TI Drivers Quick Start

The TI Drivers interface contain the APIs, data structures and macros that the application uses. These interfaces are the same for all SimpleLink Devices.

This section describes how to import and build an existing project and references the TI Drivers empty project. All of TI Drivers projects included in the development kit have a similar structure.

The TI Drivers component of the SimpleLink CC13x2 / 26x2 SDK provides no RTOS, TI-RTOS and FreeRTOS based examples. TI-RTOS and FreeRTOS examples have the word “tirtos” or “freertos” in the project name.

Every RTOS example has a README.html that details the Example Application Design Details and how each example works. This feature will soon be added to the No RTOS based examples. The README.html can be viewed in Resource Explorer on dev.ti.com/tirex or as shown below in CCS:

../_images/empty-project-readme.png

Figure 10. empty Project README

Using TI Drivers Projects with CCS

Importing TI-RTOS and FreeRTOS examples will also import kernel projects in the same workspace. The kernel project is a dependent project and will be automatically built when the example is built. For more details and how change configurations look at the SimpleLink CC13x2 or CC26x2 SDK User’s Guide.

Import Project Using Resource Explorer

A quick and easy way to start working with the SDK is to use the TI Resource Explorer on dev.ti.com/tirex. Step by step instructions are available here.

Import Project Using Import Wizard

  1. Open CCS

  2. Choose Project -> Import CCS Projects from the menu.

  3. Select the Browse button in the Import CCS Projects dialog and select the directory <SDK_INSTALL_DIR>/examples

    ../_images/ccs-import-wizard.jpg

    Figure 11. CCS Import Wizard

    CCS discovers both CCS and GCC based examples.

  4. Select the TI Drivers Example Project you would like to use. In this example, empty_CC26X2_LAUNCHXL_tirtos_ccs is chosen but the import and build instructions apply to any TI Drivers CCS example project in the SimpleLink CC13x2 / 26x2 SDK. Click Finish to import the empty project and its associated kernel project.

Build and Download Project

Optional: If you wish to use FreeRTOS, you must specify the location of the FreeRTOS installation.

../_images/ccs-freertos-setup.jpg

Figure 12. CCS FreeRTOS Setup

  1. Connect your CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad with the provided Micro USB cable.

  2. Click the build and download icon in CCS. The RTOS build for the first time takes a couple of minutes.

    ../_images/ccs-build-download.png

    Figure 13. Build & Download a Project in CCS

  3. The XDS110 may require a firmware update. If a firmware update is requested, click Update.

    ../_images/ccs-xds-update.png

    Figure 14. Build & Download a Project in CCS

  4. Once the debugging session opens, click the Green Play button. The red LED should begin blinking. Continue on to the Running the Demo section for more information about using the empty project.

Using TI Drivers Projects with IAR

When using RTOS based Projects in IAR, note that the RTOS(kernel) build is a dependent project which is automatically pre-built before the example project builds.

The RTOS kernel(TI-RTOS or FreeRTOS build) project is linked to the workspace but the Example Project is copied into the workspace. So the RTOS kernel needs to be built only once within the scope of the SDK but each workspace has its own copy of the example project.

For noRTOS Projects - There is not RTOS(kernel) build dependent project imported into the workspace

Before starting to work with any of the TI Drivers projects in the SDK, you need to load a set of variables that will be set for your current workspace.

  1. Select Tools -> Configure Custom Argument Variables

    ../_images/iar-configure-argvars.png

    Figure 15. Configure Custom Argument Variables

  2. Select the Global tab, then click Import..

    ../_images/iar-import-argvars.png

    Figure 16. Import Global Argument Variables

3. Import the custom argvars from the SDK. The argvars are stored in a SIMPLELINK_CC13XX_CC26XX_SDK.custom_argvars file, which is located in the tools/iar directory of the SDK (<SDK_INSTALL_PATH>/tools/iar/SIMPLELINK_CC13XX_CC26XX_SDK.custom_argvars)

../_images/iar-custom-argvars.png

Figure 17. Custom Argvars Location

4. You can open (<SDK_INSTALL_PATH>/tools/iar/SIMPLELINK_CC13XX_CC26XX_SDK.custom_argvars) in a text editor if you need to modify the default path argument variables.

../_images/iar-default-argvars.png

Figure 18. Default Path Argument Variables

  1. Restart IAR

Import Project Using Workspace

All TI Drivers Example Projects that are shipped with the SimpleLink CC13x2 / 26x2 SDK come with an IAR workspace. Double-Clicking the specific workspace from a Windows Explorer window allows you to open the project on disk and build it.

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Figure 19. Open Workspace from Windows Explorer

Import Project From Information Center

  1. In the IAR-IDE go to the Help tab and click on Information Center.

    ../_images/iar-information-center.jpg

    Figure 20. Open Information Center

  2. In the new IAR Information Center for ARM window, click on Integrated Solutions

    ../_images/iar-integrated-solutions.png

    Figure 21. IAR Information Center

  3. Click on Example projects under Texas Instruments

    ../_images/iar-ti-solutions.png

    Figure 22. IAR Integrated Solutions

  4. Click on example applications link

    ../_images/iar-sdk-examples.png

    Figure 23. SimpleLink SDK Examples

This Examples page contains information on how to create a new project, and links to import example projects

  1. Scroll through the page and click on the project you are interested in. In this example, we will use the empty TI Drivers project

    ../_images/iar-information-center-import.png

    Figure 24. Import Example

  2. When prompted, click Yes to save a copy of the project workspace, No otherwise

    ../_images/iar-copy-workspace.jpg

    Figure 25. Copy Workspace

If Yes, browse to the location where you want to save this workspace. Click Choose

../_images/iar-destination-folder.jpg

Figure 26. Choose Workspace Location

By default, the project Debug settings is configured for TI XDS110, but the user may change them as needed by right-clicking on the Project name and selecting “Options”.

../_images/iar-debugger-setup.png

Figure 27. Debugger Setup

If your CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad is missing the TDO and TDI jumpers on the debugger header jumper block, select cJTAG as your XDS110 Interface as shown below.

../_images/iar-xds-setup.png

Figure 28. TI XDS Setup

Your workspace should now contain the empty example project and its dependent kernel project.

../_images/iar-workspace.png

Figure 29. IAR Workspace

Build and Download Project

  1. Select Project -> Make to Make/Build the Example Project (Shortcut F7). This will build both the empty project and its dependent kernel project.

    ../_images/iar-make-project.png

    Figure 30. Build Example Project

  2. Plug in the CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad using the provided Micro USB cable

  3. Select Project -> Download and Debug (Shortcut Ctrl + D)

  4. Once the debugging session opens, click the Run button. The red LED should begin blinking. Continue on to the Running the Demo section for more information about using the empty project.

Using TI Drivers Projects with Makefile

The SDK examples and RTOS configuration projects ship Makefiles in addition to IDE specific projects.

Update imports.mak

Note

If you have installed any tools outside of the default install path, update the top level <SDK_INSTALL_DIR>/imports.mak to point to the actual install locations on your machine

Build Project

If you are using an RTOS based example, the RTOS config must be built first. The makefile for RTOS config are available in

<SDK_INSTALL_DIR>\kernel\<tirtos/freertos>\builds\<DEVKIT>\<debug/release>\<ccs/gcc/iar>

For example: <SDK_INSTALL_DIR>\kernel\tirtos\builds\<DEVKIT>\debug\gcc\makefile

  1. Identify and build makefile for kernel project

Navigate to the kernel project makefile directory and call the gmake.exe from the supported version of xdctools as shown below:

../_images/makefile-kernel-build.png

Figure 31. Make Kernel Project

2. Identify and build makefile for empty project Navigate to the directory that contains the makefile for the project you wish to build. The TI Drivers project makefiles are configured to use the Release kernel configuration by default. If you want to use the debug kernel build, edit the makefile as shown below:

../_images/makefile-change-kernel.png

Figure 32. Edit makefile to use Debug Kernel

Call gmake.exe from the supported version of xdctools as shown below:

../_images/makefile-project-build.png

Figure 33. Make Project

Download Project

The empty.out file that was created during the Build Project step can be downloaded to your CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad using Uniflash.

Open Uniflash. If your CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad is connected, Uniflash will automatically display the type of device you are using. If your CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad is not connected, connect it now and select Start.

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Figure 34. Uniflash Introduction Screen

When the programming session starts, select the Browse button and navigate to the empty.out imgae that was created during the Build Project step.

../_images/uniflash-browse-image.png

Figure 35. Select File to Load

When you have selected your image, click Load Image to download the empty.out image to the CC13x2 or CC26x2 LaunchPad.

../_images/uniflash-load-image.png

Figure 36. Load Image to LaunchPad

Continue on to the Running the Demo section for more information on the project.

Running the Demo

The empty example lights Board_GPIO_LED0 as part of the initialization in the mainThread(). This thread then toggles the LED at a rate determined by the arg0 parameter.

Modify the toggle rate by changing the time variable. The LED will blink at a faster or slower rate depending on the value used.

Learning More About TI Drivers

SimpleLink Academy provides a comprehensive set of training tools that allow users from beginners to experienced developers to learn about the SimpleLink MCU Platform.

SimpleLink Academy contains modules written to demonstrate the rich debug environment and peripheral driver capability provided by TI-RTOS.

This material teaches users who are new to TI-RTOS or any RTOS programming in general about TI’s RTOS kernel implementation.

Learn how the TI-RTOS provides the most optimal power management and design flexibly.

  • TI Drivers API Guide

The TI Drivers API Guide should be used to help guide development and understanding of API usage. This guide is located in the docs\tidrivers\ directory of the SDK.

Developing a New TI Drivers Based User Application

Start with one of the example projects or empty project template shipped inside the SDK. Each software component in the SDK comes with its own set of examples. If your project depends on multiple TI provided software libraries, start from the empty template then add the necessary components into your projects.

Import the empty project template to your IDE and start your application from there. All the necessary include paths and SDK specific defines if any are already part of the Empty Project Template

../_images/tirtos-empty-template.png

Figure 37. TIRTOS Based Empty Project Template

Attention

Do not use the Rename option found inside CCS to rename your project. This may change certain build parameters and not others, which can lead to build errors and is irreversible.

To rename a project, you should use the Copy and paste options found inside CCS. As you Paste the project, you have the option of choosing a new project name. This process is to be repeated for the target project and its dependencies.

After pasting both project, you need to modify the target project’s properties and update its “Project Reference” (need to show advanced settings) to only select newly pasted dependency project.

Getting Support

E2E Forums

This archived forum contains many frequently asked questions relating to TI Drivers. You can browse questions from other developers which may provide helpful solutions to similar problems.

If you cannot find the answer to your question in the TI-RTOS Forum, you can ask a new question related to the CC13x2 or CC26x2 by selecting the + New button at the top right of the e2e screen.

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Figure 38. Make a new E2E post