in our bug base.

Regarding the "custom build step" problem.

I'm working at support team for long time and don't have expertise of big application or project development phases.

It seems it's first time I met this problem, a question regarding the Custom Build Step feature.

I don't see really when I could take advantage to use this feature.

If you want to add a specific option to a source file, it can be applied via Tool Settings directly.

If you want to have the same project but with other options you can clone the project or add a new Build configuration.

Don't hesitate to share your requirements.

We could help you to find a solution

Have a great day,
Pascal
NXP Technical Support

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[scottm]

Ok, just so I'm clear... NXP's plan is to continue supporting CodeWarrior on Eclipse for HCS08 and Coldfire for the foreseeable future?  And that might include newer versions of Eclipse later?

I suppose it's going to be moot eventually.  By the time support ends I expect I'll have moved off of Coldfire and HCS08 to Cortex-M4 and Cortex-M0+ parts and I'll only be handling maintenance on older products.

I'm sure you can appreciate my trepidation, particularly with the NXP merger.  We've been a Motorola/Freescale customer from the start and have many thousands of devices in service around the world (and a couple in orbit) and vendor support is important to us, but as a small company with under $1mil/year in sales, these days most semiconductor vendors give us no more support than an individual hobbyist.  I'm trying to chart our course for the next few years and figure out exactly what we can expect out of NXP, if we need to turn to IAR for tools with commercial support, or if we ought to forsake Kinetis entirely and look for another MCU vendor before we get too tied to the product line.

If you know of any NXP bulletins that might explain the company's road map for the merger with regards to MCU and development tool products, I would be grateful for a link.

Thanks,

Scott

[trytohelp]

Hi Scott,

At this time there is no plan to stop CodeWarrior development tool.

We keep the classic versions as CW for MCU V6.3, CW for ColdFire V7.2, CW for MPC5xx, CW for MPC55xx/56xx, CW for MGT V9.2, CW for HC12 v5.1, ...

All these versions were released before 2010.

We don't develop new version, patch for classic versions  (excepted for HC12 V5.1 which was not imported on Eclipse).

In 2010 the Eclipse version was launched and named CW for MCU V10.x.

This version supports several processors and now quarterly a patch fixing bugs and including improvements is released.

The plan (I know) is to continue in this way.

Now having a new Eclipse version is more complicated and will require more resource to be done.

This is why there is no plan for that.

What will be the future ?

Unfortunately I can not give you more information...

This question is may be more for high sales level  (Management) than support team but I don't think there will have big change in the products we've.

If you prefer to move to IAR or another third party as Atholic, we (Freescale/NXP) are working with them too.

Some our Freescale/NXP teams are already using a Third Party to develop their application.

Regarding the Support.

I'm working for Motorola/Freescale/NXP since 1999 (supporting CodeWarrior tools).

Some Automotive customers have long product development phase and some time we provide assistance for old tool version.

Have a great day,
Pascal
NXP Technical Support

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[scottm]

Thank you for the answers.  All of our existing products with HCS08 or Coldfire v1 MCUs that have enough sales volume to warrant new board revisions will probably be ported to Cortex-M0 and Cortex-M4.  I'm sorry to see Kinetis support move away from CW, which I've become comfortable with as a development environment.  Hopefully either KDS will achieve at least an equal level of polish eventually, or other commercially-supported tools will do the same job at a comparable price to CW.  I'll stick with CW for now as long as I can still expect updates.

Thanks,

Scott

[trytohelp]

Hi Scott,

more information ...

Since 2010 all new developments tools moved on Eclipse.

Now we've 2 families which are:

     - CW for MCU V10.x which is supporting all MCU processors (RS08, s08, Coldfire, MPC56xx, Kinetis, DSC),

     - CW for Networked Application (CW4NET) which has several tools for CW for PA V10.x CW for SC V10.x, CW for ARMv7 v10.x and CW for ARMv8 V10.x.

In addition we propose KDS which is very similar to CW for MCU V10.x but fully dedicated to Kinetis devices.

All these development tools are based on Eclipse and for user (from my experience too) I don't see lot of changes between MCU and KDS.

Regarding the support, it's the same.

We proposed a free version for most of development tools ... it's the case for CW for MCU V10.x.

For us, at support side, we handle all SRs in the same way.

We don't check if customer purchased or not a suite.

The Suite level is used to unlock some options as code size, RTOS, etc ... but will not impact the support.

At the end the support for MCU V10.x and KDS are done by same team.

The furture Kinetis devices will be supported on KDS only - this is the current plan.

Hope this will help.

Pascal