SwiftX™ Features (continued)
Debugging Tools
SwiftX supports fully interactive debugging using its "Cross-Target Link" (XTL) to communicate with the target system. The actual nature of the link depends on the target hardware. Most target harware uses a serial line connected to an on-board serial port; the Freescale 68332 and 68HC16 use Freescale's "Background Debugging Mode" (BDM), and communicate via a parallel port.
The SwiftX XTL provides the following debug functions:
- Display and modify target RAM
- Display target CPU registers
- Download code to target RAM
- Interactive testing of target Forth words
On processors using a BDM or JTAG, very little special software is required in the target to support interactivity. On other processors, the target XTL is implemented in a few hundred bytes of code on the target, along with a target kernel.
Source Code Libraries
SwiftX libraries are provided in source form, with standardized, portable APIs. SwiftX libraries include hundreds of routines, such as:
- integer and fixed-point fraction arithmetic and transcendental functions
- string handling
- clock and calendar
- number conversions
- drivers for serial ports, clock, and other devices
- and many others, depending on the target CPU
Demo Target Hardware
SwiftX includes a simple test board for the target processor family, including a representative target kernel and a demo application. It is an ideal platform for learning about SwiftX and even for starting work on your embedded applications. If your final target hardware will be different, porting the system to your final board will be easily done by adjusting the memory configuration, power-up initialization and, possibly, the XTL's I/O driver.
