Re: downloading binary file

[Hugo Villeneuve <hvilleneuve@softacoustik.com>]

Hi Fernando,

	Sorry for the lag. I think it should be necessary to add the 
"download binary file" command to GDB. Here is what I want to do:

	I have my "ram2flash" program that is used to copy the content 
of a 84K block of RAM memory to Flash memory. What I need to do is to 
copy a very large binary file (336K) into the Flash memory using my 
ram2flash program. In order to do that, I must split the binary file 
into 336K/84K = 4 blocks. Once I have my 4 blocks of binary data, I 
must download each of them to RAM memory, and then call my 
"ram2flash" program to actually do the programming in Flash (for each 
of the four blocks). I tried to convert each of the binary blocks to 
ELF format, but GDB doesn't allow me to download it because this file 
has no debugging information. This is why I think the "download binary 
file" command would be useful.

	For sure, it isn't really a GDB debugger task, but a nice 
addition. In fact, most of the debuggers I used on other processors 
(not GDB) had this very basic feature.

	Bye, Hugo.


>With the knowledge that you can use objdump to make your binary 
>file into an elf file and then use that to load it on your
>target memory, are you still willing to work on this (your 
>problem is mostly solved, so I understand if you don't).
>
>I still think it would be a nice convenience for an engineer to say:
>
>binload address filename
>
>and have part of the target memory filled.
>
>As well as 
>
>bindump address length filename
>
>and save part of the memory on a binary file.
>
>
>Some people said they like the idea and some people objected that 
>this is nt a gdb task.
>
>
>If you want, I can start a discussion in the gdb@sourcesl.redhat.com
>to propose that before we go any further.
>
>
>Think about it and let me know.
>
>Have a nice weekend.
>
>Regards,
>Fernando
>
>
>
>
>Hugo Villeneuve wrote:
>> 
>> Hi,
>> 
>>         I want to know if it is possible with insight to download a 
raw
>> binary file to my board?
>> 
>>         I'm using a JEENI with the "AMR Angel/Ethernet" target. In 
fact,
>> what I want to do is load an ELF application in RAM, using the load
>> command of Insight. Then I want to download the binary file to RAM 
and
>> call my application to write this binary file in Flash memory.
>> 
>
>
>-- 
>Fernando Nasser
>Red Hat Canada Ltd.                     E-Mail:  fnasser@redhat.com
>2323 Yonge Street, Suite #300
>Toronto, Ontario   M4P 2C9
>

--------------------------------------
  Hugo Villeneuve
  Hardware/Firmware Developer
  SoftAcoustik Inc.

  (418) 521-1515
  hvilleneuve@softacoustik.com
  http://www.softacoustik.com
--------------------------------------