In the previous article I posted about NXP’s new development environment MCUXPRESSO IDE, SDK builder and clock tool. This time I would like to show how to use pin tool.
With NXP’s tool you can intuitively set the pin assignment by the nice GUI, and automatically converts into C code and the header file you configured in pin tool of MCUXpresso Config tool. MCUXpresso Config tool can generate your own project as you configured.
I like the point that I can start to develop with a project in which my own environment has already been completed, and that those pin configuration and clock configurations can be done as you want.
Well, let’s see how to use such a pin configuration tool.
Let’s start from the points as usual.
Contents
Things to do in pin tool
- Nee to generate your SDK by using SDK builder
- You just click to select pins and function
- You can review the C source code in the source code viewer
- You can generate your own project after the configuration
- Peripheral drivers you need can be selected and it helps to minimize your project size
Work flow
- Generate your SDK beforehand
- Select pins and functions you want
- Review the source code (and register value to be set)
- Export your source code
- Select peripheral drivers you need
- Generate project using a project generator
Prerequisite
It is necessary to generate an SDK suitable for your environment by SDK builder beforehand.
You can refer to the previous article. (MCUXpresso: Tutorial of SDK builder)
The generated SDK can be saved in an arbitrary place.
On-line version and download version of Pin Tool of MCUXpresso Config Tool are available. The download version is compatible with Windows / MacOS / Linux.
This article uses MacOS version to explain.
Pin setting is super easy by clicking
For your board to be developed, set the pin to be used (pin assignment).
While looking at the package diagram at left side as you can see, you just click on the pin you want to use or the pin number you want so that you can select which pins are to be used and which function is used.
Select Pins and functions
To select the pin, click the pin number of the left pin view (Pins tab) or click the pin in the center package drawing. You can select the function available on that pin.
When you select the function to be used, it will be highlighted in green. If the function can not be used or conflicts with other functions, it will be highlighted in red.
Review the source code
When you finish choosing the pin assignment and the function to be used, it is almost done. The setting contents are automatically reflected in the source code automatically.
You can check the source code from the “View-Sources”.
In View-Registers, you can also check the register setting value of the setting contents.
After that, after checking the source code, you can export the source code by pressing the export button on the upper right corner of the source code screen and it is done.
Project generator
After setting the pin and clock configuration, it is possible to generate a project with the configuration you set.
The download version of Config Tool has the function of selecting the peripheral driver to use.
The project output by this function will incorporate SDK and pin configuration, clock configuration, and selected peripheral driver into the project.
Although we often see projects that were bloated by unnecessary drivers, this feature makes it possible to make projects considerably more compact.
Summary
How was it? Pin Tool of MCUXpresso Config Tool can select pin assignment and functions to be used only by clicking. It is so easy.
The setting contents are automatically generated in the source code and can be exported as it is, so it is possible to set pins very easily.
It’s so nice that you are able to set things by one clock that have been configured referring to datasheets and reference manuals in the past.
This greatly helps us to make configuration of pins and clock setting. It alleviates the burden of work on setting pin settings and register setting for us.
Thank you so much for your reading to the end.
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