Advanced Scripting

Techniques for
Automating Regression
Tests and Measurements
with the Code Composer
01001000100000110000001000001100 Studio Scripting Utility
010010001000

Name: Vincent Wan, Ki-Soo Lee

Title: SDO Applications Engineer
Company Name: Texas Instruments
Email: vwan@ti.com, kisoo@ti.com
 Agenda

The Growing Need for Automation

CCStudio Tools for Automation

CCStudio General Extension Language (GEL)

CCStudio Scripting Utility (CCScripting)

Scripting Tips and Tricks

Scripting Demo: Automated Profiling Demo

Summary

References

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Customers are Challenged with
Skyrocketing Application Size and Complexity

Skyrocketing Size and Complexity

 As embedded development continues to
grow in both scope and complexity, so
does the demands on unit and system
testing

Effectively automating such testing is a
crucial phase in the development cycle
and can substantially decrease time to
market

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 CCStudio Tools for Automation

General Extension Language (GEL)

CCStudio Scripting Utility (CCScripting)

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 GEL (General Extension Language)
OnTargetConnect()

‘C’ like scripting language {
/* User must set this value based on board being used */
that extends CCStudio int sdr_ddr_startup = 0; /* (SDR=0 DDR=1) */
usefulness int armboot;

Enter GEL expressions in a
GEL file GEL_MapOff();

Use GEL to automate actions
/* Determine value of ARMBOOT */
within CCStudio armboot = find_armboot();

/* Memory mapping */

Many built-in GEL functions GEL_MapReset();
memorymap_init(armboot);
for common IDE actions GEL_MapOn();
(Halt, Run, Load Program, /* OMAP3.2 Setup */
Set Breakpoint, etc) memif_init(armboot);
access_width_init();
release_MGS3_reset();

Create custom GEL if (sdr_ddr_startup == 0) {
functions for additional SDR_enable();
functionality } else {
DDR_enable();

Automate several steps within }
one GEL function
/* Helen2 Setup */
helen2_setup();
watchdog_disable();
}

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 GEL Limitations for Automation

GEL scripts can run only from within CCStudio

CCStudio must already be configured and IDE running

Many GEL calls only apply to that instance of the debug
window (heterogeneous debugging)

Can not open CCStudio

Asynchronous behavior for some built-in functions

Difficult to create long complex script with dependencies

Not enough built-in GEL callback functions (OnHalt(),
OnReset(), etc) to workaround this effectively
• Cannot create additional callback functions

GEL was never meant for full blown automation

purposes like overnight testing or batch-runs

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 CCStudio Scripting Utility

CCStudio plug-in available via Update Advisor

Provides access to CCStudio functionality from either Perl or

COM-based (VBA, JScript, etc) scripting languages

Provides 50+ useful API’s for common actions (launch CCStudio, open
project, load program, set breakpoints, run, halt, etc…)

Addresses CCStudio GEL automation limitations

Scripts can configure and open CCStudio

All APIs are synchronous in behavior

One script to control multiple CCStudio debug windows during multi-
processor debug

Can run/call GEL Functions

CCScripting can leverage all GEL functionality

Not meant to replace GEL usage but support GEL usage for automation

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 GEL vs. CCScripting
GEL (for Automation) CCScripting
Integrated w/CCStudio Available via Update Advisor
Scripts run from within IDE Scripts called outside the IDE
Mix of synchronous and All APIs are synchronous in behavior
asynchronous behavior of built-in
functions
Control active debug window Control multiple debug windows
(Parallel Debugging) from one script
~100 built-in GEL functions + ability ~50 CCScripting APIs + access to all
to create additional custom GEL GEL functions (built-in or custom)
functions
Additional capability provided with
the scripting language being used
(file system access, logging, etc)

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 Maximizing the Value of CCScripting

The CCS Scripting Utility can be a valuable tool for
automating your environment

Creative usage of CCScripting can lead to powerful

scripts that:

Are fully portable and reusable

Are multi-purpose

Can workaround known ‘limitations’ in CCS

Provide fully automated test benches

Some creative examples/techniques include:

Avoiding hard-coded paths/parameters passed in to GEL calls

Passing command line parameters to a CCS executable

Creating a fully automated CCS profiling test bench
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 Passing parameters to GEL calls

We can use CCScripting’s
TargetEvalExpression() API to dynamically
construct GEL calls with different parameters

This is particularly useful for passing strings to

GEL functions since GEL scripts do not support
strings as a built-in type.

Good for passing in different filenames and avoid

hard-coded paths

Otherwise, similar variants of the same GEL file would
be needed to make GEL calls that require slightly
different parameters depending on ISA, platform, etc.

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 Passing parameters to GEL calls
/* do pin connect for the specified McBSP using
correct pin connect file */
tmp = basePathFwdSlash + testEnv.simFilesPath +
"/CLKX" + testEnv.mcbspNumber + ".txt";
Can pass this in
pin = "CLKX" + testEnv.mcbspNumber; based on the
device

ccs.TargetEvalExpression('GEL_PinConnect("' + pin
+ '", "' + tmp + '" )' );
Constructed this GEL call
GEL_PinConnect(“CLKX0”, “c:/CLKX0.txt”)
Note: code shown in JScript 11
 Passing command line parameters to
a DSP executable

CCS does not have built-in support to set command line
parameters to a DSP executable (argc, argv)

Often it is nice to be able to parameterized e.g. test code via

command line parameters

CCScripting can do the parameter passing by directly

writing argc and argv to DSP memory before running an
executable

We have implemented a Jscript function to do this for

C6000 platforms

Need to allocate memory for arguments

use –args linker switch (for non-BIOS executables)

set .args section size in configuration tool (for BIOS executables)

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 Contents of argument memory
section

For a non-bios-based executable:
Int argc;
Char * argv[0]; string corresponding to arg 0 32-bit value
Char * argv[1]; string corresponding to arg 1 written by script
… …
Char * argv[n]; string corresponding to last arg string written by

For a bios-based executable: script
Int argc; not supported
Char ** argv; (ignored) by
script
Char * envp
Char * argv[0]; string corresponding to arg 0
Char * argv[1]; string corresponding to arg 1
… …
Char * argv[n]; string corresponding to last arg 13
 Getting profiling results via
CCScripting

Profiling can easily be automated via
CCScripting

Has built-in APIs to expose functionality of the
CCS profiler
• Configure, start, stop profiler
• Allow access to profiler clock
• Export data in both binary and Excel spreadsheet
formats

Also has extended API for accessing the ATK via
Perl in the form of a Perl module
• We have ported the tprof2xls functionality to Jscript so
that ATK results can be delivered in a spreadsheet with a
single function call

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 Automated Profiling Demo

Executable to be Automation Script

profiled written in Jscript
- one per platform
(e.g. C6416)
Profiling
Windows CCS Log files
results
Scripting Scripting
Host APIs

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 Demo Setup

CCS 3.1

CCScripting 1.50

C6416 Device Cycle Accurate Simulator

Reference Frameworks level 3 (with minor
modifications to run on simulator)

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 Profiling RF3

Make minor (almost zero) modifications to
Reference Frameworks Level 3

Use Simulation of McBSP, EDMA, Timers.

Use pin and port connect to simulate McBSP
interaction with a ‘virtual audio codec’

Use the analysis toolkit (ATK) to profile the
application

Identify function(s) to optimize

Validate numbers again post-optimization

We can automate the iterative process of loading,

running and profiling RF3 on the simulator using
CCScripting
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 Peripheral simulation
The simulator simulates the application and its use of peripherals

CLKR External Clock

CLKX

Application EDMA McBSP

BCLK*

Hardware
FSR Audio Codec
DRR FSX
DXR

denotes fictitious signals/hardware

components, not present in simulation
denotes pin-connect simulated signal * BCLK is the base
denotes port-connect simulated address clock signal used to
drive the audio codec
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 Setting up pin and port connect

To automate pin/port connect and disconnect, we

called these GEL functions using
TargetEvalExpression() in CCScripting:

GEL_PinConnect()
GEL_PortConnect()
GEL_PinDisconnect()
GEL_PortDisconnect()

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 Multi Event Profiler

Also referred to as Analysis Toolkit (ATK)

Provides exclusive function profiling and
code coverage

Results displayed in an Excel spreadsheet

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Demo and script walkthrough

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 Summary

The Code Composer Studio Scripting
Utility was designed to provide the ability
to automate unit and system-level testing
of an application with CCStudio

Creative usage of CCScripting can lead to

powerful scripts such as fully automated
benchmarking and regression testing of an
application with CCStudio

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 References

Application Note (SPRAAB7): Automated
Regression Tests and Measurements with the
Code Composer Studio Scripting Utility

Microsoft Windows Scripting: JScript

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Advanced Scripting Techniques for
Automating Regression Tests and
Measurements with the Code Composer
Studio Scripting Utility

Presenter Name: Vincent Wan, Ki-Soo Lee

Title: SDO Applications Engineer
Company Name: Texas Instruments
Email Address: vwan@ti.com, kisoo@ti.com

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