S12X Flash Programming: Don't understand "Load Data Field" command

[ChrisN]

Would one of the gurus on this board help me out? I am trying to understand the "Load Data Field" command (0x05). This is the part that I don't get, from the reference manual:

The Load Data Field command is executed to provide FCCOB parameters for multiple P-Flash blocks for a future simultaneous program operation in the P-Flash memory space. Upon clearing CCIF to launch the Load Data Field command, the FCCOB registers will be transferred to the Memory Controller and be programmed in the block specified at the global address given with a future Program P-Flash command launched on a P-Flash block.  

What exactly can one do with it? I understand the flash program and erase commands, but this one is...nebulous to me.

Thanks, Chris

[Steve]

This command allows you to program mulitple phrases into separate flash blocks simultaneously. Basically you load up the data matching the spec in the command but it will not program until you launch the program P-Flash command. Used appropriately, this can save time to program the whole flash.

[stevenp]

When you say "separate flash blocks", does that mean on a 256k model for example, one program command would be to block B0 and the other to B1S, but both program commands could not be in B0 or B1S at the same time?

[ChrisN]

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This command allows you to program mulitple phrases into separate flash blocks simultaneously. Basically you load up the data matching the spec in the command but it will not program until you launch the program P-Flash command.

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Thanks Steve! This sounds interesting. Just one clarification on the term "multiple phrases": Am I right assuming that one can only "pre-load" exactly one such phrase per flash block? Otherwise the flash module would need quite some internal buffering.

[Steve]

That's correct.