[ABANDONED] printf prevents UART app working when debugger not connected

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  • [ABANDONED] printf prevents UART app working when debugger not connected

    When debugging, printf directs to the debug terminal - the app seems to function
    When I build a release version I need to comment out printf otherwise the app will freeze
    How can I redirect printf output to the com port so as to prevent this?
    How is stdio set in the ses environment?

    (I am using a JLINK Edu with a Nordic development board to develop an app using a UART for serial comms)

    Many thanks for any help


    Rob

  • Check the blocking mode used in RTT: in sdk_config.h, the macro SEGGER_RTT_CONFIG_DEFAULT_MODE decides what should happen when the RTT buffer is full (not cleared by your J-Link). I bet it is set to "2" ("BLOCK, Wait until there is space in the buffer"). Switch to a non-blocking mode and recompile.

  • Jev
    Belated thanks for the sound advice. Unfortunately it did not fix it.
    I found a similar suggestion from Nordic:
    devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordi…default_mode-blocking-app

    I get the same problem when I include the lines below in in sdk_config.h. The printf statement prevents the code running without an RTT console

    Source Code

    1. // <o> SEGGER_RTT_CONFIG_DEFAULT_MODE - RTT behavior if the buffer is full.
    5. // <i> The following modes are supported:
    7. // <i> - SKIP - Do not block, output nothing.
    9. // <i> - TRIM - Do not block, output as much as fits.
    11. // <i> - BLOCK - Wait until there is space in the buffer.
    13. // <0=> SKIP
    15. // <1=> TRIM
    17. // <2=> BLOCK_IF_FIFO_FULL
    21. #ifndef SEGGER_RTT_CONFIG_DEFAULT_MODE
    23. #define SEGGER_RTT_CONFIG_DEFAULT_MODE 0
    25. #endif
    Display All




    :(

  • Huh, sounds like it doesn't take the settings from sdk_config.h. do you define USE_APP_CONFIG by any chance?

    Let's check if something weird is happening:
    1. Load your application in the SES debugger.
    2. Set a breakpoint on _DoInit.
    3. Run until the app hits this breakpoint
    4. Set a new breakpoint on the end of the function.
    5. Continue execution until the app hits this breakpoint
    6. At this second breakpoint, open a Quick Watch on p
    7. Drill down to aUp and aDown as shown below
    What are the values of the Flags?

  • Thankyou for this suggestion; I hit a snag. _DoInit is a called through macro INIT() in Segger_RTT.c. However in my configuration INIT() is not called; I cannot add breakpoints in the INIT() block. Not sure why. RTT is enabled in debug options. And indeed printf directs to the debug terminal

    When I look at the assembler code for start() - attached file
    I see the following order of execution:
    Cortex_M_Startup.s
    SEGGER_THUMB_Startup.s
    system_nrf51422.c

    This seems like a candidate for the problem

    --- SEGGER_THUMB_Startup.s -- 393 --------------------------
    bx lr
    HELPER __getchar
    JUMPTO debug_getchar
    HELPER __putchar
    JUMPTO debug_putchar


    I'll investigate further

    Thanks again

    Rob
    Files

    • start.txt

      (19.4 kB, downloaded 520 times, last: )

  • Removing the lines from thumb_crt0.s made no difference to printf
    However I could no longer find the HELPER lines in the disassembler window showing that the modified files had been compiled

    Back to the drawing board!

    Rob