Getting Started With FRDM-KL28Z

[IanMarais]

Good Day.

I have been having trouble with the NXP Getting started guide for the FRDM-KL28Z. The SDK Link gives the SDK for the FRDM-KL27Z not the FRDM-KL28Z, the V2.5 SDK I was able to find for the FRDM-KL28Z is unusable with the KSDK Project Generator. The examples in the get started guide do not use the FRDM-KL28Z

I was using an ARDUINO UNO before this, so my knowledge is very limited, but I'm willing to learn more. I have not been having success with the Get Started guide, nor can I find any tutorials on the FRDM-KL28Z.

[myke_predko · Accepted solution]

Hey @IanMarais 

If you're going to use the SDK, you should be using MCUXpresso.  

When you get MCUXpresso and have it loaded in the SDK, you'll see that there are a number of example apps that you can load as projects into MCUXpresso and then load into the Freedom board.  

MCU newbie documentation is poor to non-existent (but it is the same for all vendors in this space).  You might want to check out MCU on Eclipse by @ErichStyger for information on various boards, tools and approaches (I believe there's getting started posts, but I couldn't find them in a quick scan of the site - maybe Erich can list them in a reply).   

The SDK example apps are fair to good and *should run* on your Freedom board.  The simpler example apps (ie flashing an LED, doing basic IO functions like ADC, UART) will probably work fine and aren't terrible examples of how to use the SDK's APIs.  I've found problems with many of the more advanced examples: especially ones for FreeRTOS and using DMA.  

I don't know what your level of expertise is, if you're working with Arduino that can mean a pretty wide range of skills.  If you aren't comfortable with C and using pointers you might want to go back and develop that knowledge.  You should also have enough of an electronics background to at least understand what is the right way to wire an LED to an IO pin based on the IO pin's parameters and the LED's forward voltage and current draw (ie tying a random LED to a Kinetis IO pin directly without at least a current limiting resistor won't work out nearly as well doing that on an Arduino Uno).  This is to not scare you off, I'm trying to level set you in terms of what will be required of you.  

When you go ahead I'd recommend that the process you follow is:

1. Download MCUXpresso and install the appropriate SDK into it.  
2. Load in the "Hello World" and "Bllinky" apps and get them running on your Freedom board.
3. Try out your own applications using the hardware on the Freedom board.  I don't know what's on the FRDM-KL28Z but it should have a few buttons, LEDs, maybe a pot and some other devices like an LDR that you can play around with (turning on an LED using a button is always a good first application).  
4. Go wild and have fun!

There are a lot of great people here on this list who are able to answer your questions as you work through your first few projects.  

Good luck!

[ErichStyger]

I don't have any specific tutorial for the KL28Z. As @myke_predko pointed out: it is best to start with the MCUXpresso IDE, then import an SDK example and go from there.

I hope this helps,

Erich

[myke_predko]

Hey @ErichStyger 

I didn't mean the FRDM-KL28Z specifically, just something to get started with MCUXpresso and the SDK.  

[ErichStyger]

I do have one with Linux Host here:

https://mcuoneclipse.com/2019/04/14/tutorial-mcuxpresso-sdk-with-linux-part-1-installation-and-build...