Re: Getting started with bare-board development

[Adam Jensen <hanzer@riseup.net>]

On 11/12/2016 04:45 AM, G.B. wrote:
> On 11.11.16 23:19, Adam Jensen wrote:
>> For example, would it be essential
>> (or especially convenient) to have a hardware development kit or is it
>> common to develop this kind of software using an emulator of some kind?
> 
> Given your background in VHDL, this is perhaps familiar,
> but I'll mention it anyway, collected from here and there:
> 
> - would timers be more real on hardware? Certainly more realistic.
> 
> - would you miss the physical experience and inspirational
>   power (if any) of the real thing?
> 
> - does the simulator support sensors and actuators of the
>   kind you would like to operate?
> 
> Also, if you move to a Ravenscar model of Ada, then chances
> are that your RTS will be smaller. So, less memory will be
> needed.  At some point, I'd want to try my programs on hardware.

Hi,

Thanks for your answer. I can easily imagine that following one or both
of those tutorials[1] would be an informative an rewarding experience
but is the process outlined in those tutorials representative of a
typical design cycle for real-time, safety-critical, bare-board software
development?  For example, I suppose one could design logic for an FPGA
without the use of a simulator by synthesizing the logic, loading the
result into the hardware, then verifying the design by monitoring
various test-points during operation. From my perspective, that approach
seems a bit retarded. I am looking for the non-retarded methodology for
embedded software engineering :)

[1]: Web links to a couple tutorials were posted earlier in this thread.

The model-based engineering approach in hardware design (digital logic,
especially) enables almost omniscient visibility into a model's behavior
through simulation. In ASIC design, there is very high confidence in the
design long before the [very expensive] fabrication of prototypes. A
"first pass success" was common where an implementation would go from
prototype to production without any design changes ("a spin").

How is it done in embedded software engineering? (Links and/or
references are very welcome)!

I also have many other questions, like:

* How does one develop and verify a Board Support Package (device
drivers, bootloader, etc.)?

* Do the various typical embedded platform profiles (e.g., Ravenscar)
require any Run-Time System implementation or extension?

* Is the BSP and RTS the kind of software that might/should be
implemented in Spark?

I am trying to get a realistic view of the most successful techniques
that are used by professional engineers to build high-integrity and
safety-critical real-time embedded software systems. Again, any links,
references, discussion, etc. will be very appreciated!