[GSoC] Co-Processors Update #4

Hello community,

Sorry this update is so late. I spent about a week walking down the
wrong
path so I’ve been spending days and nights trying to get an actual
update.

Logistical:

  • Midterm evaluations due tomorrow
  • Coproc dev call tomorrow

Progress:

  • In getting the FFTC to work, I followed the builtin examples which
    require us to run Ti’s code composer software and have the board in a
    mode
    where the ARMs are shut off. When I tried to program the DSP through the
    ARM to run the examples, I get memory errors because the DSP is trying
    to
    initialize subsystems that have already been initialized by the ARM.
    Spent
    a long time on that getting nowhere so what Philip recommend to me was
    to
    try to get things working without the DSP cores starting from hello
    world.
  • I’ve been able to initialize a couple of subsystems like the QMSS and
    CPPI. I just need to get the configuration correct for talking to the
    FFTC.
    I’ve been able to compile the FFTC drivers using the linaro arm
    toolchain
    so I’m confident this approach will work. TI’s software is multi layered
    so
    not that many changes are required to port code from the DSP to the ARM.
  • Taking it a step at a time trying to understand what’s going on is
    making
    me a better programmer. I feel a lot more prepared to tackle modifying
    GNU
    Radio. Hopefully I get past setting up the TI chip next week so I can
    switch gears.

I’ve been holding back updating the wiki since I wasn’t sure if this
method
was going to get me anywhere but it actually works! will update the wiki
this weekend with a big section on programming this monster using TI’s
libraries and the linaro arm toolchain. I’m sure my method isn’t the
prettiest but hopefully it’s a start so others can develop applications
using the coprocessors through the ARM. I imagine it will be useful to
the
TI people and others using this board.

Not as much progress as I’d hoped but at least I can see the light
again.
Thanks!