Former Platform Migration

This chapter describes the steps to migrate a former MicroEJ Platform in its latest form described in Platform Creation chapter.

As a reminder, this new form brings two main features:

Former MicroEJ Platforms were usually distributed by MicroEJ Corp. in an all-in-one ZIP file also called fullPackaging.

In this document, the MicroEJ Platform for STMicroelectronics STM32F746G-DISCO board will be used as an example.

The following figure shows the fullPackaging structure once extracted.

../_images/platform_fullPackaging_structure.png

STM32F746G-DISCO Platform Full Packaging Structure

The migration steps are:

  1. Create a Module Repository to store the MicroEJ Architecture and MicroEJ Packs used by the MicroEJ Platform.
  2. Import the Platform Configuration Additions into the Platform Configuration project.
  3. Update the Front Panel project configuration.
  4. Configure the BSP Connection.
  5. Add the Build Script and Run Script.

Create an Architecture Repository

The first step is to create an Architecture Repository. The MicroEJ Architecture and MicroEJ Packs are provided in the platformArchitecture directory of the fullPackaging package.

By default, we provide the steps to extend the default MicroEJ SDK settings file configuration with local MicroEJ Architecture and MicroEJ Packs modules. The following steps can be adapted to custom settings file.

  • Create a new empty project named architecture-repository

  • Create a new file named ivysettings.xml with the following content and update the included settings file according to your MicroEJ SDK version (see Determine the MicroEJ Studio/SDK Version)

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ivysettings>
  <property name="local.repo.url" value="${ivy.settings.dir}" override="false"/>

  <!--
      Include default settings file for MicroEJ SDK version:
      - MICROEJ SDK 5.4.0 or higher: ${user.home}/.microej/microej-ivysettings-5.4.xml
      - MICROEJ SDK 5.0.0 to 5.3.1: ${user.home}/.microej/microej-ivysettings-5.xml
      - MICROEJ SDK 4.1.x: ${user.home}/.ivy2/microej-ivysettings-4.1.xml
  -->
  <include file="${user.home}/.microej/microej-ivysettings-5.xml"/>

  <settings defaultResolver="ArchitectureResolver"/>

  <resolvers>
    <chain name="ArchitectureResolver">
      <filesystem m2compatible="true">
        <artifact pattern="${local.repo.url}/${microej.artifact.pattern}" />
        <ivy pattern="${local.repo.url}/${microej.ivy.pattern}" />
      </filesystem>
      <resolver ref="${microej.default.resolver}"/>
    </chain>
  </resolvers>
</ivysettings>

  • Copy the MicroEJ Architecture file (.xpf) into the correct directory following its naming convention).

    • Open or extract the MicroEJ Architecture file (.xpf)
    • Open the release.properties file to retrieve the naming convention mapping:
      • architecture is the ISA (e.g. CM7)
      • toolchain is the TOOLCHAIN (e.g. CM7hardfp_ARMCC5)
      • name is the UID (e.g. flopi7A21)
      • version is the VERSION (e.g. 7.11.0)

    For example, in the STM32F746G-DISCO Platform, the MicroEJ Architecture file flopi7A21-eval.xpf shall be copied and renamed to architecture-repository/com/microej/architecture/CM7/CM7hardfp_ARMCC5/flopi7A21/7.11.0/flopi7A21-7.11.0-eval.xpf.

  • Copy the MicroEJ Architecture Specific Packs files (.xpfp) into the correct directory following MicroEJ Naming Convention (see Pack Import) with the exception of the Standalone pack that should not be imported (e.g. named flopi7A21Standalone.xpfp).

    • Open or extract the MicroEJ Architecture Specific Pack (.xpfp).

      Note

      The MicroEJ Architecture Specific Packs have the UID of the MicroEJ Architecture in their name (e.g. flopi7A21UI.xpfp) and their release_pack.properties file contains the information of the MicroEJ Architecture.

    • Open the release_pack.properties file to retrieve the naming convention mapping:

      • architecture is the ISA (e.g. CM7)
      • toolchain is the TOOLCHAIN (e.g. CM7hardfp_ARMCC5)
      • name is the UID (e.g. flopi7A21)
      • packName is the NAME (e.g. ui)
      • packVersion is the VERSION (e.g. 12.0.1)

    For example, in the STM32F746G-DISCO Platform, the MicroEJ Architecture Specific Pack UI flopi7A21UI.xpfp shall be copied and renamed to architecture-repository/com/microej/architecture/CM7/CM7hardfp_ARMCC5/flopi7A21-ui-pack/12.0.1/flopi7A21-ui-pack-12.0.1.xpfp.

  • Copy the Legacy MicroEJ Generic Packs (.xpfp files) into the correct directory following MicroEJ Naming Convention (see Pack Import).

    • Open or extract the MicroEJ Generic Pack (.xpfp).

      Note

      The release_pack.properties of Legacy MicroEJ Generic Packs does not contain information about MicroEJ Architecture.

    • Open the release_pack.properties file:

      • packName is the NAME (e.g. fs)
      • packVersion is the VERSION (e.g. 4.0.2)

    For example, in the STM32F746G-DISCO Platform, the Legacy MicroEJ Generic Pack FS fs.xpfp shall be copied and renamed to architecture-repository/com/microej/pack/fs/4.0.2/fs-4.0.2.xpfp.

  • Configure MicroEJ Module Manager to use the Architecture Repository:

    • Go to Window > Preferences > MicroEJ > Module Manager
    • In Module Repository set Settings File: to ${workspace_loc:architecture-repository/ivysettings.xml}.
    • Apply and Close

Here is the layout of the Architecture Repository for STM32F746G-DISCO.

../_images/platform_architecture-repository.png

Architecture Repository for STM32F746G-DISCO fullPackaging

Install the Platform Configuration Additions

  • Rename the file bsp.properties to bsp2.properties (save it for later).
  • Install Platform Configuration Additions, by following instructions described at https://github.com/MicroEJ/PlatformQualificationTools/blob/master/framework/platform/README.rst. Files within the content folder have to be copied to the -configuration project (e.g. STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-configuration).
  • Edit the module.properties file and set com.microej.platformbuilder.platform.filename to the name of the platform configuration file (e.g. STM32F746GDISCO.platform).
  • Fill the module.ivy with the MicroEJ Architecture and MicroEJ Packs dependencies.

Here is the module dependencies declared for the STM32F746G-DISCO Platform.

STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-configuration/module.ivy
<dependencies>
  <!-- MicroEJ Architecture -->
  <dependency org="com.microej.architecture.CM7.CM7hardfp_ARMCC5" name="flopi7A21" rev="7.11.0">
    <artifact name="flopi7A21" m:classifier="${com.microej.platformbuilder.architecture.usage}" ext="xpf"/>
  </dependency>

  <!-- MicroEJ Architecture Specific Packs  -->
  <dependency org="com.microej.architecture.CM7.CM7hardfp_ARMCC5" name="flopi7A21-ui-pack" rev="12.0.1">
    <artifact name="flopi7A21-ui-pack" ext="xpfp"/>
  </dependency>
  <dependency org="com.microej.architecture.CM7.CM7hardfp_ARMCC5" name="flopi7A21-net-pack" rev="6.1.5">
    <artifact name="flopi7A21-net-pack" ext="xpfp"/>
  </dependency>

  <!-- Legacy MicroEJ Generic Packs -->
  <dependency org="com.microej.pack" name="fs" rev="4.0.2">
    <artifact name="fs" ext="xpfp"/>
  </dependency>
  <dependency org="com.microej.pack" name="hal" rev="2.0.1">
    <artifact name="hal" ext="xpfp"/>
  </dependency>

</dependencies>

Update Front Panel Configuration

  • In -configuration/frontpanel/frontpanel.properties set the project.name to the folder name that contains the frontpanel (e.g. project.name=STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-fp).

At this state, the MicroEJ Platform is not connected to the BSP yet, but you can check that everything is properly configured so far by building it:

  • Right-click on the -configuration project and select Build Module
  • Import the MicroEJ Platform built into the workspace by following instructions available at the end of the build logs).

At this stage the MicroEJ Platform is built, so you can create a MicroEJ Standalone Application and run it on the Simulator (see Create a MicroEJ Standalone Application).

Configure BSP Connection

This section explains how to configure a full BSP Connection on the STM32F746G-DISCO Platform. See BSP Connection for more information.

  • Open -configuration/bsp/bsp.properties.

  • Comment out and set the following variables:

    • root.dir
    • microejapp.relative.dir
    • microejlib.relative.dir
    • microejinc.relative.dir
    • microejscript.relative.dir

    For example:

    # Specify the MicroEJ Application file ('microejapp.o') parent directory.
# This is a '/' separated directory relative to 'bsp.root.dir'.
microejapp.relative.dir=Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/platform/lib

# Specify the MicroEJ Platform runtime file ('microejruntime.a') parent directory.
# This is a '/' separated directory relative to 'bsp.root.dir'.
microejlib.relative.dir=Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/platform/lib

# Specify MicroEJ Platform header files ('*.h') parent directory.
# This is a '/' separated directory relative to 'bsp.root.dir'.
microejinc.relative.dir=Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/platform/inc

# Specify BSP external scripts files ('build.bat' and 'run.bat') parent directory.
# This is a '/' separated directory relative to 'bsp.root.dir'.
microejscript.relative.dir=Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/scripts

# Specify the BSP root directory. Can use ${project.parent.dir} which target the parent of platform configuration project
# For example, '${project.parent.dir}/PROJECT-NAME-bsp' specifies a BSP project beside the '-configuration' project
root.dir=${project.parent.dir}/STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-bsp/

The paths to microejXXX.relative.dir can be inferred by looking at the output.dir value in bsp2.properties saved earlier. For example on the STM32F746G-DISCO project, its value is ${workspace}/${project.prefix}-bsp/Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/platform.

  • The BSP project path ${workspace}/${project.prefix}-bsp becomes ${project.parent.dir}/STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-bsp/.
  • Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/platform is the path to MicroEJ Application file, MicroEJ Platform header and runtime files. MicroEJ convention is to put the MicroEJ Application file and MicroEJ Platform runtime files to platform/lib/ and MicroEJ Platform header files to platform/inc/.
  • Build Script File and Run Script File are PCA-specific and did not exist before. By convention we put them in a scripts/ directory.

The paths to microejXXX.relative.dir can be also be checked by looking at the C TOOLCHAIN configuration of the BSP. For example on the STM32F746G-DISCO project, the BSP configuration is located at STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-bsp/Projects/STM32746G-Discovery/Applications/MicroEJ/MDK-ARM/Project.uvprojx.

  • In Project > Options for Target ‘standalone’… > C/C++ > Include Paths contains ../platform/inc. This corresponds to the microejinc.relative.dir relative the TOOLCHAIN project’s file.
  • In the Project pane, there is a folder MicroEJ/Libs that contains microejruntime.lib and microejapp.o.
    • Right-click on microejruntime.lib > Options for File ‘XXX’…. The Path is ../platform/lib/microejruntime.lib. This corresponds to the microejlib.relative.dir.
    • Right-click on microejapp.o > Options for File ‘XXX’…. The Path is ../platform/lib/microejapp.o. This corresponds to the microejapp.relative.dir.
  • Rebuild the platform (Right-click on the -configuration project and select Build Module)

At this stage the MicroEJ Platform is connected to the BSP so you can build and program a MicroEJ Firmware (see Run on the Hardware Device).

Add Build Script and Run Script

The final stage consists of adding the Build Script, to automate the build a MicroEJ Firmware, and the Run Script, to automate the program a MicroEJ Firmware onto the device.

The Platform Qualification Tools provides examples of Build Script and Run Script for various C TOOLCHAIN here.

On the STM32F746G-DISCO, the C TOOLCHAIN used is Keil uVision.

  • Create the directory pointed by microejscript.relative.dir (e.g. STM32F746GDISCO-Full-CM7_ARMCC-FreeRTOS-bsp\Projects\STM32746G-Discovery\Applications\MicroEJ\scripts).
  • Copy the example scripts from the Platform Qualification Tools for the C TOOLCHAIN of the BSP (e.g. PlatformQualificationTools/framework/platform/scripts/KEILuV5/)
  • Configure the scripts. Refer to the documentation in the scripts comments for this step.
  • Enable the execution of the build script:
    • Go to Run > Run Configurations…
    • Select the launch configuration
    • Go to Configuration > Device > Deploy
    • Ensure Execute the MicroEJ build script (build.bat) at a location known by the 3rd-party BSP project. is checked.

Going further

Now that the MicroEJ Platform is connected to the BSP it can leverage the Java Test Suites provided by the Platform Qualification Tools. See Run a Test Suite on a Device for a step by step explanation on how to do so.