WinAVR and C Debugging

Tutorial
By Adam Bailin
ECE 353 Fall 06

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 Introduction
WinAVR is a set of developing tools for
Atmel AVR RISC microprocessors

Programs written in C, compiled with GCC

and avr-libc

Open source, obtained at:

winavr.sourceforge.net
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 Installing
Fairly easy to install (for use at home)
http://winavr.sourceforge.net/
Comes with all the tools you need:
Programmers Notepad, MFile

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 Programmers Notepad
Programmers Notepad is the main tool
you will be using to write your C code
Just like any other compiler
syntax highlighting
Support for different programming languages
Ability to compile your code (using gcc
compiler)

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 Adding external tools
In Programmers Notepad, select Tools->Options,
and select Tools on the left side of screen

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 Adding external tools (continued)
Select a Scheme (C/C++)
Click on Add
Name is an identifier for this
tool
Command is the command
used
Folder should be %d (Path of
file)
This tool will call make
extcoff, and is now available
under Tools menu
We will need this later for
debugging in AVR Studio
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 Example C Program
// blinky.c
#include <avr/io.h> // Standard AVR header
#include <avr/delay.h> // Delay loop functions

int main(void)
{
DDRA = 0xFF; // PORTA is output
while (1) {
for (int i=1; i<=128; i*=2) {
PORTA = i;
_delay_loop_2(30000);
}
for (int i=128; i>1; i/=2) {
PORTA = i;
_delay_loop_2(30000);
}
} // end while
}

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 Building your source
Write your C source, save as blinky.c
Open up MFile
Makefile -> Main File Name = blinky (no .c)
Makefile -> MCU Type = atmega32
Other values should be fine at default
File -> Save As to blinky.c directory
In Programmers Notepad: Select Tools
->Make All
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 MFile
Simple program to make Makefiles for
compiling your C code
A Makefile is a configuration file that tells
the compiler how to compile your code
What chip youre using (atmega32)
Target filename (blinky.c)

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 GNU Make
WinAVR uses Makefiles when building
projects, with GNU Make

GNU Make builds dependencies and then

source files

Will only rebuild files from updated or new

source (saves time)

Very powerful tool: see

C:\WinAVR\doc\gnu\make.html for more info

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 Makefiles (continued)
Makefiles are tab-sensitive: tab != space

Lines starting with tab are executed as

commands

Misuse of tabs will lead to improper

separator error

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 Example Makefile
## all and clean targets must be defined!
# make or make all will build dependencies in the order they are given

all: begin project2 end

begin:
@echo Starting build
project2:
avr-gcc project2.c
end:
@echo Build complete

clean:
rm project2.o
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 Programming your ATmega32
To program your chip with the C code you
wrote:
Go to AVR Studio
Connect to your chip using JTAG ICE
Go to Fuses tab, make sure Ext Clock is set
In Program tab, flash your chip with the .hex
file you compiled in Programmers Notepad
Thats it!

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 C Debugging in AVR Studio
AVR Studio provides a way to debug both the C
source code and the assembly code.
To do that you just need to change the type of
the COF file generated by the compiler.

Open the Programmers Notepad (WinAVR)

Use the editor to edit the flags in makefile:
DEBUG = stabs // will allow for C debugging
OPT = 0 // will turn off compilers
optimization
Save the makefile
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 Building C code for Debugging
In the Programmers Notepad (WinAVR):

Go to Tools Options Tools

Pull down the Schemes window and click on
C/C++ option
A make extcoff option will appear; click OK
Click on Tools again
Click on make extcoff to generate the COF file
(this will generate the correct debug file for AVR
Studio that includes the C code information)
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 Debugging in AVR Studio
Connect Olimex to PC and JTAG
Open the AVR Studio
Open the COF file
(it will guide you to select the debug platform
(JTAG) and the device (Atmega 32))
The C code will appear in the main window
Optional (useful!) view the assembly code:
go to View Dissassembler
You can put assembly code next to C code
(tile vertically) and step through both codes!
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 Additional Information
Additional Information can be found at the
WinAVR website:

winavr.sourceforge.net

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