connection problem with avr-insight

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 12:33 PM
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Hi.

I'd like to use a graphical user interface replacement of the command-line-based AVR-GDB for debugging. After not being able to configure the new ECLIPSE JUNO to incorporate compilation AND debugging, I now try to get AVR-INSIGHT running (it is shipped with the WinAVR package) to do the debugging part.

This is my system configuration:

() WinAVR tool chain incl. avrdude, avr-gcc, avr-gdb
() AVR DRAGON via USB (libusb-win32 driver)
() ATmega162 as a target

And this is how I prepare my system for debugging:

() compilation of the project (-g2 for debugging)
() creation of .HEX and .ELF
() write .HEX into flash of target
() start AVARICE server (port 4242) in a separate window
() start AVR-INSIGHT
() load .ELF file into AVR-INSIGHT
() configure communication to match AVARICE
() connect AVR-INSIGHT with AVARICE (localhost:4242)

As soon as I try to connect avr-insight and avarice, the avr-insight window freezes while no reaction is seen in the avarice window (normally it shows when a connection is established). Even when I try to use the GDB-console in avr-insight to connect "manually", the avr-insight window freezes.

I can run AVR-GDB from a DOS-console, connect with the avarice server and start debugging. But this console-based debugging is rather stressful, so I am eager to get avr-insight (or any other GUI except AtmelStudio) running.

Can somebody help me getting avr-insight to connect and work for me?

Thanks.
Peter

Tags:

Tools, Compilers and General Programming, ATmega16
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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 12:35 PM
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Have a look at Code::Blocks

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 01:04 PM
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Thanks. I will try that as an alternative. In hope that I might finally be able to debug my applications.

Are there some further hints about the configuration of avr-insight or the windows system?

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 01:42 PM
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Sorry I missed the fact you mentioned DOS. I assumed you were using Linux. If you have DOS/Windows why on earth wouldn't you just use AS6 (or maybe AS4)?

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 01:54 PM
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I did run AS6 for quite a long time, but it caused just too many problems over time (no recognition of the AVR DRAGON anymore, failed updates, resource consuming, slow operaion,...). In the end I decided to try something else which I thought would work more reliably.

CodeBlocks would do for Win/Dos anyway? Or just for Linux in a reliable way?

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 02:46 PM
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I'd persevere with AS6 - it's 10 times better than anything else.

Code::Blocks, like Eclipse is Java so is multi-platform. But with anyone of those you are going to be doing battle with avarice/avr-gdb which is not as good as AS6.

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 03:06 PM
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Hmmm... I agree when it is about theoretical interoperability of all the tasks connected to AVR development. But in practice it does not work so nicely (otherwise I would not have changed the platform).

All the other IDEs have their advantages in this or that field. And, as I want to use an IDE which is not only usable with Atmel's components but various others as well, a general (independent) and open source solution seems to be the best choice (if it works).

There are just these details concerning configuration and drivers...

So, please, I would really be interested in solving the problem with AVR-INSIGHT . This seems to be the last step towards an acceptable overall-solution for microcontroller software development.

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 03:11 PM
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Well I'd start by getting an update of avarice and avr-gdb. As far as I know the only Windows based build are the ones in WinAVR and that dates from January 2010 now. If necessary I'd install MinGw/Msys and build them from latest sources as there's likely been a lot of fixing/improving in that time.

EDIT: latest avarice is:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/...

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 03:31 PM
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Currently, I am using avarice and avr-gdb from the 2010 collection of WinAVR. Maybe they are not the newest releases, but that doesn't seem to have an influence on the general debug functionality.

As I said, I am debugging already. Using avr-gdb and avarice (as a server listening to port 4242) in DOS command windows. But: using the DOS command prompt is rather ugly. The problem is something that stops AVR-INSIGHT from connecting to the port of avarice. Maybe it is even an effect within the operating system.

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Sun. Apr 14, 2013 - 03:35 PM
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But these GUIs are just eye candy on top of what the DOS stuff is doing (they effectively just spawn DOS commands) so the fact that it's GUI shouldn't really have any bearing on whether the fundamental tools work or not.

As I say take a look at Code::Blocks, if nothign else it's just an alternative and will help to rule out whether the problem you see is just specific to Insight or something more fundamental to GUIs wrapping DOS tools.

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Mon. Apr 15, 2013 - 07:19 PM
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After one day of trying and searching, I didn't manage to get the avr-gdb running withh Code::Blocks. I found a solution to the original AVR-INSIGHT problem, even though I don't understand it.

After starting avr-insight on a separate computer and connecting it with avarice (remotely, not localhost), avr-insight does not freeze anymore. It works and I can debug my application.

Must have been something within the operating system or firewall settings (even though nothing was signalized). Or maybe a bug in avr-insight in connection with Windows7...

Thanks.

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Bingo600
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Posted by Bingo600: Tue. Apr 16, 2013 - 03:50 PM
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clawson wrote:

Code::Blocks, like Eclipse is Java so is multi-platform.

Ehhhh....

C::B Isn't java based but native code
But there is but there is a Win-32 version available for download.

/Bingo

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Tue. Apr 16, 2013 - 03:54 PM
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Are you sure? It is astronomically slow in operation (in the same way that Eclipse is) so I just assumed it must be Java.

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Posted by JohanEkdahl: Wed. Apr 17, 2013 - 08:10 AM
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Quote:

Are you sure?

He might not be, but I am. It's written mainly in C++. Some C also, IIRC.

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No guarantees, but if we don't report problems they won't get much of  a chance to be fixed! Details/discussions at link given just above.

 

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Fri. Dec 6, 2013 - 04:05 PM
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Peter0815 wrote:
After starting avr-insight on a separate computer and connecting it with avarice (remotely, not localhost), avr-insight does not freeze anymore. It works and I can debug my application.

Now back again after quite a time...

There are still two questions bothering me while trying to built a reasonalbly managable debugging environment for AVR controllers, based on Eclipse "Juno":

1. In my development environment, it is not possible for me to operate avr-insight together with avarice on the same Windows computer (see first posting in this thread). When I try, avr-insight hangs while trying to connect to the agreed port on localhost. Has somebody managed to get this configuration running on his computer, yet?

2. When I use avr-insight from a remote computer, the debugging works reasonably good after connecting to a remote instance of avarice operating the target. But when I perform certain operations (e.g. step-into) avr-insight occasionally hangs. So I have to shut it down, re-establish the connections and restart. Does anybody successfully work with avr-insight on remote AVR targets?

Thanks.
Peter

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Gold Markclawson
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Posted by clawson: Fri. Dec 6, 2013 - 08:16 PM
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Have you tried Code::Blocks instead of Insight?

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Peter0815
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Posted by Peter0815: Sun. Dec 8, 2013 - 09:42 AM
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clawson wrote:
Have you tried Code::Blocks instead of Insight?

You asked this on 14. of April ;-)

As it seems hopeless to wait for Eclipse to become functional regarding the debugging on AVR, I would only think of using Code::Blocks as a tool for debugging purposes. For code development and flashing I would try to stay with Eclipse.

Is there any tutorial for configuration of Code::Blocks to be used as a debugging tool in combination with avr-gdb and/or avarice?

I did't find any, yet. And I'd like to skip the odyssey for this time ;-) .

Peter

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