Modify, rebuild and reload a firmware

Applicable for STM32MP15x lines

1 Overview[edit]

This stage explains how to modify, rebuild and reload an STM32MP1 Arm® Cortex®-M4 coprocessor firmware.

It proposes to customize the STM32MP1 Cube Package application example "OpenAMP_TTY_Echo" using STM32CubeIDE.

2 Disconnect the "minicom" console[edit]

  • If "minicom" is already opened, please disconnect it to use the STM32CubeIDE built-in serial console.
 Ctrl + A then Q

3 Open STM32CubeIDE[edit]

  • Start STM32CubeIDE
STM32CubeIDE Starter Screen


  • Choose a workspace (default is fine)
  • Notice information provided in the "Information Center page" and close it. (you can open it later on)
STM32CubeIDE Information Center Page


  • Go into your workspace projet view


STM32CubeIDE Project View

4 Import an existing example in STM32CubeIDE[edit]

  • Open the import screen File > Import... and select Existing Project into Workspace
STM32CubeIDE import screen
  • Browse and select OpenAMP_TTY_echo application example in the folder matching your board :

$HOME/STM32MPU_workspace/STM32MP1-Ecosystem-v5.0.0/Developer-Package/STM32Cube_FW_MP1_V1.6.0/Projects/STM32MP157C-DK2/Applications/OpenAMP/OpenAMP_TTY_echo/STM32CubeIDE

or

$HOME/STM32MPU_workspace/STM32MP1-Ecosystem-v5.0.0/Developer-Package/STM32Cube_FW_MP1_V1.6.0/Projects/STM32MP157C-EV1/Applications/OpenAMP/OpenAMP_TTY_echo/STM32CubeIDE


  • STM32CubeIDE brings a specific project structure for dual core devices such as STM32MP1. A top level project contains sub-projects for each core.
  • Here OpenAMP_TTY_echo top project contains OpenAMP_TTY_echo_CM4 sub project. Keep the 2 projects selected and click on "Finish".
STM32CubeIDE project selection
  • The OpenAMP_TTY_echo project is opened and you can browse inside using the left pan.
OpenAMP_TTY_echo project structure

5 Build the firmware[edit]

Warning white.png Warning
A compilation issue occurs with STM32CubeMP1 Package v1.6.0. STM32CubeMP1 Package v1.6.0 is compliant with 10.3 GCC toolchain whereas STM32CubeIDE-v1.13.0 is embedded by default 11.3 GCC toolchain. The toolchain has to be updated to 10.3 with Toolchain manager tool to compile STM32CubeMP1 Package v1.6.0, See UM2609 - STM32CubeIDE user manual, section 2.3.1 for details.


  • Select project OpenAMP_TTY_Echo_CM4 and click the Build button (the little hammer in the toolbar)
STM32CubeIDE build the project


  • "Build" is finished with no error
STM32CubeIDE build finished with no error

6 Check connection to the target[edit]

STM32CubeIDE requires to be connected to Linux running on STM32MP1 device though serial connection.
This connection is automatically detected and configured when you have put cable on ST-Link port and board has booted.

You can check you can get Linux log and prompt by clicking on the "STM32 butterfly" button :

STM32CubeIDE Serial Console button

Connection is correct if Linux log or prompt are displayed in the console windows.

STM32CubeIDE Linux Prompt

Your board might be connected to the PC by Ethernet, either using RJ45 (point to point or VLAN) or USB0 EthernetOverUSB gadget (point to point connection with PC using TypeA-TypeC cable). Screenshot below uses the second solution.

When serial connection is established, STM32CubeIDE automatically detects the board IP address and displays sit in the "Serial Target widget status" window in bottom right part of the screen.

STM32Cube Serial Target widget status

In case different status such as "busy" or "console in use", check you have no other terminal connected and close the console.

7 Start Debug Session[edit]

  • Click on your OpenAMP_TTY_echo_CM4 project to select it
  • If not already created, create your debug configuration by doing a clicking on right click on "OpenAMP_TTY_echo_CM4 and Select "Debug As" and "STM32 C/C++ Application". It will open the "Edit Configuration" window.
Select Production mode in Startup pane of Debug Configuration
  • Check IP address is correctly filled (1). Else, you can force detection using button on the right (2).
  • Make sure the "Thru Linux core (production mode)" is selected (3)
  • When configuration is correct, the "Debug" button (5) turns to active and you can launch the debug session. Else, error message appears in area (4).

STM32CubeIDE needs to use serial connection to the board to manage firmware download.
If the console is opened, it will request your approval to close it. Answer "yes".

SSH password popup


The debug in "production mode" adds the cortex-M firmware transfer to the embedded Linux. In case of network usage, some specific pop-up appears:

  • the SSH Password must be completed: the default one is "root".
SSH password popup
  • the RSA key must be approved.
RSA key popup


After, firmware download, STM32CubeIDE switches into Debug Perspective.

In "production mode", the firmware is not break at main. GDB is simply attached to the running target. You can then use all features of the debugger.

Info white.png Information
To benefit of the best GDB debug experience it's recommended to upgrade the onboard ST-Link version with the latest release. You can simply do it from STM32CubeIDE using menu "Help -> ST-Link Upgrade"


For further information, refer to STM32CubeIDE documentation avaialble in my.st.com

8 Test the firmware[edit]

The OpenAMP_TTY_echo_CM firmware do the following:

  • CPU2(CM4) initializes OpenAMP MW which initializes/configures IPCC peripheral through HAL and setup openamp-rpmsg framework infrastructure,
  • CPU2(CM4) creates 2 rpmsg channels for 2 virtual UART instances (UART0 and UART1),
  • CPU2(CM4) is waiting for messages from CPU1(CA7) on these both channels,
  • When CPU2(CM4) receives a message on 1 Virtual UART instance/rpmsg channel, it sends the message back to CPU1(CA7) on the same Virtual UART instance

Reopen the Serial console of STM32CubeIDE and enter following commands :

  • Initialize the ttyRPMSG0 configuration
 stty -onlcr -echo -F /dev/ttyRPMSG0
  • Read constantly the ttyRPMSG0 channel in background
 cat /dev/ttyRPMSG0 &
  • Send a message on one ttyRPMSG0 channel and receive the echo on the same ttyRPMSG0 channel
 echo "Hello Virtual UART0" > /dev/ttyRPMSG0
Hello Virtual UART0
  • You can perform the same steps with the ttyRPMSG1 channel
  • Terminate the STM32CubeIDE debug session will stop the firmware.

9 Modify the firmware[edit]

The original firmware example receives a message for the host on one channel and acknolegde by returning the same message to the host on the same channel.

As this is not so obvious on which channel the message is received, we propose you to modify the firmware in order to add an indication to know what is the channel that is receiving the message.

For that, please modify main.c original code as follow:

  /* Infinite loop */
  /* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
  while (1)
  {

    OPENAMP_check_for_message();

    /* USER CODE END WHILE */
    if (VirtUart0RxMsg) {
      char msg_to_transmit[MAX_BUFFER_SIZE];
      int msg_size = 0;
      VirtUart0RxMsg = RESET;

      msg_size = snprintf(msg_to_transmit, MAX_BUFFER_SIZE, "Channel RPMSG0: ");
      msg_size += snprintf(msg_to_transmit + msg_size, MAX_BUFFER_SIZE, "%s\n", VirtUart0ChannelBuffRx);
      log_info("size of the message to transmit = %d bytes\n", msg_size);
      VIRT_UART_Transmit(&huart0, (uint8_t*)msg_to_transmit, msg_size);
    }

    if (VirtUart1RxMsg) {
      char msg_to_transmit[MAX_BUFFER_SIZE];
      uint16_t msg_size = 0;
      VirtUart1RxMsg = RESET;

      msg_size = snprintf(msg_to_transmit, MAX_BUFFER_SIZE, "Channel RPMSG1: ");
      msg_size += snprintf(msg_to_transmit + msg_size, MAX_BUFFER_SIZE, "%s\n", VirtUart1ChannelBuffRx);
      log_info("size of the message to transmit = %d bytes\n", msg_size);
      VIRT_UART_Transmit(&huart1, (uint8_t*)msg_to_transmit, msg_size);
    }
    /* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
  }
  /* USER CODE END 3 */
  • Save your modifications.

10 Testing the modified firmware[edit]

10.1 Relaunch debug session[edit]

  • By clicking on the "Debug" button, STM32CubeIDE relaunches the debug session after performing an incremental build to take into account your modification .
  • If everything is correct, you will be back switch to "Debug Perspective" windows after reload of the new firmware.

10.2 Test[edit]

  • Initialize the ttyRPMSG0 and ttyRPMSG1 configurations
 stty -onlcr -echo -F /dev/ttyRPMSG0
 stty -onlcr -echo -F /dev/ttyRPMSG1
  • Read constantly the ttyRPMSG0 and ttyRPMSG1 channels in background
 cat /dev/ttyRPMSG0 &
 cat /dev/ttyRPMSG1 &
  • Send a message on one ttyRPMSG0 channel and check the echo log
 echo "Hello Virtual UART0" > /dev/ttyRPMSG0
Channel RPMSG0: Hello Virtual UART0
  • Send a message on one ttyRPMSG1 channel and check the echo log
 echo "Hello Virtual UART1" > /dev/ttyRPMSG1
Channel RPMSG1: Hello Virtual UART1


Info white.png Information
When the firmware is running, you can output log from the firmware by using the following command:
cat /sys/kernel/debug/remoteproc/remoteproc0/trace0


  • Terminate the STM32CubeIDE debug session.