Automate the writing of Flash to a hitachi controller -- what are GUI-free options?

Hi,

I am currently working with the H83040 controller, but this applies as well to several chips of that vendor.

The EVB we got from Hitachi came with a "Flash Development Toolkit" (v1.5). Works, nice GUI -- but I am tired of manually clicking a bunch of buttons every time I want to download my (gcc-generated) code/image to the chip.

I am looking for some means to automate the flash-writing process: either a pre-packaged a command-line utility, or some libraries that would allow me to write my own flash-updating program. This would allow me to: - add a 'make' rule to automatically update a connected controller - generate/customize some contents of the flash image (.mot) on-the-fly.

Does anyone know of such a solution ?

Any help/pointers would be appreciated a lot...

TIA - Ivan

--
http://ivan.vecerina.com
Reply to
Ivan Vecerina
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(v1.5).

Winbatch

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has worked for us under similar circumstances (assuming your host OS is Windows). Cheers Alf snipped-for-privacy@remove.the.obvious.ieee.org
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Reply to
Unbeliever

There was an application called Flash Simple on the European Hitachi web site. It has disappeared.

It looks like FDT 3.0 will have an automated mode that works. (FDT2.2 is broken for automated flashing) FDT3.0 is due out this autumn.

regards, Darcy Roberts

Ivan Vecer> Hi,

Reply to
Darcy Roberts

From some comments I was able to google, Flash Simple looks like it could be what I'm looking for... Do you know if its license allowed redistribution?

| It looks like FDT 3.0 will have an automated mode that works. | (FDT2.2 is broken for automated flashing) FDT3.0 is due out this autumn. ok - I saw a manual for it at

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But I'm not sure what you mean by 'automated flashing' (no mention of word 'automated' in the manual). I guess I will give it a try.

For me, the ultimate solution would be a simple SW that I can put on a CD-rom, and use on any PC to perform flash updates (e.g. as a service tool, with just an extra cable). So a tool like winbatch doesn't really make it...

Thanks, Ivan

Reply to
Ivan Vecerina

Send me your email and I'll send you a copy of FlashSimple 1.1

Note that FlashSimple will NOT work with the 'A' mask parts that use the newer protocols. If you are using FDT 1.5, then you'll be okay.

FDT 2.2 has an item under Tools called "simple interface..." This is kind of a one button interface you are looking for but it is fundamentally broken - it doesn't do a disconnect automatically, so will only 'auto' program a device once.

I agree that a simple one button service tech style download program is needed. I have to write one in the next 6 months or so.

regards, Darcy Roberts

Ivan Vecer> Hi,

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Reply to
Darcy Roberts

How about Yukio Mituiwa's H8Write (sorry I don't have his URL readily available). Caters for the H8/3048 as well as many other H8's & SH's. He has supplied source code so you could modify it for your needs. I run it on my editor/IDE but can be run from a command line as a batch file.

Ken.

+====================================+ I hate junk email. Please direct any genuine email to: kenlee at hotpop.com
Reply to
Ken Lee

I guess this depends on what you are doing but we use FDT for (small volume) manufacturing and then if upgrades need to be done in the field we have our own download and flash burn algorithms. The advantage of this is that we can upgrade software without changing the MD0..MD2 pins so we can upgrade remotely and can even upgrade over GSM without any problems. It really is quite easy to write your own FLASH burning algorithms so I'd certainly reccomend considering rolling your own.

Regards

Iain

Iain Tebbutt

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Hardware and Software Design

Reply to
Iain Tebbutt

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