PSLab Bootloader
This repository contains the bootloader of the Pocket Science Lab (PSLab) open hardware platform.
The bootloader makes it possible to flash new firmware to the device over a USB connection, whereas without it a special programming tool is required.
Pocket Science Lab
The PSLab provides an array of test and measurement instruments for doing science and engineering experiments. Its built-in instruments include an oscilloscope, a waveform generator, a frequency counter, programmable voltage and current sources, and a logic analyzer. The PSLab also has UART, I2C, and SPI buses, via which external devices can be connected and controlled.
The PSLab is a fully open device, and FOSSASIA provides a complete hardware and software stack under open source licenses:
Buy
-
You can get a Pocket Science Lab device from the FOSSASIA shop
-
More resellers are listed on the PSLab website
Get in touch
-
The PSLab chat channel is on Gitter
-
Please also join us on the PSLab Mailing List
Dependencies
The following tools are required to build the bootloader:
- xc16 compiler
- cmake
Building
This project is built with CMake. After cloning this repository, you must first initialize and update the toolchain submodule:
git submodule init
git submodule update
This will populate the external/cmake-microchip
directory, after which the
bootloader can be built:
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
This will create a build artifact in the build
directory:
pslab-bootloader.hex
.
Creating a combined HEX file
It is possible to create a HEX file containing both the bootloader and the firmware. To do this, follow these steps:
-
Build the bootloader
-
Build the firmware
-
Move firmware.hex into the
build/
directory of the bootloader repository -
Run
combine_hex.sh
. Thehexmate
program, distributed as part of MPLAB-X, needs to be in your $PATH. Alternatively, modifycombine_hex.sh
to include the full pathname tohexmate
.
Flashing
Flashing the bootloader requires a programmer such as the PICkit3.
Flashing with a programmer requires the mdb.sh script, which is distributed as
part of Microchip's MPLAB-X software suite. On Linux, the default installation
path for mdb.sh is /opt/microchip/mplabx/<version>/mplab_platform/bin/mdb.sh
.
This script is used to run the file flash.mdbscript, located in the repository
root. Before following the below steps, you may need to modify flash.mdbscript
depending on which programmer you are using and the location of the firmware
HEX.
- Disconnect the device from any power source
- Connect the programmer to the device's ICSP header
- Power on the device via USB
- Run
mdb.sh flash.mdbscript
- Disconnect the programmer
Repository structure
📦pslab-bootloader
┣ 📂src # PSLab bootloader source code
┃ ┣ 📂mcc_generated_files # Source C files
┃ ┣ 📜 ...
┃ ┣ 📜main.c # Entry point to PSLab Bootloader
┣ 📂external
┃ ┣ 📂cmake-microchip # Toolchain submodule
┣ 📜CMakeLists.txt
┣ 📜flash.mdbscript
┣ 📜LICENSE
┗ 📜README.md