Streamline board bring-up time
Overview
The QorIQ configuration suite is an Eclipse-
based toolset for configuring QorIQ
processors to a known working state from
silicon reset to avoid the typical board
bring up issues that exist in most complex
applications with custom hardware designs.
This tool suite is implemented as a set of
components, each of which knows the
details of the silicon control registers,
configuration specifics, muxing rules and the
necessary value ranges of all the configuration
properties. Leveraging Processor Expert
software as a framework for these embedded
components makes it easy to align tools with
new silicon products and support upgraded
models. Processor Expert software, and
therefore the QorIQ configuration suite, is
designed as a set of plug-ins that function
within a standard Eclipse environment, such
as CodeWarrior Development Studio.
QorIQ Configuration Suite User
Interface
Users will create a QorIQ configuration project
that defines all imported and generated
configuration files (and/or source code) so
that a version control system can be used.
A simple wizard is used to select basic
configuration values and to define default
settings. The Component Inspector window is
used to modify each property. Each property
is automatically evaluated to help ensure that
the values are correct and consistent with
each other. Each tool has a set of criteria that
is applied to help ensure the configuration set
is properly defined, including checks with the
other tools for consistent configuration of the
QorIQ silicon product. Each component
generates output in the form necessary for
configuration (PBL data in hex format, DDR
configuration source code for u-boot, fmc
xml data, device tree source files for dts,
and so forth). Every tool and property has
tool tip style documentation aligned with the
product manuals.
The QorIQ configuration suite supports
a continually growing number of QorIQ
processors. For a current list of devices, visit
freescale.com/QCS.
Processor Expert Software:
QorIQ Configuration Suite
QorIQ Multicore Processor Development
Freescale, the Freescale logo, CodeWarrior and QorIQ are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.
Processor Expert is trademark of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective
owners. © 2011 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc
Document Number: QORIQCONSTEFS / REV 0
For more information, visit freescale.com/QCS
The QorIQ configuration suite allows
developers to:
• Configuretheprebootloader:Thepreboot
loader tool (PBL) supports the bit field
settings of the QorIQ reset control word
(RCW) and variable length PBI commands
for establishing configuration from reset
of the SoC. The PBL tool wizard supports
either importing an existing configuration
or defining a configuration based on preset
values as defined in the QorIQ manuals.
Import and export can be in various forms,
including memory dumps and u-boot files.
• ConfigureDDRmemory:TheQorIQDDR
memory controllers are vastly configurable,
which leads to a nearly infinite combination
of settings possible. Consequently, the
DDR configuration tool supports the criteria
and conditional testing to help ensure a
valid configuration of all settings. Based on
internal configuration worksheets, this tool
can save days in debug mode. The DDR
configuration wizard asks the standard DDR
data sheet questions and builds a valid
set of configuration settings which can be
calibrated for an optimal solution, all while
knowing that the tool will show conflicts.
• Createandmodifydevicetrees:Hardware,
device trees are used by u-boot and our
Linux® board support packages to define
the device configuration to the Linux
drivers. These device trees allow more
data-driven support for custom hardware
offering ease in configuration and set up.
Until now, device trees were edited using
XML editors with no knowledge of possible
element details and no concept of leaf
node references, making for a very time
consuming and error-prone process. The
QorIQ configuration suite V2.0 or later
is designed to include a comprehensive
XML editor and graphical representation
of the device tree for GUI management
and intelligent editing. Trees can be
imported and exported from the editor
and edited simultaneously in XML and
the graphical view.
• DefinedatapathandDPAAconfiguration:
Netcomm customers think in terms of data
flow charts to define IP frame flow from
hardware port to software portal, so why not
configure the DPAA accelerator in a more
convenient method? Currently, developers
are asked to edit an XML representation of
the data path and compile the XML using
the fmc tool to generate API calls or write
C source code to configure the accelerator.
This configuration tool allows developers to
use a data flow charting system to generate
the C calls to software drivers for configuring
the DPAA. The tool is complimentary to
the SDK and NCSW software releases
supporting QorIQ processors and adds an
easy-to-learn user interface to the incredibly
powerful data path accelerator. The QorIQ
configuration suite V2.0 or later is designed
to include this data path graphing tool for
configuring the DPAA from port to portal.
• Redefineconfigurationforcustomhardware,
Freescale development systems and
evaluation boards provide a good starting
point for development. When faced with
reconfiguring the system to custom
hardware, the QorIQ configuration suite fully
supports importing the existing software
configuration and allows developers to
define the unique characteristics of custom
hardware devices, helping to ensure a
properly configured solution. The tools
support reconfiguration using a visual
interface with feedback and instantaneous
property checks for completeness/
consistency. They are designed to provide
the fastest path to configure the software for
custom hardware designs and calibrate the
solution to function optimally.
Getting Started
The QorIQ configuration suite is supported
by Eclipse software V3.5 or later. Install
an Eclipse-based tool before installing the
QorIQ configuration suite. Current users
of CodeWarrior V10.0 or greater or other
Eclipse-based tools are ready to install the
QorIQ configuration suite. Visit eclipse.org
to download the Eclipse C/C++ toolset
(V3.5 or later) before installing the QorIQ
configuration suite.
The QorIQ configuration suite is available via a
free moderated download at
freescale.com/QCS.
QorIQ Configuration Suite vs. Device Initialization
Feature QorIQ Configuration Suite Device Initialization
Easy-to-use GUI Yes Modify data files and C code to
function based on reference manual
parameters
Built in knowledge base Yes Read the QorIQ reference manuals
(more than 6,000 pages)
Generated code Yes Use the generated code in
production software or as a
teaching aid and example
configuration