Which Dev too SW package?

[Cuetek]

Help me, guys (grrls).  I got two months to come up to speed with the Coldfire µC (MCF52230) and I gotta do it on my own dime before I can pick up a certain contract.  My prior experience only rises to the level of 16 bit PICs.  My design requires the Ethernet module and a FAT GPIO bus.  What's my best bet to a) Learn quickly and comprehensively how to design and program with this chip and b) learn quickly and inexpensively how to design and program with this chip? 

Thanks in advance  -Mike

[SimonMarsden_de]

Hello Mike

As part of your investigations, you might want to look at a free program called CFInit.

CFinit is a graphical tool to let you configure a ColdFire processor, including the peripherals. It then writes the initialisation code for you in assembler or C. It includes support for most of the V2, V3 and V4 processors. For some processors, including the MCF52230, it can generate a complete CodeWarrior project.

The development of the tool was funded by Freescale, so CFInit is available as a free download. You can get it from MicroAPL's web site:    

http://www.microapl.co.uk/CFInit/cfinit_main.html

In fairness I should add that I work for MicroAPL, so my opinion of CFInit is naturally biased! However, we have had a lot of postive feedback that the tool makes learning to program ColdFire processors easier.

Hope this helps

Simon

[Cuetek]

Simon,

I will certainly download it and take it for a spin.  I mean, it's freeware,huh?
How could I lose? And initialization is my major concern here at the outset. 
Thanks for the 411.

-Mike