When will the Cube IDE once again be able to connect to STM32F100 VL-Discovery Kit?

[shorai]

About 3 weeks ago, an update was received from ST that made both my Windows 10 and Linux boxes unable to connect to the VL Discovery. The message reads that I must plug in my ST-Link device.

The stlink Linux command line tool is still able to connect to and program the device flawlessly.

But, of course, this does not have an integrated debugger and slows code development down considerably ( I must provide alternate methods of checking ADC values etc).

Yes, I understand that these are old devices and have been replaced by newer and better ones, but I and many others still have F100 series operational in the field.

[Peter BENSCH]

Your board is the first DISCOVERY that appeared for the STM32 at the time and still contains version 1 of the ST-LINK, which is no longer available. All boards that were added later then used newer versions of STLINK, so that support for version 1 no longer makes sense.

The STM32CubeIDE uses the STM32CubeProgrammer for programming. Since the STM32CubeProgrammerno longer includes support for STLINK (V1), e.g. because of a completely different communication protocol, STM32CubeIDE can no longer support the STM32VLDISCOVERY either.

Regarding your statement "operational in the field": EVAL/DISCOVERY/NUCLEO boards are intended to be used as development platform only, not as part of a product. Please note our license terms.

Good luck and best regards

/Peter

[shorai]

Hi Peter,

Couple of things -

• There was little or no warning that cube would no longer support VL Discovery
• My development hardware is attached to a VLD, I need to rebuild this for old product or switch to a different toolchain
• Cube still creates new projects for VLD without warning that download will be impossible
• There should be no new changes to the st-link driver, it should still act as before
• Cube is also broken on my F42i Discovery board - upgrading today does not help
• Looks like ST do not test cube thoroughly before releasing updates (unacceptablein the new millenium)
• This unexpected behavior makes it difficult to rely on Cube

Chris

Here is the message from my 429I board

Error in final launch sequence:

Failed to execute MI command:

target remote localhost:61234

Error message from debugger back end:

Remote communication error. Target disconnected.: Success.

Failed to execute MI command:

target remote localhost:61234

Error message from debugger back end:

Remote communication error. Target disconnected.: Success.

• Remote communication error. Target disconnected.: Success.

The Success reported denotes me physically disconnecting the board

I have upgraded both the board firmware and theIDE to no avail

[Peter BENSCH]

To respond to your points:

• the support for STLINK (V1) has been removed many years ago
• no need to switch to another toolchain, as there is a solution: just connect an external STLINK/V2 or V3, but please also note the next point
• workaround: don't use the Board Selector while creating a project for the VLDISCOVERY but the MCU/MPU Selector, choose the STM32F100RB and select the necessary functions manually, i.e. RCC (clock), SYS (Serial Wire debug), GPIO (button, LEDs). Just tested: debugging and programming works fine.
• same as point 1, the current status won't change in the future
• please do not post any other issues in a thread, as this will confuse other community members later
• same as point 5, the software has been tested extensively before it is published, but as with any software, bugs cannot be ruled out due to the complexity
• same as point 5

Regards

/Peter

[shorai]

Hi Peter,

Ok, I understand ALL that.

I use VL-D to develop for my field F100 and some F103, then transfer operational code.

I have found that Linux still supports the VLD - though I have to use another debugger.

I guess I could use a external ST-Link - though the lack of POLARISED ST0LINK plugs on all the ST32F family

development devices makes this an error prone process :( I have to do this myself rather than send a junior out.

An IDC or similar connector would have been much better.

Chris

[Cartu38 OpenDev]

At debug phase I'm getting myself proper info about support lack if debug based on STM32F100 VL-Discovery

 

But @Peter BENSCH​  my pain is such board is set as active ... :sleepy_face:

[Peter BENSCH]

Hi, @Cartu38 OpenDev​

for debugging using STM32CubeIDE please see my comment above.

For the availablity of the STM32VLDISCOVERY: active means Product is in volume production. And yes, debugging/programming is possible if you use an external debugger, e.g. an STLINK/V2-1 from a NUCLEO or other DISCOVERY.

Regards

/Peter

[Tesla DeLorean]

Product is in volume production

Or we have several metric shed-tons of them in a warehouse somewhere..

And if you do, do the honourable thing and code a simple ST-LINK firmware that works and is sufficiently compatible with the V2 protocol, or open one, so these all don't get land-filled like ET Game Cartridges..

[VDoro.1]

Hello,

I just tried this for the fun and it works: https://visserslatijn.wordpress.com/2019/01/20/upgrade-st-link-v1-to-v2/. However, the flashed firmware of the VLDISCOVERY programmer must be updated afterwards with the STM32CubeProgrammer to be fully usable.

As indicated by Peter above, the project must be created for STM32F100RB to avoid the "Debug is not supported" message. However, to get the .ioc file, just create an empty VLDISCOVERY project with the MCU/MPU Selector, then copy the .ioc file to the STM32F100RB project and rename the .ioc file.

The STM32CubeIDE really rocks!:thumbs_up:

Regards

Vlad