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Mttjcksn
Associate III
April 3, 2019
Solved

C++ program gets stuck at __libc_init_array in startup

  • April 3, 2019
  • 7 replies
  • 4139 views

Hi all,

I have a C++ project running fine on the STM32H7 EVAL board that I need to port to an STM32H7 Nucleo board, because it closer resembles the final hardware I will be using.

I generated a Nucleo project using CubeMX and added all the things I needed (Including FreeRTOS). I then converted the C project to a C++ project in True studio, and added all the source files, include directories, compiler flags, and linker flags.

The EVAL project linker script places all user data in RAMD1 because it has the size required to hold the 128K stack required by the RTOS. When I alter the linker file of the Nucleo project for the same reason, the program gets stuck during startup, at the point of loading the c++ global constructors :

/* Call static constructors */
 bl __libc_init_array

 (When I say 'gets stuck' I mean the debugger can't step over or into this line. I believe the program jumps to an undefined interrupt with an infinite loop for debugging.)

If I reduce the stack size of the RTOS and change the linker script back to placing all user data in DTCMRAM, then the program doesn't get stuck anymore.

I hope that is a clear enough explanation! I would really appreciate any help to understand what is happening and how to resolve it.

Here is my linker script:

/*
*****************************************************************************
**
 
** File : LinkerScript.ld
**
** Abstract : Linker script for STM32H743ZITx Device with
** 2048KByte FLASH, 128KByte RAM
**
** Set heap size, stack size and stack location according
** to application requirements.
**
** Set memory bank area and size if external memory is used.
**
** Target : STMicroelectronics STM32
**
**
** Distribution: The file is distributed as is, without any warranty
** of any kind.
**
** (c)Copyright Ac6.
** You may use this file as-is or modify it according to the needs of your
** project. Distribution of this file (unmodified or modified) is not
** permitted. Ac6 permit registered System Workbench for MCU users the
** rights to distribute the assembled, compiled & linked contents of this
** file as part of an application binary file, provided that it is built
** using the System Workbench for MCU toolchain.
**
*****************************************************************************
*/
 
/* Entry Point */
ENTRY(Reset_Handler)
 
/* Highest address of the user mode stack */
_estack = 0x20020000; /* end of RAM */
/* Generate a link error if heap and stack don't fit into RAM */
_Min_Heap_Size = 0x200; /* required amount of heap */
_Min_Stack_Size = 0x400; /* required amount of stack */
 
/* Specify the memory areas */
MEMORY
{
DTCMRAM (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 128K
RAM_D1 (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x24000000, LENGTH = 512K
RAM_D2 (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x30000000, LENGTH = 288K
RAM_D3 (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x38000000, LENGTH = 64K
ITCMRAM (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x00000000, LENGTH = 64K
FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x8000000, LENGTH = 2048K
}
 
/* Define output sections */
SECTIONS
{
 /* The startup code goes first into FLASH */
 .isr_vector :
 {
 . = ALIGN(4);
 KEEP(*(.isr_vector)) /* Startup code */
 . = ALIGN(4);
 } >FLASH
 
 /* The program code and other data goes into FLASH */
 .text :
 {
 . = ALIGN(4);
 *(.text) /* .text sections (code) */
 *(.text*) /* .text* sections (code) */
 *(.glue_7) /* glue arm to thumb code */
 *(.glue_7t) /* glue thumb to arm code */
 *(.eh_frame)
 
 KEEP (*(.init))
 KEEP (*(.fini))
 
 . = ALIGN(4);
 _etext = .; /* define a global symbols at end of code */
 } >FLASH
 
 /* Constant data goes into FLASH */
 .rodata :
 {
 . = ALIGN(4);
 *(.rodata) /* .rodata sections (constants, strings, etc.) */
 *(.rodata*) /* .rodata* sections (constants, strings, etc.) */
 . = ALIGN(4);
 } >FLASH
 
 .ARM.extab : { *(.ARM.extab* .gnu.linkonce.armextab.*) } >FLASH
 .ARM : {
 __exidx_start = .;
 *(.ARM.exidx*)
 __exidx_end = .;
 } >FLASH
 
 .preinit_array :
 {
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__preinit_array_start = .);
 KEEP (*(.preinit_array*))
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__preinit_array_end = .);
 } >FLASH
 .init_array :
 {
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__init_array_start = .);
 KEEP (*(SORT(.init_array.*)))
 KEEP (*(.init_array*))
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__init_array_end = .);
 } >FLASH
 .fini_array :
 {
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__fini_array_start = .);
 KEEP (*(SORT(.fini_array.*)))
 KEEP (*(.fini_array*))
 PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__fini_array_end = .);
 } >FLASH
 
 /* used by the startup to initialize data */
 _sidata = LOADADDR(.data);
 
 /* Initialized data sections goes into RAM, load LMA copy after code */
 .data : 
 {
 . = ALIGN(4);
 _sdata = .; /* create a global symbol at data start */
 *(.data) /* .data sections */
 *(.data*) /* .data* sections */
 
 . = ALIGN(4);
 _edata = .; /* define a global symbol at data end */
 } >RAMD1 AT> FLASH
 
 
 /* Uninitialized data section */
 . = ALIGN(4);
 .bss :
 {
 /* This is used by the startup in order to initialize the .bss secion */
 _sbss = .; /* define a global symbol at bss start */
 __bss_start__ = _sbss;
 *(.bss)
 *(.bss*)
 *(COMMON)
 
 . = ALIGN(4);
 _ebss = .; /* define a global symbol at bss end */
 __bss_end__ = _ebss;
 } >RAMD1
 
 /* User_heap_stack section, used to check that there is enough RAM left */
 ._user_heap_stack :
 {
 . = ALIGN(8);
 PROVIDE ( end = . );
 PROVIDE ( _end = . );
 . = . + _Min_Heap_Size;
 . = . + _Min_Stack_Size;
 . = ALIGN(8);
 } >RAMD1
 
 
 
 /* Remove information from the standard libraries */
 /DISCARD/ :
 {
 libc.a ( * )
 libm.a ( * )
 libgcc.a ( * )
 }
 
 .ARM.attributes 0 : { *(.ARM.attributes) }
}
 
 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Best answer by Mttjcksn

Got it!

It was the minimum heap size in the linker script - Increased it substantially and it worked. I was led astray by the fact that I was porting the code from another project, and used the same minimum heap and stack sizes that that project has.

I have no idea how that project ever worked though, at it uses the same chip...

7 replies

Tesla DeLorean
Guru
April 3, 2019

More likely Hard Faults as you touch memory you shouldn't.

Either via the stack frame, one or more RAM which needs its clock enabled, or just some inherent issue with the constructor table and the constructor functions it calls upon.

Tips, Buy me a coffee, or three.. PayPal Venmo (See Profile) Up vote any posts that you find helpful, it shows what's working..
Tesla DeLorean
Guru
April 3, 2019
Tips, Buy me a coffee, or three.. PayPal Venmo (See Profile) Up vote any posts that you find helpful, it shows what's working..
Mttjcksn
MttjcksnAuthorBest answer
Associate III
April 9, 2019

Got it!

It was the minimum heap size in the linker script - Increased it substantially and it worked. I was led astray by the fact that I was porting the code from another project, and used the same minimum heap and stack sizes that that project has.

I have no idea how that project ever worked though, at it uses the same chip...