How to Debug a Release Version with CubeIDE and the given Options ?

[SBurg.1]

Hello,

Is there a way to generate releasecode to release to the public without Debugging information in the File. But to debug the Code with some exta Debug Files later?

I would like to build a seperate Hex/Bin and Debug file.

In other IDEs or in GNU Compiles you can split Debug Information and the executable in 2 Different files, to Release the Executable to the Public but still Debug it (with help of the debug Files) if you need to.

e.g. the tools objcopy and strip from the buildutils are made for this. But they are unable to work with the STM .elf format.

Here is a described example: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/866721/how-to-generate-gcc-debug-symbol-outside-the-build-target

But I am unable to set somthing similar up in the CubeIDE.

Does somebody have a Idear, how to generate debuggable release build without publishing the Debug Information ?

[KnarfB · Accepted solution]

The arm-none-eabi-* toolset does what you want, i.e. arm-none-eabi-objcopy and so on.

You find a copy in the plugins folder of STM32CubeIDE installation.

You can debug in-house with the .elf and ship the stripped file.

Btw: a .hex/.bin is a flash image and does not contain debug info.

[Cartu38 OpenDev]

If STM32CubeIDE created project at least you have by default x2 build configurations promoted by default. They are called quite explicitly ie. "Debug" and "Release". Main diff is compiler optimization setup. One is keeping debugger required data, second is leading to most optimal binary. Up to you to refine what's most optimal means (size, speed, ... optimization) if you want.

 

[SBurg.1]

Thank you for your help. I tested and played around a bit with the Information you gave me.

So my initial plan, to strip the Debug information can be done with the mentioned arm-none-eabi-* tools.

I came up with this post build line:

arm-none-eabi-objcopy --only-keep-debug ${ProjName}.elf ${ProjName}_Debug.elf ; 
arm-none-eabi-strip --strip-debug --strip-unneeded ${ProjName}.elf ; 
arm-none-eabi-objcopy -O ihex ${ProjName}.elf ${ProjName}.hex ; 
arm-none-eabi-objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=${ProjName}_Debug.elf ${ProjName}.elf 

(If you want to use this, just remove the New Line feeds to make a oneliner and it workes in CubeIDE)

To make the Debugging Process work you have to edit your debug Configuration in the following way:

So you load the Symbols from the unstripped File.

So it worked that way and was nice but than I checked the Hex Files.

And as KnarfB pointed out, there is no Debuginformation in the .hex or .bin File.

I also checked this with the script created Hex file above, the Normaly created Hex File in "MCU Post build objects" and additionally in a Build with maximum and none Debug information. They were all the same.

So Year... I will just revert the Project changes and use the .hex/.bin and everything is fine.