Bad Atmel Start code for IO toggle

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dnoyeB
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Posted by dnoyeB: Sat. Mar 14, 2020 - 12:41 PM
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I'm using a TinyAVR 0-series micro. I have an LED on PA3 and a test output on PA5. When I start using the toggle function created by Atmel Start my LED goes crazy. After digging into the code I see this is what is used.

 

VPORTA.IN |= 0x20;

 

I think this is the wrong way to use this feature. What I believe happens is if any outputs are on they will show as a 1 if you read VPORTA.IN.  So when you do the OR you are effectively reading out and resetting those bits. This causes those IOs to toggle as well. What the code should have done is this

 

VPORTA.IN = 0x20;

 

This will only toggle the one bit in question as it will write the other bits to 0.

 

Am I right with this?  I'm new to these micros so I'd like to be sure.  If so can I report the bug somehow?

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Tools, Atmel Software Framework (ASF) and Atmel Start (ASFv4) (AVR-related)
Last Edited: Sat. Mar 14, 2020 - 02:24 PM
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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sat. Mar 14, 2020 - 03:31 PM
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Looks like you are right. Usually when you use an AVRs IN-toggle feature it's = not |=

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venkatrajpravin
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Posted by venkatrajpravin: Tue. Mar 17, 2020 - 10:07 AM
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I tried creating a project on LED Toggle using ATTiny1617 device.

 

On debugging the code, as part of .lss file i could observe that the existing implementation of VPORTB.IN |= 1 << pin (where pin is '4') consumes only one instruction of SBI whose purpose is to set the specified bit in an IO register.

 

 

whereas for similar scenario using VPORTB.IN = 1<<pin, it consumes couple of instructions of LDI and OUT where a single instruction of LDI is responsible to load 8-bit constant to register and OUT is responsible to store data from register in the file to IO space.

 

 

Hence with respect to the instruction cycles, i feel the existing implementation serves its purpose to toggle the respective pins by setting the specified pin in the register. 

gud day

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Tue. Mar 17, 2020 - 10:52 AM
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It's true that if only ONE bit is being toggled and the compiler can be persuaded to emit SBI to do the bit write then that's OK. The issue would be if you tried to toggle (say) 3 bits at a time so it did IN, OR, OUT - that would be when the problems arise.

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venkatrajpravin
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Posted by venkatrajpravin: Wed. Mar 18, 2020 - 06:17 AM (Reply to #4)
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I agree that the problem would arise in case of toggling multiple bits at a time, however, as the current START code supports the toggle mode with respect to only single pin, the existing implementation seems to be convincing.

gud day

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awneil
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Posted by awneil: Wed. Mar 18, 2020 - 08:41 AM (Reply to #5)
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sounds like another example of stuff that "works" by accident rather than design ... ?

 

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Brian Fairchild
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Posted by Brian Fairchild: Wed. Mar 18, 2020 - 08:53 AM
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Why has no-one looked to see what code is generated when multiple bits are toggled? Seems to be the easiest way to see if START is smart or not.

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awneil
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Posted by awneil: Wed. Mar 18, 2020 - 09:02 AM (Reply to #7)
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It seems that the PORTB_toggle_pin_level() is a START function, and it toggles only one pin - so there is no way for it to (attempt to) do multiple pins ?

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