Recent

Author Topic: FpDebug /AVR follow up:  (Read 5689 times)

Martin_fr

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9792
  • Debugger - SynEdit - and more
    • wiki
FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« on: October 14, 2019, 02:14:25 pm »
Or translate LazDebuggerFpGDBMI to use gdbserver.
That should be easy, since it just needs to insert the commands to gdb that set the remote.... (and maybe async gdb commands)
My preference is to move away from gdb since it needs a patch (which has been around since 2016) to work properly with the separate memory spaces of avr.

Well, it is possible to add new backends to the IDE. Including based new one on FpDebug.
I myself have currently no plans to write such a backend, as my TODO is quite full.


The Structure in the IDE:
  • IDE: ide/DebugManager and debugger/*
  • DebuggerIntf: The base class for the backend. 
  • LazDebugger***: The backend (gdb/lldb wrapper / FpDebug wrapper) components/lazdebuggers/* and components/lazdebuggergdbmi
  • FpDebug (package): (if used)

The package FpDebug contains:

  • Dwarf Reader: Currently elf, windows, and mac
  • Dwarf Parser: Independent of platform (OS/CPU). Can have dependent subclasses (such as for FPC)
  • Controller: Run/Pause/Stepping: Has platform dependend subclasses

If you want to control gdb-server without gdb, you need to implement everything that the gdb-part does. I.e. I do not know if gdb or gdb-server control the stepping.

To start this is the protocol.
Also a dwarf reader for the exe format involved.
Cpu specific register reader

With that you would be able to read memory, so watches would work.

Then it depends what is needed for running/stopping/pausing ....
ASM single stepping should be fairly easy.
With look line based stepping can build on that, with an added (partial) disassembler... (with luck)

Some of that would go into FpDebug, and patches can be accepted.

The protocol would go into a new backend.

---
Also there is no full support for memory spaces in fpdebug yet. There are one or 2 places where it has prepared code....
However that might not be to hard to change (adding bit offsets to addresses had turned out simple, so adding an address space would hopefully be similar)
« Last Edit: October 14, 2019, 02:25:59 pm by Martin_fr »

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2019, 07:23:26 pm »
If you want to control gdb-server without gdb, you need to implement everything that the gdb-part does. I.e. I do not know if gdb or gdb-server control the stepping.

gdb typically controls gdbserver (at least for the cases I am interested in).  The minimum functionality required by gdb to function with a gdbserver stub is:
  • Read/write registers
  • Read/write memory (with a bit mask used to denote the different memory spaces for avr)
  • Run control: continue, step, breakpoint insert/delete, program interrupt/pause

Quote
Also a dwarf reader for the exe format involved.
The elf format emitted by avr-ld is elf32-avr.  Hopefully the current elf reader can correctly read little endian already...

Quote
Cpu specific register reader
Not sure what this should do. The gdb remote protocol requires gdbserver support for register access.

Quote
Then it depends what is needed for running/stopping/pausing ....
ASM single stepping should be fairly easy.
With look line based stepping can build on that, with an added (partial) disassembler... (with luck)
I think the disassembler is the best isolated bit and would be relatively easy to implement (e.g. the source for fp-avrsim is a good start, it already decodes the machine instructions, one only needs to output formatted text).

Quote
Some of that would go into FpDebug, and patches can be accepted.

The protocol would go into a new backend.

---
Also there is no full support for memory spaces in fpdebug yet. There are one or 2 places where it has prepared code....
However that might not be to hard to change (adding bit offsets to addresses had turned out simple, so adding an address space would hopefully be similar)
I think I'll start with the disassembler and see how things develop from there...

Martin_fr

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9792
  • Debugger - SynEdit - and more
    • wiki
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2019, 09:58:19 pm »
I shall gladly answer any questions. (Though I will be away for about a week, after tomorrow).

As for reading elf32-avr. Should be easy to test.
components\fpdebug\test\dwarfviewer\dwarfviewer.lpi

You may need to changed some "missing" methods in fpdebug from protected to public (the compile error will tell).

Once compiled, open it, load the avr exe, and see if you see a list of units.
Select a unit, and show symbols (takes a bit of time).

If you get to see them, then that is good.

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2019, 06:30:09 am »
I shall gladly answer any questions. (Though I will be away for about a week, after tomorrow).

As for reading elf32-avr. Should be easy to test.
components\fpdebug\test\dwarfviewer\dwarfviewer.lpi

You may need to changed some "missing" methods in fpdebug from protected to public (the compile error will tell).

Once compiled, open it, load the avr exe, and see if you see a list of units.
Select a unit, and show symbols (takes a bit of time).

If you get to see them, then that is good.

The only problem compiling the dwarfviewer program is that one needs to define DwarfTestAccess for TDwarfCompilationUnit.  This can be done by including the fpdbgdwarfdataclasses unit as part of the project and to add -dDwarfTestAccess to the project's custom options. Lazarus complains about the unit being part of a registered package, but this should be ignored.

Loading a test program (.elf) shows the debug symbols and line info, so the dwarf format seems compatible.

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2019, 06:36:01 am »
Progress update: avr disassembler unit for testing (https://github.com/ccrause/lazarus/blob/master/components/fpdebug/fpdbgdisasavr.pp)

The disassembler can be tested with the asmtest program after applying this patch: https://github.com/ccrause/lazarus/commit/1efb5d1426a1443233122276367b8651353077f6

Martin_fr

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9792
  • Debugger - SynEdit - and more
    • wiki
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2019, 09:07:17 am »
I'll have a look when I am back home... Likely early next month

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2019, 03:41:59 pm »
I have made a little progress on prototyping support for remote serial protocol (RSP) and AVR in FPDebugger.  Consider the following program:
Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]
  1. program divtest;
  2.  
  3. var
  4.   ans, x, d: int16;
  5.  
  6. begin
  7.   x := 63;
  8.   d := 3;
  9.   ans := x div d;
  10.   if ans = 21 then
  11.     halt(0)
  12.   else
  13.     halt(255);
  14. end.
Load compiled AVR binary into fp-avrsim:
Code: Bash  [Select][+][-]
  1. ./avrsim -d1234 ~/fpc/fpc-avr/src/tests/div/divtest.bin
Debug with FPDebugger:
Code: Text  [Select][+][-]
  1. ./fpd ~/fpc/fpc-avr/src/tests/div/divtest.elf
  2. FPDebugger on Linux for x86_64 (2019/12/04 16:14:32 FPC: 3.3.1)
  3. Copyright (c) 2006-2009 by Marc Weustink
  4. starting....
  5. Using file: ~/fpc/fpc-avr/src/tests/div/divtest.elf
  6. FPD>r
  7. FPD>b 214
  8. Breakpoint 1 added at address $00000000000000D6.
  9. FPD>c
  10. ####### CHECK False for id 0 stored False False D6 0
  11. Breakpoint reached at .
  12. ===
  13. /home/christo/fpc/fpc-avr/src/tests/div/divtest.pp 10:10 $main
  14.   [$000000000000009E+56]   if ans = 21 then
  15. ===
  16.   [$00000000000000D6]             30912801    lds r19, $0128
  17.   [$00000000000000DA]             20912901    lds r18, $0129
  18.   [$00000000000000DE]                 3531    cpi r19, $15
  19.   [$00000000000000E0]                 2105    cpc r18, r1
  20.   [$00000000000000E2]                 39F4    brne .14
  21.   [$00000000000000E4]                 612D    mov r22, r1
  22. FPD>eval ans
  23. 21
  24. FPD>q
  25. Quitting ...
  26. Killing application ...
  27. Process ended with exit-code 0.
At least some very basic functionality is already working in the stand-alone debugger.

avra

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2514
    • Additional info
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2019, 10:28:30 am »
I have made a little progress on prototyping support for remote serial protocol (RSP) and AVR in FPDebugger.
This is very nice news. Congratulations! If I didn't invest 20 years in AvrCo I would be hooked.  ;)
ct2laz - Conversion between Lazarus and CodeTyphon
bithelpers - Bit manipulation for standard types
pasettimino - Siemens S7 PLC lib

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2019, 09:05:35 pm »
It is slow, buggy, has a hardcoded tcp port number, needs drastic refactoring... but it works well enough for a screenshot opportunity!  FpDebuggerFpAvr, an extension of FpDebuggerFp to debug AVR microcontrollers over a gdbserver connection.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2019, 09:31:35 pm by ccrause »

Martin_fr

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9792
  • Debugger - SynEdit - and more
    • wiki
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2019, 09:53:34 pm »
wow... impressed.

Is there a way to set up a test env with qemu?

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2019, 06:29:40 am »
wow... impressed.

Is there a way to set up a test env with qemu?
I assume you want to use qemu to emulate the AVR target?  I use a simulator fp-avrsim to simulate the test program on the AVR target and act as gdbserver. Other options are available such as simavr.

ccrause

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 845
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2019, 12:28:28 pm »
Is there a way to set up a test env with qemu?
I don't see official AVR support mentioned in Qemu's wiki. There do appear to be some active development to support AVR as a target.

fliegermichl

  • New member
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2021, 06:37:40 pm »
Progress update: avr disassembler unit for testing (https://github.com/ccrause/lazarus/blob/master/components/fpdebug/fpdbgdisasavr.pp)

The disassembler can be tested with the asmtest program after applying this patch: https://github.com/ccrause/lazarus/commit/1efb5d1426a1443233122276367b8651353077f6

Hi,

I'm trying to find a way to make AVR programs debug.
but i fail even on the step "apply this patch to lazarus".
how can i make that?
Michael

JuhaManninen

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4459
  • I like bugs.
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2021, 08:08:42 pm »
I'm trying to find a way to make AVR programs debug.
but i fail even on the step "apply this patch to lazarus".
how can i make that?
https://wiki.freepascal.org/Creating_A_Patch#Applying_a_patch
Mostly Lazarus trunk and FPC 3.2 on Manjaro Linux 64-bit.

d.ioannidis

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 221
    • Nephelae
Re: FpDebug /AVR follow up:
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2021, 08:47:38 pm »
Hi,

< snip >
I'm trying to find a way to make AVR programs debug.
< snip >

Do you want to debug a physical AVR mcu ( i.e. in arduino ) or in a simulator ?

If you want to use a simulator, AFAIK, you can use the simavr in linux. If you're using Windows, you can use from MS7 ( Microchip ( Atmel ) Studio 7 freeware ), the buildin simulator.

PS: If you're on windows, I can help you setup Lazarus ( trunk ) to work with MS7's backend agent ( atbackend.exe ). Then you'll be able to debug AVR programs with MS7's simulator and/or a physical mcu's if you have a debugger ( EDBG, MPLAB SNAP, some xplained boards have mEDBG or nEDBG .etc ).

EDIT : You could read, my little tutorial I wrote, motivated by your question, on how to setup Lazarus to debug AVR firmwares on windows https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,53342.msg394467/topicseen.html#new.

regards,
« Last Edit: February 17, 2021, 09:38:13 am by Dimitrios Chr. Ioannidis »

 

TinyPortal © 2005-2018