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8 Debug Adapter Configuration

Correctly installing OpenOCD includes making your operating system give OpenOCD access to debug adapters. Once that has been done, Tcl commands are used to select which one is used, and to configure how it is used.

Note: Because OpenOCD started out with a focus purely on JTAG, you may find places where it wrongly presumes JTAG is the only transport protocol in use. Be aware that recent versions of OpenOCD are removing that limitation. JTAG remains more functional than most other transports. Other transports do not support boundary scan operations, or may be specific to a given chip vendor. Some might be usable only for programming flash memory, instead of also for debugging.

Debug Adapters/Interfaces/Dongles are normally configured through commands in an interface configuration file which is sourced by your openocd.cfg file, or through a command line -f interface/....cfg option.

     source [find interface/olimex-jtag-tiny.cfg]

These commands tell OpenOCD what type of JTAG adapter you have, and how to talk to it. A few cases are so simple that you only need to say what driver to use:

     # jlink interface
     interface jlink

Most adapters need a bit more configuration than that.

8.1 Interface Configuration

The interface command tells OpenOCD what type of debug adapter you are using. Depending on the type of adapter, you may need to use one or more additional commands to further identify or configure the adapter.

— Config Command: interface name

Use the interface driver name to connect to the target.

— Command: interface_list

List the debug adapter drivers that have been built into the running copy of OpenOCD.

— Command: interface transports transport_name+

Specifies the transports supported by this debug adapter. The adapter driver builds-in similar knowledge; use this only when external configuration (such as jumpering) changes what the hardware can support.

— Command: adapter_name

Returns the name of the debug adapter driver being used.

8.2 Interface Drivers

Each of the interface drivers listed here must be explicitly enabled when OpenOCD is configured, in order to be made available at run time.

— Interface Driver: amt_jtagaccel

Amontec Chameleon in its JTAG Accelerator configuration, connected to a PC's EPP mode parallel port. This defines some driver-specific commands:

— Config Command: parport_port number

Specifies either the address of the I/O port (default: 0x378 for LPT1) or the number of the /dev/parport device.

— Config Command: rtck [enable|disable]

Displays status of RTCK option. Optionally sets that option first.

— Interface Driver: arm-jtag-ew

Olimex ARM-JTAG-EW USB adapter This has one driver-specific command:

— Command: armjtagew_info

Logs some status

— Interface Driver: at91rm9200

Supports bitbanged JTAG from the local system, presuming that system is an Atmel AT91rm9200 and a specific set of GPIOs is used.

— Interface Driver: dummy

A dummy software-only driver for debugging.

— Interface Driver: ep93xx

Cirrus Logic EP93xx based single-board computer bit-banging (in development)

— Interface Driver: ft2232

FTDI FT2232 (USB) based devices over one of the userspace libraries. These interfaces have several commands, used to configure the driver before initializing the JTAG scan chain:

— Config Command: ft2232_device_desc description

Provides the USB device description (the iProduct string) of the FTDI FT2232 device. If not specified, the FTDI default value is used. This setting is only valid if compiled with FTD2XX support.

— Config Command: ft2232_serial serial-number

Specifies the serial-number of the FTDI FT2232 device to use, in case the vendor provides unique IDs and more than one FT2232 device is connected to the host. If not specified, serial numbers are not considered. (Note that USB serial numbers can be arbitrary Unicode strings, and are not restricted to containing only decimal digits.)

— Config Command: ft2232_layout name

Each vendor's FT2232 device can use different GPIO signals to control output-enables, reset signals, and LEDs. Currently valid layout name values include:

  • axm0432_jtag Axiom AXM-0432
  • comstick Hitex STR9 comstick
  • cortino Hitex Cortino JTAG interface
  • evb_lm3s811 Luminary Micro EVB_LM3S811 as a JTAG interface, either for the local Cortex-M3 (SRST only) or in a passthrough mode (neither SRST nor TRST) This layout can not support the SWO trace mechanism, and should be used only for older boards (before rev C).
  • luminary_icdi This layout should be used with most Luminary eval boards, including Rev C LM3S811 eval boards and the eponymous ICDI boards, to debug either the local Cortex-M3 or in passthrough mode to debug some other target. It can support the SWO trace mechanism.
  • flyswatter Tin Can Tools Flyswatter
  • icebear ICEbear JTAG adapter from Section 5
  • jtagkey Amontec JTAGkey and JTAGkey-Tiny (and compatibles)
  • jtagkey2 Amontec JTAGkey2 (and compatibles)
  • m5960 American Microsystems M5960
  • olimex-jtag Olimex ARM-USB-OCD and ARM-USB-Tiny
  • oocdlink OOCDLink
  • redbee-econotag Integrated with a Redbee development board.
  • redbee-usb Integrated with a Redbee USB-stick development board.
  • sheevaplug Marvell Sheevaplug development kit
  • signalyzer Xverve Signalyzer
  • stm32stick Hitex STM32 Performance Stick
  • turtelizer2 egnite Software turtelizer2
  • usbjtag "USBJTAG-1" layout described in the OpenOCD diploma thesis

— Config Command: ft2232_vid_pid [vid pid]+

The vendor ID and product ID of the FTDI FT2232 device. If not specified, the FTDI default values are used. Currently, up to eight [vid, pid] pairs may be given, e.g.

               ft2232_vid_pid 0x0403 0xcff8 0x15ba 0x0003
— Config Command: ft2232_latency ms

On some systems using FT2232 based JTAG interfaces the FT_Read function call in ft2232_read() fails to return the expected number of bytes. This can be caused by USB communication delays and has proved hard to reproduce and debug. Setting the FT2232 latency timer to a larger value increases delays for short USB packets but it also reduces the risk of timeouts before receiving the expected number of bytes. The OpenOCD default value is 2 and for some systems a value of 10 has proved useful.

For example, the interface config file for a Turtelizer JTAG Adapter looks something like this:

          interface ft2232
          ft2232_device_desc "Turtelizer JTAG/RS232 Adapter"
          ft2232_layout turtelizer2
          ft2232_vid_pid 0x0403 0xbdc8
— Interface Driver: usb_blaster

USB JTAG/USB-Blaster compatibles over one of the userspace libraries for FTDI chips. These interfaces have several commands, used to configure the driver before initializing the JTAG scan chain:

— Config Command: usb_blaster_device_desc description

Provides the USB device description (the iProduct string) of the FTDI FT245 device. If not specified, the FTDI default value is used. This setting is only valid if compiled with FTD2XX support.

— Config Command: usb_blaster_vid_pid vid pid

The vendor ID and product ID of the FTDI FT245 device. If not specified, default values are used. Currently, only one vid, pid pair may be given, e.g. for Altera USB-Blaster (default):

               usb_blaster_vid_pid 0x09FB 0x6001

The following VID/PID is for Kolja Waschk's USB JTAG:

               usb_blaster_vid_pid 0x16C0 0x06AD
— Command: usb_blaster (pin6|pin8) (0|1)

Sets the state of the unused GPIO pins on USB-Blasters (pins 6 and 8 on the female JTAG header). These pins can be used as SRST and/or TRST provided the appropriate connections are made on the target board.

For example, to use pin 6 as SRST (as with an AVR board):

               $_TARGETNAME configure -event reset-assert \
                     "usb_blaster pin6 1; wait 1; usb_blaster pin6 0"
— Interface Driver: gw16012

Gateworks GW16012 JTAG programmer. This has one driver-specific command:

— Config Command: parport_port [port_number]

Display either the address of the I/O port (default: 0x378 for LPT1) or the number of the /dev/parport device. If a parameter is provided, first switch to use that port. This is a write-once setting.

— Interface Driver: jlink

Segger jlink USB adapter

— Interface Driver: parport

Supports PC parallel port bit-banging cables: Wigglers, PLD download cable, and more. These interfaces have several commands, used to configure the driver before initializing the JTAG scan chain:

— Config Command: parport_cable name

Set the layout of the parallel port cable used to connect to the target. This is a write-once setting. Currently valid cable name values include:

  • altium Altium Universal JTAG cable.
  • arm-jtag Same as original wiggler except SRST and TRST connections reversed and TRST is also inverted.
  • chameleon The Amontec Chameleon's CPLD when operated in configuration mode. This is only used to program the Chameleon itself, not a connected target.
  • dlc5 The Xilinx Parallel cable III.
  • flashlink The ST Parallel cable.
  • lattice Lattice ispDOWNLOAD Cable
  • old_amt_wiggler The Wiggler configuration that comes with some versions of Amontec's Chameleon Programmer. The new version available from the website uses the original Wiggler layout ('wiggler')
  • triton The parallel port adapter found on the “Karo Triton 1 Development Board”. This is also the layout used by the HollyGates design (see http://www.lartmaker.nl/projects/jtag/).
  • wiggler The original Wiggler layout, also supported by several clones, such as the Olimex ARM-JTAG
  • wiggler2 Same as original wiggler except an led is fitted on D5.
  • wiggler_ntrst_inverted Same as original wiggler except TRST is inverted.

— Config Command: parport_port [port_number]

Display either the address of the I/O port (default: 0x378 for LPT1) or the number of the /dev/parport device. If a parameter is provided, first switch to use that port. This is a write-once setting.

When using PPDEV to access the parallel port, use the number of the parallel port: parport_port 0 (the default). If parport_port 0x378 is specified you may encounter a problem.

— Command: parport_toggling_time [nanoseconds]

Displays how many nanoseconds the hardware needs to toggle TCK; the parport driver uses this value to obey the adapter_khz configuration. When the optional nanoseconds parameter is given, that setting is changed before displaying the current value.

The default setting should work reasonably well on commodity PC hardware. However, you may want to calibrate for your specific hardware.

Tip: To measure the toggling time with a logic analyzer or a digital storage oscilloscope, follow the procedure below:
               > parport_toggling_time 1000
               > adapter_khz 500

This sets the maximum JTAG clock speed of the hardware, but the actual speed probably deviates from the requested 500 kHz. Now, measure the time between the two closest spaced TCK transitions. You can use runtest 1000 or something similar to generate a large set of samples. Update the setting to match your measurement:

               > parport_toggling_time <measured nanoseconds>

Now the clock speed will be a better match for adapter_khz rate commands given in OpenOCD scripts and event handlers.

You can do something similar with many digital multimeters, but note that you'll probably need to run the clock continuously for several seconds before it decides what clock rate to show. Adjust the toggling time up or down until the measured clock rate is a good match for the adapter_khz rate you specified; be conservative.

— Config Command: parport_write_on_exit (on|off)

This will configure the parallel driver to write a known cable-specific value to the parallel interface on exiting OpenOCD.

For example, the interface configuration file for a classic “Wiggler” cable on LPT2 might look something like this:

          interface parport
          parport_port 0x278
          parport_cable wiggler
— Interface Driver: presto

ASIX PRESTO USB JTAG programmer.

— Config Command: presto_serial serial_string

Configures the USB serial number of the Presto device to use.

— Interface Driver: rlink

Raisonance RLink USB adapter

— Interface Driver: usbprog

usbprog is a freely programmable USB adapter.

— Interface Driver: vsllink

vsllink is part of Versaloon which is a versatile USB programmer.

Note: This defines quite a few driver-specific commands, which are not currently documented here.

— Interface Driver: ZY1000

This is the Zylin ZY1000 JTAG debugger.

Note: This defines some driver-specific commands, which are not currently documented here.
— Command: power [on|off]

Turn power switch to target on/off. No arguments: print status.

8.3 Transport Configuration

As noted earlier, depending on the version of OpenOCD you use, and the debug adapter you are using, several transports may be available to communicate with debug targets (or perhaps to program flash memory).

— Command: transport list

displays the names of the transports supported by this version of OpenOCD.

— Command: transport select transport_name

Select which of the supported transports to use in this OpenOCD session. The transport must be supported by the debug adapter hardware and by the version of OPenOCD you are using (including the adapter's driver). No arguments: returns name of session's selected transport.

8.3.1 JTAG Transport

JTAG is the original transport supported by OpenOCD, and most of the OpenOCD commands support it. JTAG transports expose a chain of one or more Test Access Points (TAPs), each of which must be explicitly declared. JTAG supports both debugging and boundary scan testing. Flash programming support is built on top of debug support.

8.3.2 SWD Transport

SWD (Serial Wire Debug) is an ARM-specific transport which exposes one Debug Access Point (DAP, which must be explicitly declared. (SWD uses fewer signal wires than JTAG.) SWD is debug-oriented, and does not support boundary scan testing. Flash programming support is built on top of debug support. (Some processors support both JTAG and SWD.)

— Command: swd newdap ...

Declares a single DAP which uses SWD transport. Parameters are currently the same as "jtag newtap" but this is expected to change.

— Command: swd wcr trn prescale

Updates TRN (turnaraound delay) and prescaling.fields of the Wire Control Register (WCR). No parameters: displays current settings.

8.3.3 SPI Transport

The Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) is a general purpose transport which uses four wire signaling. Some processors use it as part of a solution for flash programming.

8.4 JTAG Speed

JTAG clock setup is part of system setup. It does not belong with interface setup since any interface only knows a few of the constraints for the JTAG clock speed. Sometimes the JTAG speed is changed during the target initialization process: (1) slow at reset, (2) program the CPU clocks, (3) run fast. Both the "slow" and "fast" clock rates are functions of the oscillators used, the chip, the board design, and sometimes power management software that may be active.

The speed used during reset, and the scan chain verification which follows reset, can be adjusted using a reset-start target event handler. It can then be reconfigured to a faster speed by a reset-init target event handler after it reprograms those CPU clocks, or manually (if something else, such as a boot loader, sets up those clocks). See Target Events. When the initial low JTAG speed is a chip characteristic, perhaps because of a required oscillator speed, provide such a handler in the target config file. When that speed is a function of a board-specific characteristic such as which speed oscillator is used, it belongs in the board config file instead. In both cases it's safest to also set the initial JTAG clock rate to that same slow speed, so that OpenOCD never starts up using a clock speed that's faster than the scan chain can support.

     jtag_rclk 3000
     $_TARGET.cpu configure -event reset-start { jtag_rclk 3000 }

If your system supports adaptive clocking (RTCK), configuring JTAG to use that is probably the most robust approach. However, it introduces delays to synchronize clocks; so it may not be the fastest solution.

NOTE: Script writers should consider using jtag_rclk instead of adapter_khz, but only for (ARM) cores and boards which support adaptive clocking.

— Command: adapter_khz max_speed_kHz

A non-zero speed is in KHZ. Hence: 3000 is 3mhz. JTAG interfaces usually support a limited number of speeds. The speed actually used won't be faster than the speed specified.

Chip data sheets generally include a top JTAG clock rate. The actual rate is often a function of a CPU core clock, and is normally less than that peak rate. For example, most ARM cores accept at most one sixth of the CPU clock.

Speed 0 (khz) selects RTCK method. See FAQ RTCK. If your system uses RTCK, you won't need to change the JTAG clocking after setup. Not all interfaces, boards, or targets support “rtck”. If the interface device can not support it, an error is returned when you try to use RTCK.

— Function: jtag_rclk fallback_speed_kHz

This Tcl proc (defined in startup.tcl) attempts to enable RTCK/RCLK. If that fails (maybe the interface, board, or target doesn't support it), falls back to the specified frequency.

          # Fall back to 3mhz if RTCK is not supported
          jtag_rclk 3000