VWorks uploaded a demonstration of VLAB running a virtual platform for the Freescale Vybrid controller and showing how it can handle both ARM Cortex-A5 and Cortex-M4 cores.
This demo of VLAB 1.7.0 is pretty interesting and showcases:
- Dual (virtual) display control: one for Cortex A5, one for Cortex M4
- UART simulation
- List of peripherals and how it is possible to modify values of different ports
- Hardware registers
- Hardware breakpoints which can stop executing on both cores
- ARM Developer Studio 5 (DS 5) debugger integration
Virtual hardware platforms can accelerate embedded software and system development as they allow firmware and software engineers to:
- Start software early before hardware is available
- Find bugs faster with visibility and breakpoints (hardware breakpoint is not something you can do with the real hardware)
- Debug multicore design with synchronized visibility
- Avoid getting all the pressure because the hardware is ready and everybody is waiting for that d*mn software. 🙂
To learn more, visit VWorks VLAB page and/or read my previous post about hardware virtual platforms.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
