Re: [avr-chat] Using a custom ISP programming tool

[Ing. Daniel Rozsnyó]

Then just fork the nonaccelerated FTDI bitbang code (e.g. FT245R 
programmer). It implements the programming and mcu communication, all 
you need to do is to transmit the port writes and reads over your 
network stack. You need to adhere to rules set by avrdude coding here.

My suggestion was to use the buspirate programmer, which communicates 
over serial line protocol. The serial line interconnection allows you to 
run it over a local socket and decouple your code from avrdude into a 
separate tool (maybe you can do the communication more efficiently in 
high level language other than C, it can use any threading coding 
method, etc..). It also allows you to create this add-on and no need in 
changing anything in avrdude, which might help distribution.

All programmers which use serial lines can be run over a network easily, 
in terms of TCP/IP bidirectional streams. For your UDP packetization, 
you need an intermediate proxy program, to do the translation.

Clear now?


On 08/19/2014 08:04 PM, Sterling Peet wrote:
> Daniel,
>
>      A serial emulator is the first idea that I originally began to consider, 
> and may well be the initial solution.
>
>      I'm not sure if I don't quite understand some of your proxy suggestion, or 
> if I didn't quite provide enough information in my previous email.
>
>      The FPGA contains it's own network stack, and is not connected directly to 
> the computer that is attempting to load the firmware onto the ATmega328 (except 
> via TCP/IP).  Since the FPGA already translates data I send it in a UDP packet 
> to the hardware bit toggling, I am currently mostly just concerned with packing 
> and unpacking the the UDP packets in such a way that avrdude can communicate 
> with the remote FPGA.
>
>      The FPGA could be described as having an ATmega328 connected to a normal 
> usb programmer on a computer with IP address 10.0.0.5, and a UDP to USB serial 
> bridge deamon listening on a particular port.  I want to run avrdude on a 
> different computer with IP address 10.0.0.9 to program the ATmega328.
>
>      Since the AVR is usually programmed directly from the computer the 
> programmer is connected to, I didn't think there was already a provision for 
> using avrdude over a network connection.
>
>      It would be preferable to avoid running a separate deamon to bridge 
> avrdude to the network, but if that is likely to significantly increase the 
> amount of work then I can tolerate it.  Should I try to pursue developing a new 
> programmer type for avrdude?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sterling Peet
>
> Embedded Developer
> Gamma-Ray Camera Group
> CTA Gamma-Ray Observatory Development
> School of Physics & Center for Relativistic Astrophysics
> Georgia Institute of Technology
> 837 State Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30332-0430
>
>
> On Aug 19, 2014, at 11:50 AM, "Ing. Daniel Rozsnyó" <address@hidden> wrote:
>
> > One of the simpler approaches would be to emulate some simple serial line 
> > programmer - with a proxy program, which presents itself on a socket (which 
> > will be used by avrdude) and translate the high level commands to your bit 
> > toggling in actual hardware.
> >
> > And later updates might move your software translation piece into the hardware 
> > side.
> >
> >
> > Daniel
> >
> >
> > On 08/19/2014 05:14 PM, Sterling Peet wrote:
> > >       I think that I need to write/modify a programmer definition in avrdude to 
> > > write the firmware into an AVR project that I am working on.  I would like to 
> > > avoid re-inventing the wheel where I can, and I am interested in suggestions 
> > > regarding where to start and how to approach this problem.
> > >
> > >       I have inherited a project that contains virgin ATmega328 behind an FPGA 
> > > that needs to be programmed.  I do not easily have direct access the to pcb 
> > > hardware.  I do know how the FPGA is connected to the ATmega328, and the FPGA 
> > > has access to the SPI and Reset lines for the ATmega328.  I also know how to 
> > > communicate with the FPGA over a UDP socket.  Currently, the FPGA can 
> > > communicate with the ATmega328 using either SPI or UART, but the communication 
> > > between the computer and the FPGA uses 32-bit words.
> > >
> > >      It is likely that I can convince the FPGA engineer to make small firmware 
> > > changes, if that makes programming the ATmega328 firmware significantly easier. 
> > >  Unfortunately, I do not have the full control of the hardware design that I am 
> > > used to having, so my normal method of using a standard AVRISP header and 
> > > programmer tool is not an option.
> > >
> > >     The FPGA engineer has provided me a script that toggles the reset line and 
> > > demonstrates FPGA interaction described in the firmware programming section of 
> > > the ATmega328 data sheet, so I believe I should be able to write some 
> > > relatively basic plumbing code to connect between avrdude and the FPGA to 
> > > program the ATmega328.
> > >
> > >     How should I proceed?  Are there any recommendations for this type of setup?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Sterling Peet
> > >
> > > Embedded Developer
> > > Gamma-Ray Camera Group
> > > CTA Gamma-Ray Observatory Development
> > > School of Physics & Center for Relativistic Astrophysics
> > > Georgia Institute of Technology
> > > 837 State Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30332-0430
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