Can DAVE be installed with an existing Eclipse + GCC in place

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cross mob
Not applicable
In this case I'm already using Eclipse for various projects and have Java, C++, GNU compilers, GDB and many other items (plug-ins) installed. Eclipse version is "Juno Service Release 2".
My concern is DAVE (3.1.6) will stamp all over the current set up or be incompatible.
Regards Jack
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6 Replies
Not applicable
Hi SharmanJ,

The question is which Eclipse and Java version are you using?
You may get some hints from the previous posts "UPgrade Java" (http://www.infineonforums.com/threads/686-UPgrade-Java) & "Eclipse corrupts Dave projects" (http://www.infineonforums.com/threads/344-Eclipse-corrupts-Dave-projects).

Good luck...

Best regards,
Zain
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ningareddy_moda
Employee
Employee
Hi SharmanJ,

1. DAVE is not compatible with Juno
2. Dave updates cannot be installed on any other eclipse (because of JRE1.6)


Regards
Ningareddy
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Not applicable
Hi Zain
My pc is 64-bit Win 7 Professional
You asked what version of Eclipse and Java I am using:
Eclipse: Juno Service Release 2 Build id: 20130225-0426
JRE7: ..... 1.7.0_21 (64-bit) [also have installed 1.7.0_25 (32-bit)]

Having read the thread and followed your links, it looks like I could screw up by installing DAVE with the above - I will either foul up the existing set-up, or DAVE won't work, or worse both won't work. This has more-or-less killed my project. If only the system requirements were made evident on the download page(s), sigh. The release note does not make it clear either.

So, the questions are (directed at Ningareddy):
1) when will DAVE be ported to the later Eclipse versions (and when)
2) ... if not going to be ported, is there a work around?
3) Will DAVE work in a virtual box? Say Oracle VM.
- a quick response would be appreciated.

NB I was hoping that there might be an mbed port for the XMC4500 processor in the very near future - I was planning to use the Relax kit for my prototype anyway. I was happy to use DAVE as it came will all I wanted, but mbed would be the next best option.
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Not applicable
Hi
I have a solution. It goes like this ...
Set up a virtual Windows PC within your Win 7 PC environment and install DAVE within the virtual PC. That's it in a nutshell.
There are some gotchas:
1) you need a separate licence for each virtual PC, e.g. if based on say XP, you need to have the install disk and licence key for XP;
2) some VMs don't work too well - for instance Oracle VM VirtualBox decided to change my virtual XP environment so that I had 4-bit colour and and fixed (low) resolution - not easy to work with - I gave up on this VM. See below.
3) I tried Windows XP Mode. There is very little help available, but with a bit of work I managed to get this to work (after a fashion), good enough to get DAVE up and running. The issues with this solution are:
a) Host must be Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, or Windows 7 Enterprise. XP Mode is a download from MS - offered in two versions, the N does not include things like Windows Media Player, so actually it runs a bit faster;
b) Must be able to enable h/w support for virtualisation (BIOS setting);
c) Integration features need log-in a lot during use, but almost impossible to get to the host filing without it. However, even without integration features I could still see my external NAS drive by mapping NAS shares to logical drives within the virtual XP environment. IMHO the log-ins are a lame attempt to secure the system after the horse is bolted (everything of the host is exposed to XP Mode when integration features are enabled). Due to the way VM works, you cannot share host drives without integration features turned on - I tried;
d) Even though XP Mode is XP SP3, there are an awful lot of Windows Updates brought down, and needing installing - kiss goodbye to a day ....
e) You will need to install anti-virus etc, as XP Mode is just like another computer, i.e. it co-resides, therefore XP Mode not protected by the host and XP Mode can't use host software (it is not quite a separate computer so you cannot log in to the host from XP Mode;
f) It's not that fast, to the point where sometimes screen updates go a little wrong and some text or an area gets messed up - just refresh if possible (by changing views);
g) I think USB is ok - I was able to install my printer into XP Mode;
h) Screen size settings are fluid - this is good to a point, in that you can stretch the screen and after a second or two the resolution is adjusted to fully occupy the area without altering the object sizes - confusing at first. Virtual display settings (via the virtual Control Panel) reflect this.

This are early days. I have yet to test DAVE USB comms to the Relax kit (I'm waiting on delivery), and I now learning DAVE - lots to know ...But, at least one of the examples compiles so I have high hopes and I am persevering with XP Mode.
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Georg_Huba
Employee
Employee
Sorry we can currently not comment on statements and questions about using DAVE in virtual machines. This is current not part of any test. We will take this request for future improvements.

Other questions:
1. When will DAVE be ported to the later Eclipse versions (and when)
Answer: We are currently evaluating the move to eclipse technology version 4.3. This will go along with other significant DAVE improvement. There is no firm release date yet but we expect a respective version by about March next year.


2... if not going to be ported, is there a work around?
Answer: The current DAVE version based on Eclipse 3.7 (Helios) is not compatible to Eclipse 4.x (Juno) therefore it is not possible to use the DAVE plug-ins in Eclipse 4.x. A possible workaround would be to use the two tools independently: Use DAVE to generate the required libraries for the XMC microcontrollers with DAVE Apps and reference the generated library code to the Juno based tool chain (linked folder). Project settings like include path, library path, etc have to be taken from the DAVE project and the startup files and GCC linker script can be copied from the DAVE project to the Juno project.


3. mbed
We are looking into this option to broaden the support for the XMC family, but we have not made yet a final decision. Do you see a lot of additional benefit in the mbed middle ware and library in comparison to DAVE and DAVE Apps?
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Not applicable
Hi Georg
In order:
I have now been able to persuade VirtualBox (VM from Oracle) to house DAVE. The advantages are: better integration with Win 7, can tune the performance, e.g. assigning more processor cores, tune of display, ability to adjust settings (sometimes live), cloning of VM images, and generally faster than XP Mode (from MS) and more flexible. I think the problems I had earlier with VirtualBox, stemmed from not allocating enough RAM to the display - I have now allocated the maximum (128MBytes). It is essential to apply Guest Additions for meaningful use.
Needless to say, the only reason for keeping XP Mode around is insurance.

Good luck with the porting. I think I have a workable system now, and will not try out your work-around - better to wait until some of the bugs are removed in the ported version. I suspect you might have to run to keep still once you move over to Eclipse 4.x ...:)

mbed would be a good move in my opinion - it is not proprietary, i.e. it's open and that's good, and the Relax Kit (or Hexagon) would be the first serious uP (i.e. the XMC4500) offering compared to the other kits. The other aspect of mbed is there is a growing community of users. A few adaptors for the Relax Kit, and you are home and dry.
[As it so happens, I'm making an adaptor for my prototype - puts a high grade audio ADC and a few other components on a board that plugs into X1 & X2. It has become cheap enough to do 4 layer surface mount boards, so I am.]

The biggest problem I have is finding a mains powered PSU with USB output, that can be mounted in a box, and delivers 5V 500mA or 1A. Easy to get ones that plug into a wall socket, but not so for within a box. The second most difficult problem is finding good examples of code (including CMSIS), e.g. how do I drive external components that use SPI or similar (DAVE please come to the rescue).
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