This repo provides an example port of Arm's CMSIS-DAP debug probe firmware to the Renesas RA MCU family (https://www.renesas.com/ra), targeting the RA4M2 MCU fitted to an EK-RA4M2 evaluation board (https://www.renesas.com/ek-ra4m2).
The port is provided as an RA Flexible Software Package (FSP) project for building with the e2 studio IDE. FSP/e2 studio installers are available from https://github.com/renesas/fsp. After building the project, the resulting image can be used to turn the EK-RA4M2 board into a simple debug probe.
Background information on CMSIS-DAP can be found in Arm's documentation : https://arm-software.github.io/CMSIS_5/DAP/html/index.html
The CMSIS-DAP sources used as the basis of this port are taken from the CMSIS 5.9.0 Pack file at : https://github.com/ARM-software/CMSIS_5/releases
This port is based on the CMSIS-DAP 2.1.1 sources from the CMSIS 5.9.0 Pack file.
- Release 1.0.0 of the port uses a USB HID connection and does not provide SWO Trace support.
- Release 2.0.0 of the port has moved to using USB bulk endpoints (winusb) and includes SWO Trace support.
The port provides a VCOM (virtual COM) port, allowing a UART to USB bridge link from the target device's UART to the host PC via the CMSIS-DAP Probe.
The port is configured to use USB VID = 0x45B (the Renesas VID) plus a PID reserved by Renesas for this CMSIS-DAP port as follows:
- Release 1.0.0 of the port uses PID = 0x201D
- Release 2.0.0 of the port changes to use PID = 0x201F
- This change is to prevent issues with driver installation arising from the change from USB HID to winusb.
Release 2.0.0 of the port introduces SWO Trace support. The maximum supported SWO clock frequency is 2.5MHz.
The port uses the LEDs fitted to the EK-RA4M2 as follows:
- Red (R33) : Probe Active
- Green (R34): DAP Command in progress
- Blue (R32) : VCOM Active
The following connections need to be made between the EK-RA4M2 and the target board:
| EK-RA4M2 | Target Board | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GND | GND | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_01_PIN_00 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_TDO | For SWO when debugging over SWD |
| BSP_IO_PORT_01_PIN_13 | UARTTX | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_01_PIN_12 | UARTRX | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_02 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_SWCLK | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_03 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_RESET | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_06 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_SWDIO | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_10 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_NTRST | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_11 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_TDI | |
| BSP_IO_PORT_04_PIN_12 | PIN_CMSIS_DAP_TDO | For when debugging over JTAG |
Due to the pitch of the pins on a standard Cortex-M debug header, you may find it easier to use an adapter to allow use of a "normal" debug cable for plugging into the target board, such as Embedded Artists' 10-pin to 20-pin JTAG Adapter (https://www.embeddedartists.com/products/10-pin-to-20-pin-jtag-adapter/)
The below show an EK-RA4M2 board being used as a CMSIS-DAP debug probe for debugging an EK-RA4M3 board :
The below show the board as it appears in Windows 10 Devices and Printers:
USB HID driver (Release 1.0.0) :
winusb driver (Release 2.0.0) :
The project is currently intended to be built using :
- Release 1.0.0 of the port : FSP 4.3.0 and e2 studio 2023-01, available from https://github.com/renesas/fsp/releases/tag/v4.3.0.
- Release 2.0.0 of the port : FSP 4.6.0 and e2 studio 2023-07, available from https://github.com/renesas/fsp/releases/tag/v4.6.0.
The probe firmware has been tested debugging a variety of RA Family MCUs using :
- Keil MDK 5.38a in conjunction with the Renesas RA CMSIS Device Family Pack (DFP) providing device support including flash loaders.
- IAR EWARM 9.32.x (using IAR flash loaders).
- PyOCD 0.34.1 (using flash loaders from the RA DFP).