The software development process varies depending on the development tool kit used, but the main steps are roughly the same. For an integrated development environment using a host computer (PC), the software development process generally includes steps such as creating a project, adding files, compiling connections, downloading and debugging, as shown in the figure below.
Figure 1: Embedded software development process
(1) Create a project: After configuring hardware devices and installing software development tools, you can start creating a project. Usually, you need to select the storage location of the project file and the target processor.
(2) Adding project files: developers need to create source program files, write application code, and add them to the project; they will also use device driver library files, including startup code, header files, and some peripheral control functions, Even middleware (Middleware) and so on. These files also need to be added to the project.
(3) Configuration engineering options: Due to the diversity of hardware devices and the complexity of software tools, engineering projects provide many options, which need to be configured by developers, such as output file type and location, compilation options and optimization types, etc. Depending on the selected development board and in-circuit emulator, configure code debugging and download options, etc.
(4) Cross-compilation and connection: Use development software tools to compile multiple files of the project separately, generate corresponding object files, and then connect to generate the final executable file image, which is saved in the file format downloaded to the target device. If there is an error in the compilation and connection, return to modify; if there is no error, perform software simulation operation and debugging first, and then download it to the development board to run and debug.
(5) Program download: At present, most microcontrollers use flash memory (Flash Memory) to save programs. After the executable file image is created, it needs to be downloaded to the flash memory of the microcontroller using the in-circuit emulator (or serial port, network port) to realize the programming of the flash memory; the executable file can also be downloaded to the SRAM to run.
(6) Running and debugging: After the program is downloaded, it can be started and run to see if it works normally. If there is a problem, connect the in-circuit emulator, perform breakpoints and single-step debugging with the help of the debugging environment of the software development tool, and observe the detailed process of the program operation. If the application runs with errors, return to modify.