Freescale Freedom development platform

[#1]

The Freescale Freedom development platform is a low-cost evaluation and development platform featuring Freescale's newest ARM® Cortex™-M0+ based Kinetis KL25Z MCUs

NEW! Quick Start Guide

Features:

KL25Z128VLK4--Cortex-M0+ MCU with:

  - 128KB flash, 16KB SRAM
- Up to 48MHz operation 
- USB full-speed controller

OpenSDA--sophisticated USB debug interface

Tri-color LED

Capacitive touch "slider"

Freescale MMA8451Q accelerometer

Flexible power supply options

  - Power from either on-board USB connector
- Coin cell battery holder (optional population option) 
- 5V-9V Vin from optional IO header
- 5V provided to optional IO header
- 3.3V to or from optional IO header

Reset button

Expansion IO form factor accepts peripherals designed for Arduino™-compatible hardware

[jschimpf]

I've received my board and followed the directions in the quick start guide, when I received the board it immediately mounted on my PC as the FRDM-KL25Z drive.  I then followed the directions in Introduction to OpenSDA and rebooted into the BOOTLOADER drive.I then as per the directions, copied in the file MSD-FRDM-KL25Z_Pemicro_v105.SDA from the QuickStart data.  I ejected the drive, pulled the USB and then re-connected the USB.  From this time on only the BOOTLOADER folder will appear and that takes about 5 minutes before it does.  When I look at the SDA_INFO.HTM file on the board it still shows the 1.01 version of the boot loader.  Any suggestions on what to do next ?

[jschimpf]

Found the problem, the mounted Directories are not really a file system.  You MUST load the drivers from P&E and then copying a file to the directory actually programs the board.  (And the LASTSTAT.TXT will say COMPLETED rather than PROGRAMMING....).  You can see this when the copy operation takes a relatively long time (i.e. you can see the progress bar).  Doing that now it works as advertised.

[JimDon]

Here is a another note. When you wish to debug using the SDA, you have to re-program with the DEBUG SDA file.

[santiago_gonzal]

That's right Jim.

Basically, if you want to use OpenSDA to program and debug the board:

     - Put in Bootloader mode and drag&drop the Debug sda file.

And if you want to drag&drop any .srec file to program it on-the-go:

     - Put in bootloader mode and drag&drop the MSD sda file.

[BlackNight]

Yes, there are two different modes: debugging or bootloading.

Details and screenshots around OpenSDA can be found here:

http://mcuoneclipse.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/opensda-on-the-freedom-kl25z-board/

Hope this helps,

Erich

[tecpenguin1]

OpenSDA should not be used on products ?

I notice in the Open SDA User guide it says:

The MSD Flash Programmer is designed to program a specific target configuration. It does not support verification or configuration and is not recommended as a production programmer. The Cyclone products from P&E Microcomputer Systems are recommended for production programming.

If Open SDA is not recommended in production programming. Then what is it good for really ?

If we require a production programmer, then we may as well use this programmer during development.

I am confused about the process of designing a product with OpenSDA, so that open SDA can be used during development, and then abandoned during production, i.e the product is redesigned without the open SDA for use in production ?

Or are the OpenSDA components used only on the development boards, then simply ignored when we make hundreds or thousands and program them in production.

Please help me to understand.

i.e with PIC, we buy a programmer and use it for debug, development and production.

I am unable to see the purpose of openSDA if it is "not recommended as a production programmer"

Does this mean that "OpenSDA should not be used in designs that are going to be produced"

?

Thanks

[JimDon]

It's good to see if this MCU is useful to you, and to prototype your production board. It's purpose is to provide a very low cost test drive, and it does a great job of that.

You are free to buy a programmer if you so choose, and use through out the development cycle. Just populate the 10 pin header, and off you go. For a 12.00 demo board (that includes not only a programmer, but a full symbolic debugger as well), not sure what you expected.

Also, if you download the USBDM file, you could use it on your custom board, but, as it is, you can ONLY use it on the exact chip that came on the board, unless you do use the USBDM interface.

The concept of a production programmer applies to manufacturing 10 of thousands of boards, and holds the code in the programmer so you do not have to keep downloading it. If you are just making a few, then just about any programmer would do.

>Does this mean that "OpenSDA should not be used in designs that are going to be produced"

Yes, you can not use the OpenSDA as is on any other chip. You will need to either use the USDBM approach, or purchase a BDM.

[tecpenguin1]

Thanks, that makes sense.

For field updates on the product I will use USB bootloader directly to the KL25

(Application note:  USB firmware upgrade  AN4370)

Well, I'm excited to try this out !

Yes, Unbelievably low cost. KL25 has incredible specs. Looks awesome.

[lander]

I followed the directions in the Quick Start Guide but when I got to number 2 (OpenSDA - CDC Serial Port is in my Device Management) when I browse for the FRDM-KL25Z drive to install it onto OpenSDA port and click next it tells me that "The best driver software for the device is installed". So when I debug demo code, it can't locate the connection. Am I missing something?

[BlackNight]

Can you verify that the USB CDC driver is properly installed?

See 3rd image ("OpenSDA Debug Driver and Virtual COM Port") of Device Manager in

Fixing the USB Driver

[lander]

I see what is highlighted under Ports but I only see WinDriver under Jungo.

[BlackNight]

Ah, that means you are still in MSD Bootloader mode (Device enumerates as FRDM-KL25Z disk drive?).

You need to load the Debug-App_*.SDA, see

OpenSDA on the Freedom KL25Z Board

I hope this helps.

[lander]

I pressed restart and pluged the board in then dragged Debug-App_Pemircro_v106.SDA into the BOOTLOADER and then unplugged and repluged the board to power and it still didn't do it. I'm not sure why, maybe I need to update something?