IMXRT Flash driver updates for Segger J-Link workflow

[KenG]

I am working on adding flash programming support for S25FL512S for an IMXRT1171 design.  My understanding is that the example drivers that are packaged with MCUExpresso are meant for CMIS-DAP interface, for example iMXRT117x_FlexSPI_SFDP.zip. Our debugger is the Segger J-Link Pro, therefore we would like the flash programming to functional using Segger devices.  

Questions:

1. Is the Segger environment compatible with example drivers provided by NXP?  If not, what is the approach to achieve the goal.
2. Segger J-Link Pro can be converted CMIS-DAP device.  But I was not able to get MCUExpresso detect it as a CMIS-DAP probe.  Is this possible?   My goal was to use it in this configuration to validate flash driver updates are functional.

[diego_charles · Accepted solution]

Hi @KenG 

I hope that you are doing excellent!

Regarding : My understanding is that the example drivers that are packaged with MCUExpresso are meant for CMIS-DAP interface, for example iMXRT117x_FlexSPI_SFDP.zip.

Yes, this is correct! Those projects are meant for the CMSIS DAP interface or LinkServer. Segger, does use a different flash driver. 

About your questions :

1. When using a Segger enabled probe, for example, the MCUXpresso IDE will select use Segger flash drivers. So thanks to that MCUXpresso can use Segger probes.
2.   Per my knowledge CMSIS-DAP enabled probes detected by MCUXpresso are the ones that we develop such as MCU-Link, LPC-Link 2. 

Please let me know if there is anything else we can check over here.

All the best, 

Diego

[KenG]

@diego_charles 

Diego,

Thanks for the response and confirming my understanding.  We do not have a usb like CMIS-DAP interface on our design like the 1176 EVK.  Therefore Segger J-Link Pro is the only debug for us.  Does this mean the option to flash software in to flash FlexSPI flash is to get Segger support and implement their driver, which as far as I can tell is propietary? 

[diego_charles]

Hi @KenG 

Thank you for your response as well! 

I have to mention that the cheapest and simplest  CMSIS DAP debugger we have is the MCU-Link, in case you want to use to for debugging/development  purposes.  But Maybe you are planning to get this to a production environment, with high performance using Segger J-Link Pro. 

I think you may contact them to get assistance for the driver development using their tools. But I have seen that there is a flashdriver project using J-Link drivers + MCUXpresso :

Piziheng Embedded: RT-UFL - A Super Download Algorithm Design Applicable to All Platforms i.MXRT

Piziheng Embedded: The use of super download algorithm RT-UFL v1.0 under MCUXpresso IDE 

https://github.com/JayHeng/RT-UFL

This is still under development and beyond of my support. You can translate the documentation to English using google. Please  take a look to see if it works for you. 

Best regards,

Diego

[KenG]

I was not aware of MCU-Link Pro Debug Probe and will look in to it.  

For the benefit of others that maybe in same boat, an option I have been exploring is to modify the NXP SBL project (update linker script + some flash programming code) such that it can be downloaded into SRAM using J-Link for flash programming purposes.

[diego_charles]

Hi @KenG 

Thanks for your response and for sharing!

All the best,

Diego