bootload from a pc program

[orkunkasapoglu]

Posted on March 07, 2013 at 00:35

Hi all i have to write an interface program for write to the stm32f40x's flash. I did a control system but users want to change some parameters on program but i can't give them the sources. I must write bootloader program and it must go on pc and controller must on read and write protect mode and i want to send go on unprotect mode (just for write) and write to flash and go again write protected mode. Is it possible or not?? I did not find any document about that. I'm looking for something about that but just find flash programming documents and i just know stm32f40x has the own bootloader.  

[Tesla DeLorean]

Posted on March 07, 2013 at 01:28

Are you looking to rewrite the application or just the parameters/configuration?

You might want to review the app notes related to IAP (In Application Programming). I'm not totally sold on the write protect aspect, but a protected boot loader, that can update an application firmware, or configuration block are certainly doable. Have you done anything similar on a micro-controller platform before?

[Andrew Neil]

Posted on March 07, 2013 at 17:26

''users want to change some parameters''

  That seems perfectly reasonable - have you not provided any means for them to configure parameters? Rebuilding & downloading the entire application just to adjust parameters sounds like madness!!

[orkunkasapoglu]

Posted on March 08, 2013 at 13:17

I use controller just in student projects before but i understood it i don't need bootloader just i have to write these parameters on a flash address and when they want to update them just send with uart or any communication peripheral and controller update parameters on flash address.

[crt2]

Posted on March 08, 2013 at 13:27

You can change various flash locations using openocd, you can also implement a response-reply API for USART and change parameters via that. Parameters are just variables that can be changed when running program (if I understood you right). Otherwise like some said: flashing to change parameters of program is a mess. Implement some sort of ''Talking system'' with uC (button-led, button-display,button-usart, usart-usart,...) so that you can check parameters and adjust them ''on fly''.

There is some programing bootloader manual somewhere but I have it only for stm32f2...

[orkunkasapoglu]

Posted on March 09, 2013 at 12:55

thank you for all comments. yes crt you understood right just parameter changing when program is running and i will use uart for communication. Thanks to all comments again.