Code Red Seems Buggy And User Hostile

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Wed Aug 24 11:37:24 MST 2011
My initial impressions:

How one loads (or saves) an existing project is well beyond non-intuitive. :mad:

I usually double-click a project file to bring up an IDE. I also often open an IDE and load a project.

I created a project according to the (rather lengthy) instructions yesterday. I was able to compile, load to an LPCXpresso (LPC1114) board, and even set breakpoints and step through it. I verified interrupts were running too.:cool: (This was an (LPC1112) example project originally intended for the Keil IDE.)

The JTAG interface on the LPCXpresso board seems to be really twitchy, and I had to hot plug the USB to the LPCXpresso board many times.

Today I cannot figure out how to get this project loaded. There is no association between the LPCXpresso app and the project files. Even forcing the file to be opened with LPCXpresso v4.0.6_152 gets a Windows error that LPCXpresso v4.0.6_152 is not a win32 app. I cannot find any place where to save or load a project, where in the heck is this hidden?

[U][B]To add insult to injury I now have project folders nested below project folders, nested below project folders so deeply that Windows cannot delete them.[/B][/U]:eek:

I have used many an IDE, but Code Red had caused me more difficulty than any I have tried in the past. Is this an IDE or a virus? No wonder they spent big bucks on a huge encrypted ARM9 (simply as a JTAG interface, LOL :p). I guess this is an attempt to force you to use the Code Red IDE. Good thing they provided pins for a (normal) JTAG interface.

I will continue to try to discover (learn) how to use Code Red, but so far my “Turkey Detector” is ringing loudly.

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Fri Aug 26 14:41:32 MST 2011

Quote: NXP_Europe
Hello Izzy Weird,

sometime it helps to have a look at some 'Getting Started Suggestions'

see ...
http://ics.nxp.com/support/documents/microcontrollers/pdf/lpcxpresso.getting.started.pdf

Yes, that is the exact document I was initially following (or trying to follow). :p

Thank you,
Izzy

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by NXP_Europe on Thu Aug 25 14:00:44 MST 2011
Hello Izzy Weird,

sometime it helps to have a look at some 'Getting Started Suggestions'

see ...
http://ics.nxp.com/support/documents/microcontrollers/pdf/lpcxpresso.getting.started.pdf

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Wed Aug 24 19:36:37 MST 2011

Quote: Zero
Yes, Eclipse cares about project settings and data. :)

I have been looking at the files to see when something is modified. Project stuff seems to get written to the file as soon as the change is made. It even renamed my project folder to "AAA_DALI_Slave" when I took the advice on folder order and renamed the project. A plus over some other IDEs in this regard, some do not make it easy to change the project name.

Source files are not changed until a build, it would appear. That is pretty typical.

The USB/SWD interface still nowhere near as stable as I have come to expect with USB/JTAG interfaces. Never had to hot-plug one this often belore. I have tried other cables, and I now have it plugged into the root port on the MB.

Thanks for the help. :)

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Ex-Zero on Wed Aug 24 19:26:31 MST 2011

Quote: Izzy Weird
I notice there is no Save Workspace or Save Project under the File menu. How does this get saved? Does it save every time you build?

Yes, Eclipse cares about project settings and data. :)

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Wed Aug 24 16:57:05 MST 2011

Quote: TheFallGuy
Eclipse, the underlying technology of the LPCXpresso IDE, is very different from other IDEs. You either love it, or hate it (I love it and wouldn't go back to the archaic IAR/Keil world). I think you will find that most chip companies are now producing Eclipse-based tools, so it is going to become a lot more prevalent.

To answer some of your points:
- In Eclipse, Projects are stored in Workspaces. A project cannot exist out of a workspace. You cannot double-click on a project to open it. You open the IDE and point it to the correct workspace and your projects are opened.
- The USB/SWD interface (JTAG is not used on the Cortex parts) has always worked OK for me. Reports on this forum have indicated that dodgy USB ports and cables or often to blame for connection issues. If you are trying to drive more than the standard LPCXpresso board, use a separate power supply - power to the target is supplied through the LPC3154 on the LPC-Link

If you have more questions/issues, feel free to post here.

With an ST-Micro Cortex part I use a JTAG interface, although with the ST-Link I have a choice of using either a JTAG or SWD interface.

I am no fan of IAR or Keil either, but neither of them has been anywhere near as difficult in terms of getting a project running. I am not creating new firmware here, I am simply using an NXP example that was originally done on the Keil IDE for the LPC1112. I have already had it running once on LPCXpresso.

I have created a new workspace. I am working from "Getting started with LPCXpresso" (Rev. 11-14 June2011). I am following the steps starting at section 6.6.1. wish me luck.

I notice there is no Save Workspace or Save Project under the File menu. How does this get saved? Does it save every time you build?

With the block edit feature (that IAR does not have) and the Dynamic Help I was beginning to like this environment. But I must say the learning curve is steep and treacherous.

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by TheFallGuy on Wed Aug 24 14:08:59 MST 2011
Eclipse, the underlying technology of the LPCXpresso IDE, is very different from other IDEs. You either love it, or hate it (I love it and wouldn't go back to the archaic IAR/Keil world). I think you will find that most chip companies are now producing Eclipse-based tools, so it is going to become a lot more prevalent.

To answer some of your points:
- In Eclipse, Projects are stored in Workspaces. A project cannot exist out of a workspace. You cannot double-click on a project to open it. You open the IDE and point it to the correct workspace and your projects are opened.
- The USB/SWD interface (JTAG is not used on the Cortex parts) has always worked OK for me. Reports on this forum have indicated that dodgy USB ports and cables or often to blame for connection issues. If you are trying to drive more than the standard LPCXpresso board, use a separate power supply - power to the target is supplied through the LPC3154 on the LPC-Link

If you have more questions/issues, feel free to post here.

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Wed Aug 24 13:29:17 MST 2011

Quote: Rob65
My impressions are a bit different.
I have no problem at all opening a [I]workspace[/I].
Note that I don't open project files; instead I just start the LPCXpresso IDE and select my workspace....

That was the obvious thing, I opened the workspace. But no project files showed up in the project window. Perhaps some wizard failed the first time, but as I said I had a working project yesterday. How does one save a project before exiting Code Red?

Quote: Rob65

Sure, and I have numerous tools to prove that this is not the way to go forward ... When I click a.c or .h file it should open in textpad since that is the editor I assigned this filetype to.
But ... All these fancy IDE tools think they are the master of all and they need to open this file. So on one PC I'm stuck with my .c files in Visual C, on another PC it's C++ Builder and then I also have a number of embedded tools that could open the file - all depending on which tool I installed last.
...

I have had this problem when I have multiple versions of one IDE, like IAR installed. But clicking on an IAR project only brings up IAR, not Keil etc. These IDEs are all incompatible enough that usually one one can be used with most projects.

Quote: Rob65

If it hurts when you press with your finger on a part of your body (any part)
then maybe - maybe ... it's your finger that's hurting :eek:
Have you tried different USB cables ???
...

The cable I borrowed was from an ST-Link, and it seems pretty stable, I'll try another. But I'll bet you (either the Code Red driver or) the hardware is not as stable as most JTAG interfaces like SAM-ICE, Segger, or ST-Link, etc.

Quote: Rob65

I have 4 PCs (1 desktop, 1 all in one and 2 laptops) with the LPCXpresso IDE installed. I have used different versions ranging from 3.2 to 4.0.6 on all of these and they all work like a charm (but please read on).

Blame this on Microsoft.
Is it not strange the OS lets us create a directory structure it is unwilling to delete :confused:
I've seen this before with one of my own programs that created funny directory structures. But I was still able to delete the whole tree with the CygWin tools - In my case a real Windows UI problem.
...

I loaded Cygwin to try to solve this. (It purported to give me the power of Linux in Windows.) It accepted my command, but did absolutely nothing. I won't blame Microsoft for that, a lot of open source stuff is free and worth every penny. The final fix (in a post below) was done totally from Windows, so I guess I should thank Microsoft for that.

Quote: Rob65
Don't get me wrong. There are indeed problems with the LPCXpresso IDE.
It works like a charm but as with any spell, they don't always do exactly what you want them to do ...
I still don't get it why we have to specify stuff like include files for both debug and release mode. And having to specify the location of the include file, the location of the library file and the name of the library file for a library module seems a bit superfluous but then, this is exactly as I was used to do so in my own makefiles on other (Unix) make environments :rolleyes:

Still, if you have specific questions/problems, feel free to post again. I'll switch of my turkey alarm and try to answer them in a more serious manner :D
Rob

P.s: I spent most of today trying to get a > 10,000 USD mechanical CAD application to behave properly. Somehow the program does not want to accept my models and the 2,000 USD/year customer support can't provide me with a solution ...

I hear you, another engineer here is fighting with Cadence PCB CAD. Sometimes software gets to a point where it has been hacked and modified so thoroughly that it needs a massive cleanup or even a complete rewrite.

I think the best solution here is to try to create a new project in a clean workspace, and using the wizard.

Thanks for the suggestions.

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Rob65 on Wed Aug 24 13:06:38 MST 2011
My impressions are a bit different.
I have no problem at all opening a [I]workspace[/I].
Note that I don't open project files; instead I just start the LPCXpresso IDE and select my workspace.

Quote: Izzy Weird

I usually double-click a project file to bring up an IDE.

Sure, and I have numerous tools to prove that this is not the way to go forward ... When I click a.c or .h file it should open in textpad since that is the editor I assigned this filetype to.
But ... All these fancy IDE tools think they are the master of all and they need to open this file. So on one PC I'm stuck with my .c files in Visual C, on another PC it's C++ Builder and then I also have a number of embedded tools that could open the file - all depending on which tool I installed last.

Quote:

The JTAG interface on the LPCXpresso board seems to be really twitchy, and I had to hot plug the USB to the LPCXpresso board many times.

If it hurts when you press with your finger on a part of your body (any part)
then maybe - maybe ... it's your finger that's hurting :eek:
Have you tried different USB cables ???

I have 4 PCs (1 desktop, 1 all in one and 2 laptops) with the LPCXpresso IDE installed. I have used different versions ranging from 3.2 to 4.0.6 on all of these and they all work like a charm (but please read on).

Quote:

To add insult to injury I now have project folders nested below project folders, nested below project folders so deeply that Windows cannot delete them.

Blame this on Microsoft.
Is it not strange the OS lets us create a directory structure it is unwilling to delete :confused:
I've seen this before with one of my own programs that created funny directory structures. But I was still able to delete the whole tree with the CygWin tools - In my case a real Windows UI problem.

Don't get me wrong. There are indeed problems with the LPCXpresso IDE.
It works like a charm but as with any spell, they don't always do exactly what you want them to do ...
I still don't get it why we have to specify stuff like include files for both debug and release mode. And having to specify the location of the include file, the location of the library file and the name of the library file for a library module seems a bit superfluous but then, this is exactly as I was used to do so in my own makefiles on other (Unix) make environments :rolleyes:

Still, if you have specific questions/problems, feel free to post again. I'll switch of my turkey alarm and try to answer them in a more serious manner :D
Rob

P.s: I spent most of today trying to get a > 10,000 USD mechanical CAD application to behave properly. Somehow the program does not want to accept my models and the 2,000 USD/year customer support can't provide me with a solution ...

lpcware · ‎06-15-2016

Content originally posted in LPCWare by Izzy Weird on Wed Aug 24 13:05:12 MST 2011
Apparently Eclipse (used in Code Red) can create recursive folders nested so deep that Windows cannot delete them, even in Safe Mode (or using CMD). :eek: In case anyone else encounters this nasty Eclipse [U][B]BUG[/B][/U] this method below worked:

http://forum.sysinternals.com/very-deeply-nested-directories-cannot-be-deleted_topic16191.html

(See the post by maxaha1)

Create new folders and just drag-and-drop, several folders down from the top each time (and delete them) until you get it all cleaned up.