Release 2016.01

This is the third release of the embARC Open Software Platform, release 2016.01.

Tool Support

  • Eclipse IDE for GNU Toolchain for ARC Processors, v2015.06

  • MetaWare Development Toolkit, J-2015.06

Features and Enhancements

  • Brand-new device hardware abstraction layer(Device HAL)

    • Redefined UART/GPIO/SPI/IIC Device HAL

    • Add interrupt method support for Device HAL

      • Interrupt send and receive supported

      • Callback functions(TX/RX/ERROR) for interrupt supported

    • Add examples for how to use UART/GPIO/SPI/IIC Device HAL

      • Include both poll and interrupt usage

    • Device HAL API is not compatiable with old embARC releases

  • Add support for EMSK 2.2

    • Support ARC EM7D, ARC EM9D, ARC EM11D configurations

  • Add basic support for nSIM virtual board

    • nSIM

      • Use hostlink IO to simulate UART

      • No available simulated pheripherals

  • Add U8glib support for SSD1306

    • Add gui solution for embARC using U8glib

    • Provide support for IIC based OLED Screen for U8glib

  • JSON and HTTP Parser Support

    • Add parson as JSON support

    • Add http_parser as HTTP Parser support

    • Add an example that using parson and http parser to communicate with xively cloud

  • Enhanced NT-Shell Commands

    • Add MCS file update command called mload to update EMSK firmware without Xilinx tools

    • Add YModem file transfer command called ymodem to send file to PC or receive file from PC using UART interface

    • Remove old file system test command fs, and implement some linux-like commands for file system testing like ls, rm

    • Restructure NT-Shell commands help message and source code structure

  • IoT Cloud Application

    • Add a demo for smart home using MQTT technology

      • Located in <embARC>/example/emsk/lwip/freertos/smarthome

      • Provided a dashboard website to view and control LEDs on board, and monitor current temperature

  • Middleware Update

  • OS Support Update

    • FreeRTOS updated to V8.2.3

    • Contiki updated to V3.0

  • Update separated MQX RTOS support for embARC

    • Add xively, json, http_parser middlewares into MQX

    • Update LwIP and LwIP Contrib middlewares

    • Enhancements to mqtt middleware

  • Documentation updates

  • Bug fixes

  • FOSS notice update

How to Use

Please refer to the doc folder in the release zip file and getting started instructions on embarc.org

Known Issues

  • Xively Cloud demo instability. The examples are functional but reliability of the Xively Cloud service may vary.

  • Make version >=4.0 is not supported. Please use make version 3.81 or 3.82

  • For Wifi applications, the Digilent pmod Wifi with Microchip part MRF24WG0MA should be used. Pmods built with MRF24WB0MA have been shown to experience problems and are NOT supported.

  • Please don’t put embARC source code too deep in your directory, because some examples can’t be compiled due to too long command line not supported in Windows.

  • Since brand new device hal API is upgraded, your application that use the old device hal API need to be upgraded.

  • For ARC GNU with EMSK 2.2, you need to change the JTAG adapter frequency (adapter_khz) in its openocd config file to 5000 in <ARC_GNU>/share/openocd/scripts/board/snps_em_sk.cfg.