Enable VCP on STM32F072 Discovery kit?

[Hugo Arends]

Hi community,

I'm using the STM32F072 Discovery kit (https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/products/evaluation-tools/product-evaluation-tools/mcu-eval-tools/stm32-mcu-eval-tools/stm32-mcu-discovery-kits/32f072bdiscovery.html).

The ST-LINK/V2 embedded debug tool on the STM32F072 Discovery kit doesn't support a virtual comport (VCP).

However, from the schematics in the User Manual (UM1690) I can see that pins PA9 (USART1_TX) and PA10 (USART1_RX) of the target microcontroller can be connected to the embedded debug tool by closing solder bridges SB11 and SB12.

This makes me wonder: is there a way to upgrade the embedded debug tool of the STM32F072 Discovery kit to enable VCP support?

Kind regards,

Hugo

[Tesla DeLorean]

The VCP variant needs a more competent F103 part with mbed/MSC/VCP firmware.

[Hugo Arends]

Thanks, that makes sense.

Still I'm wondering why USART1_TX and USART1_RX can be connected to the F103 and if there perhaps is another way to use the F103 to export these signals.

[Hugo Arends]

I've asked an ST employee at Embedded World 2019. There is no other way to use the USART1_TX and USART1_RX signals. They were (probably) added for future use.