Using the XMC4700 relax kit to program any XMC microcontroller

Tip / Sign in to post questions, reply, level up, and achieve exciting badges. Know more

cross mob
Not applicable
So I've purchased the XMC4700 relax kit, programmed it using DAVE 4 and used it in some prototype DC/DC converters.

Since the XMC family has shown itself as being surprisingly easy to program (due to DAVE 4) and very capable of complex digital control, I'm thinking about using them in a professional project.

However, searching for how to program these micros, I have found this page with some information about flashing tools:
http://www.infineon.com/cms/de/product/microcontroller/32-bit-industrial-microcontroller-based-on-ar...

Now, from what I understand, none of these are as easy to program as the relax kit (i.e. pressing the debug button in DAVE 4), and Infineon's own solution, the DAP miniWiggler V3, is way too expensive.

Since the relax kit has its own debugger/flash hardware and I already have one, could I use the 10 pin Cortex connector in the XMC4700 relax kit board to program other XMC microcontrollers? If so, how? Would I need to desolder the XMC in that board or anything like that? How would I make it so that DAVE 4 doesn't program the XMC in the relax kit board, but rather the XMC connected via the 10 pin header?

Also, I noticed that the relax kit has an external 12MHz crystal, so what external hardware would I need to program and run a brand new XMC microcontroller?

Sorry if I'm asking some obvious questions but I'm new to ARMs and XMCs and I haven't been able to find any of this information.
0 Likes
6 Replies
jferreira
Employee
Employee
10 sign-ins 5 sign-ins First like received
Hi,

Please have a look to XMC_LINK

Regards,
Jesus
0 Likes
Not applicable
That doesn't answer my question, and besides, the XMC Link is too expensive, I would have to explain to my college teachers why I need the XMC Link and why use XMCs at all when ST offers other microcontrollers in 10$ dev boards which have on-board debuggers that can be used to program other ST microcontrollers.

And by the way, If the XMC 4700 relax kit board can't be used to program other XMC microcontrollers, can the XMC 4500 relax kit board be used since it has a detachable debugger?
0 Likes
jferreira
Employee
Employee
10 sign-ins 5 sign-ins First like received
Hi,

Almost all our dev kits (very few exceptions) have an on board debugger.

Regards,
Jesus
0 Likes
Not applicable
If I am not mistaken, and I do not think I am, the XMC4 series devices have the 'same' memory model, meaning the flashing process for all the XMC4 series devices should be the same. Of course, different micros have different size memory sizes. You *should* be able to use the detachable debugger of the XMC4500 relax kit to flash and debug the XMC4700. To determine how to get signals from the detachable programmer to the XMC4700, I would recommend you carefully study all available schematics.

Steve.
0 Likes
Not applicable
jferreira wrote:
Hi,

Almost all our dev kits (very few exceptions) have an on board debugger.

Regards,
Jesus


But can the on-board debugger be used to program any off-the-shelf XMC?



smays wrote:
If I am not mistaken, and I do not think I am, the XMC4 series devices have the 'same' memory model, meaning the flashing process for all the XMC4 series devices should be the same. Of course, different micros have different size memory sizes. You *should* be able to use the detachable debugger of the XMC4500 relax kit to flash and debug the XMC4700. To determine how to get signals from the detachable programmer to the XMC4700, I would recommend you carefully study all available schematics.

Steve.


According to the XMC link user manual, the pins that you are supposed to connect to the target XMC match the pins in the layout of the XMC4500 relax kit board, and since the XMC Link works for all of the 4000 series, I assume the debugger in the 4500 board also works for all of the 4000 series?

Not only that, the XMC Link debugger layout is almost identical to the layout of the onboard debugger on the XMC4700 relax kit board, and since I already have a XMC4700 board, it would be great if I could use it to program other XMCs.

Anyways, I'd really like to have confirmation from Infineon that the on-board debuggers in the XMC4500 and 4700 relax kit boards can be used to program any XMC 4000 series microcontrollers, but thank you a lot for you help, Steve!
0 Likes
User11723
Level 1
Level 1
I believe that the way the Segger debugger is licensed for eval boards is that the debugger should only be used for that eval board. Segger sell some quite expensive debuggers so they obviously don't want to undercut that with a $20 eval board. However, if you try it, it might work or it might not, but you might struggle to get any official statement.

Personally I think $90 for a Segger debugger a very reasonable price, any professional project should not have a problem paying for that. If you are a student on a budget, then there is also the JLINK EDU at $60 which works on any Cortex MCU.

Also, since DAVE is an Eclipse based tool you should be able to configure the debug to use any JTAG debugger that has a gdb server interface, like OpenOCD. It's just a question of how much time and effort you are willing to spend setting it up.
0 Likes