Development Tools

[munger]

Posted on June 21, 2013 at 14:49

Hi,

I am starting a new project using a STM32F051K4U6. I have not used an ARM ever before, I've mostly used 8 bit micros, lots of MSP430 work in the last few years.

I am very familiar with IAR EW, been using it for 10 years. So, of course I looked there first when deciding on what to use for the STM32 processor. The EWARM is sooo damn expensive! It's like $3400 - $7000 or something like that.

I've gotten pricing for some of the others, Tasking, Keil, I forget what else, they are less certainly but is it worth it to use the IAR as I have used it so much? My knee-jerk reaction is that it is probably *not* worth it ... I've learned plenty of development environments, I can probably learn another.

I'd appreciate any feedback regarding this.

Thanks.

Mike

#eclipse-gcc-gdb #eclipse #iar

[emalund]

Posted on June 22, 2013 at 19:38

<i> I would put my trust in Keil, as it's owned by ARM. There is an obvious advantage in codesize and performance, compared to gcc based toolchains.

I'm missing the experience with IAR here ...</i>

having worked with both Keil and IAR in my opinion one is six and the other is half a dozen.

If your volume is enough (to be allowed to) ask the ST FAE, you will get better support using what (s)he is most familiar with,

Erik

[frankmeyer9]

Posted on June 23, 2013 at 12:37

I had been working with (fully licenced) IAR WB for MSP430, which doesn't say much about the quality of the ARM compiler ...

[mailmail9116]

Posted on June 24, 2013 at 15:20

Hi Mike ,

You also can try the following combination :

Eclipse Juno +  http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuarmeclipse/ + https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded ( which also have FPU Support).

There are many tutorial on the web on how to set-up the environment , here is one :

http://www.sectiongo.com/main/setup-eclipse-debug-environment-for-stm32f4-discovery-board/

Michael

[stm32forum]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 10:42

I like

http://www.emblocks.org/web/

very much, it's NOT based on Java (eclipse) ide so it works very smooth and fast.

Disadvantage is that it is new and therefore not yet a big group of users that can give you support. The developer will give quick and accurate reply on the forum.

Have a look at it, it's free.

[jj2]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 16:16

''NOT based on Java (eclipse) IDE - so it works very smooth and fast.''

Aha - so revealing what something is not - now serves alone to ''fully/convincingly'' justify choice/use! 

Pure opinion (perhaps promotion) - absent supporting reason - may not capture all, ''hearts/minds...''

[emalund]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 17:20

''NOT based on Java (eclipse) IDE - so it works very smooth and fast.''

I have no opinion of the suggested IDE, but Eclipse is a pain in the butt unless you like coffee breaks waiting for your click to be executed.

for that very reason I will state ''Eclipse is not fit for professional development''

Erik

[dthedens23]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 17:30

I did try Em:Blocks.

Works well in my opinion.

Eclipse can be a real pain when first learning the IDE.

[frankmeyer9]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 19:17

... but Eclipse is a pain in the butt unless you like coffee breaks waiting for your click to be executed.

 

That problem disappears if you update to a i7 core + 4GB RAM ...

Do you know the ''slowness detected'' - IDE named NetBeans ?

I believe those Java-based IDEs are one of the IT industries efforts toward planned-obsolescence ...

[emalund]

Posted on June 25, 2013 at 21:30

<i>That problem disappears if you update to a i7 core + 4GB RAM ...</i>

''pain in the butt slow'' observation made with win7 and 8GB RAM, dual processor, bells, whistles.

I have compiled >300kB with Keil/IAR on ''non-stellar'' machines faster than 60kB with Eclipse/GCC on the above.

OK, I may be wrong it could be the CGG; however Keil/IAR does not use Eclipse,

we are in the situation where someone abusing the title ''software developer'' hide their incomptence behind ''just get a faster machine''.

is it not strange that the ''go green'' people keep harrassing Dell and HP but have no comment on software requiring a machine using more power to make the products from incompetent developers usable.

[frankmeyer9]

Posted on June 26, 2013 at 08:31

<i>That problem disappears if you update to a i7 core + 4GB RAM ...</i>

 

I hope you noticed the satirical undertone in my comment ...

I had been messing with Netbeans-based MPLabX for about two years. About two minutes for startup, and 20 .. 40 seconds of total unresponsiveness after shortly switching to another application. ''Slowness detected'' was all that GUI had to say about it ...

we are in the situation where someone abusing the title ''software developer'' hide their incomptence behind ''just get a faster machine''.

 

I agree. they often hide their missing knowledge of their tools and the build process in general.

How about using make files ?