How to erase flash before programming with STM32CubeIDE [Solved]

[SThre]

Is there someway to do this with stm32cubeide?

For my specific use case I am storing configuration data on last page of flash (currently working on figuring out how to erase it so i can rewrite it in software), but I would also like to be able to configure it by reprogramming it. I can check that the page is empty and write settings to it, but I haven't found any way to erase it with stm32cubeide, I need to open the st link utility in order to erase the flash as far as I can tell.

[Markus GIRDLAND · Accepted solution]

There are a few ways of doing it. For example, you can either call cube programmer CLI and run a mass erase as a pre-build step ${cubeide_cubeprogrammer_path}/STM32_Programmer_CLI.exe

If you use that way it's important that in the debug configuration under "Main" tab that you don't have auto build disabled because then the pre-build step will not be called.

You can also go to the startup tab in the debug configuration and add "monitor flash mass_erase" as an Initialization command.

[SThre]

Thanks, somehow I had tried to write in the initialization commands section, but I hadn't thought to include the word "monitor" in my command, so it only gave errors.

[Ddeve.1]

I think this works for a ST link debugger connection ; unfortunately not for a Segger Jlink?!

When adding "monitor flash mass_erase" to the debug configuration -> Initialization startup :

 

I get the following error :

 

Any suggestions?

diederik

[Markus GIRDLAND]

Hello Diederik,

J-Link has its own commands which you can find more about in their user manual available here.

I believe the command for J-Link should be flash erase but you can double check that with the manual.

[Diego B.]

Using Segger J-Link the command is: monitor flash erase

[Markus GIRDLAND]

Thank you for the clarification! I usually use my ST-Link so I wasn't sure :grinning_face_with_sweat:

[marbel]

Hi

Is there a similar way to to a partial erase?

I am switching back and forth between two different software builds in a dual banked system and I only want to erase the currently executing bank.

BR

Martin

[Piranha]

By default the debugger only erases the necessary sectors/pages.

[Pavel A.]

> dual banked system

This is interesting question. How the programmer knows which mode to use: one bank or dual bank, and which bank is the 'current'? Does it check the option bytes?