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Atmel Integrated Development

Workflow

Microcontroller Application Development - A Worked Example

Introduction
This page demonstrates how the different Atmel development components fit
together to offer a complete embedded development workflow, all managed from
the Atmel Studio Integrated Development Platform (IDP).
Installing Atmel Studio
Obtaining Plug-ins and Extensions from the Gallery
Automatic Board Detection
Viewing and Importing Target Specific Example Projects
Advanced Navigation, Editing, Building and Debugging capabilities
The ASF Wizard - Including Additional ASF Drivers, Components and
Services

Step #1 - Installing Atmel Studio

Workflow steps:
1. Download and install the Atmel Studio Integrated Development Platform
(IDP).

FreeRTOS+FAT:
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Sponsored Links

Atmel Studio download link on the Atmel website

Step #2 - Obtaining Plug-ins and Extensions from the

Gallery
Atmel Studio is shipped with a copy of the Atmel Software Framework (ASF), and
will check the online Atmel Gallery for updated versions each time it is started.
The (ASF) includes FreeRTOS, and numerous FreeRTOS example projects.
It is also possible to access the Gallery manually to both check for updates to
already installed components, and to select new components to install.
Workflow steps continued:
1. Start the Atmel Studio IDE
2. Select the "Tools->Extension Gallery" menu item to open the Extension
Manager window. The extension manager links directly to the online
gallery, and will inform you if there are updates for components that are
already installed.
3. Use the Extension Manager's search box to search for, then select and
install the 'FreeRTOS Viewer' extension.

Searching the Gallery for the FreeRTOS Viewer

Click to enlarge

Step #3 - Automatic Board Detection

Atmel Studio will automatically detect Xplained Pro hardware. Other Atmel
development hardware can be selected manually.
Workflow steps continued:
1. Connect an Atmel Xplained Pro board. A single USB cable is all that is
required. Atmel Studio will automatically display a page that includes
links that are specific to the connected hardware.

Automatic detection of connected hardware

Click to enlarge

Step #4 - Viewing and Importing Target Specific Example

Projects
The ASF contains a huge quantity of software, but the complexity is managed by
intelligent filtering.
Workflow steps continued:
1. The first link on the product specific page (that opened when an Xplained
pro board was connected as already described) is "New Example
Project...". Click the link to open the New Example Project from ASF
window.
2. The New Example Project from ASF window will display the subset of
ASF example projects that are specific to the connected hardware. The
list of examples will often include FreeRTOS examples. The projects can
be further organised by Kit, Category, Technology or Addon.
Select a project of interest and click OK. The project, including all of its
dependencies, will be imported into Atmel Studio.

Viewing projects specific to the connected hardware

Click to enlarge

Step #5 - Advanced Navigation, Editing, Building and

Debugging
Atmel Studio brings all the building, editing and debugging capabilities of Visual
Studio to Atmel microcontroller development. It even includes the Visual Assist X
productivity component which provides advanced Intellisense and Content Assist

functionality.
Workflow steps continued:
1. Experiment with the example project imported in the previous step. In
particular note:
The 'conf' directory, in which configuration files for all the
components used in the example are placed.
The advanced navigation and editing features provided by the
Visual Studio environment, enhanced by the Visual Assist X
component.
2. Select the Build->Build Solution menu item to build the example (or just
press F7).
3. Select the Debug->Start Debugging and Break menu item to program the
microcontroller flash memory, start a debug session, and break on entry
to the main() function.
4. Experiment with the debug controls and windows, including the
FreeRTOS viewer if you selected a FreeRTOS example project.
Example ASF projects use the -O1 optimisation setting by default. An
easier debugging experience can be obtained by rebuilding the project
with optimisation turned off.

The FreeRTOS viewer plug-in, seen

during an Atmel
Studio debug session. Click to
enlarge

Intellisense and content assist

Click to enlarge

Step #6 - The ASF Wizard - Including Additional ASF

Drivers, Components and Services
ASF software is categorised as peripheral drivers, components and services.
Peripheral drivers are drivers for on chip peripherals. Components are drivers for
off chip components such as SD cards, flash chips, displays, etc. Services are
more application orientated drivers, such as USB class drivers.
All the ASF software is accessible using the ASF wizard.
Workflow steps continued:
1. End the debug session, if it is still in progress.
2. Select the ASF->ASF Wizard menu item to open the ASF Wizard
window.
The right side of the ASF Wizard window will show the ASF software that
is already included in the example project, along with the software's
configuration where applicable. The left side of the ASF Wizard window
will show the ASF software that is available to be added to the project.
Only software applicable to the connected hardware is shown.
3. Select an ASF software item from the window on the left side. A brief
description of the selected item, and a link to the item's quick start guide
will be displayed at the bottom of the ASF Wizard window. The quick
start guide provides information on using the software item, and links to
the software's API documentation.
4. Use the right arrow button to have Atmel Studio move the selected item
to the right side. The ASF wizard will also automatically move any
additional software on which the selected item is dependent - if any.
5. ASF items selected for inclusion in the project (those shown in the right
side of the Wizard's window) can be configured directly in the ASF
wizard. Configuration options are presented as drop down lists. Expand
the selected item to see if any configuration options exist. If so, configure
the option as desired, then click the Apply button. The ASF wizard will
prepare your example project to use the newly selected components by:
Copying the necessary source files into the project.
Adding the necessary configuration file into the 'config' directory.
Update the project's include path as necessary.

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