RetRAM0 overflow

Hello

Memory map of the DA14683 is quite complex.

Please find a small awk script I use on the map file that is being produced by the compiler to locate various sections

{
    started = 0;
    again = 1;
    total_size = 0;
    first_address = (2^32) - 1;
    last_address = 0;
    printf("section;start;size;end;size;\n");
    do{
        if($0 ~ /memory map/)
            started = 1;
        if($0 ~ /^OUTPUT/)
            again = 0;
        if(started == 1 && $0 ~ /^[[:alnum:]\.]/){
        address = strtonum($2);
        size = strtonum($3);
        # if(address != 0 && size != 0){
        if(size != 0){
                if(address < first_address)
                    first_address = address;
                if(address > last_address)
                    last_address = address;
            printf("%s;0x%X;0x%X;0x%X;%u;\n", $1, address, size, address + size, size);
            total_size += size;
            }
        }
        if (getline <= 0)
            again = 0;
    } while(again > 0);
    printf("sum;;0x%X;;%u;\n", total_size, total_size);
    printf("range;0x%X;0x%X;0x%X;%u;\n", first_address, last_address - first_address, last_address, last_address - first_address);
    exit;
}

write this into a script.awk file and then run

#gawk -f script.awk yoursoftware.map

Purpose is to analyse the overall structure of the binary file to identify which section takes too much space and shall be reduced.

Then next step is to identify which heap/stack is where so you have a chance to set adjust sizes of each of them.

On my side I use the following configuration in the custom_config_qspi.h file

#define dg_configRAM_RETRAM_0_SIZE_BB           (64 * 1024)                    // retention ram blocks are 8k, 24k or 32k. contains os_heap
#define dg_configRAM_RAM_SIZE_BB                (64 * 1024)                    // sum of .bss, .heap, .stack
#define __HEAP_SIZE                             (24 * 1024)
#define __STACK_SIZE                            (16 * 1024)

and

#define configTOTAL_HEAP_SIZE                   (48* 1024)                     /* This is the FreeRTOS Total Heap Size */

Keep in mind that the physical RAM size is 144k among which retention ram is 64k.

About Flash sections, firmware partition is 0x7F000 size (~500kB) so your binary shall not exceed this.

Good luck (it took me hours to fit the software into the memory !)

Hi Dieter Falk,

My apologies for my late response. Can you please indicate if the issue is solved after increasing the heap? Which was the error that you are getting? Did you run it in debug mode?

Thanks, PM_Dialog

Hello

small erratum with the dg_config I now use (for custom_config_qspi.h)

#define dg_configQSPI_CACHED_RETRAM_0_SIZE    ( 96 * 1024)                   // contains ucHeap[] aka .os_heap aka FreeRTOS Heap.
#define dg_configQSPI_CACHED_RETRAM_1_SIZE    (  0 * 1024)                   // no data in that section.
#define dg_configQSPI_CACHED_RAM_SIZE            ( 32 * 1024)                   // sum of .bss, .heap, .stack. (128k - RETRAM0 - BLERET)
#define configTOTAL_HEAP_SIZE                   ( 47 * 1024)                   // This is the FreeRTOS Total Heap Size, ucHeap[] in .os_heap section. See xMinimumEverFreeBytesRemaining symbol to know how much memory has never been used.
#define __HEAP_SIZE                             ( 15 * 1024)                   // 15ko see heapend symbol in debug tool - __HeapBase in .map file. use port heap overflow verification to check size. required for newlib (printf, strtok are high consumers)
#define __STACK_SIZE                            (  1 * 1024)                   // 1ko : __StackTop in .map file - MSP register of Cortex-M0. only used at boot time must not be null.

I also use

#define dg_configSHUFFLING_MODE                 (0x0)                          // 0x0 natural order. Retention ram blocks are 8k, 24k or 32k.
#define dg_configMEM_RETENTION_MODE             (0x1F)                         // all memory blocks retained

to avoid memory switch off during execution.

In your case I would suggest to

- raise up RETRAM_0_SIZE

- raise down RAM_SIZE by the same amont

- invert sizes of HEAP and STACK because the stack is only used at boot time and then FreeRTOS sets dedicated stacks for each tasks. heap is used by "not freertos" code like newlib so you should keep some ~15kB if you use printf or strtok. I am assuming that you use heap_4.c allocation strategy of FreeRTOS. You could use heap_6.c from latest versions of FreeRTOS to withdraw os_heap and share .heap with newlib.

Best Regards

Hi Dieter Falk,

Are you running any of our SDK projects? Can you please help me to replicate it in my side? Is your issue solved after setting BUFFER_SIZE_UP macro to 45000?

Thanks, PM_Dialog

Hi Dieter Falk,

Would it be possible to share the custom_config_qspi_suota.h file that you are using in your setup?

Additionally, what is the configuration that is working and which that is not working?

Have you done any other modifications in the pxp_reporter project?

In your initial post, I saw that you are using non-optimal configuration.  During this configuration, the freeRTOS heap will be placed in RETRAM_0 and when utilizing RETRAM_1, will be placed here.

If you increase the total heap size (configTOTAL_HEAP_SIZE) to 22000, does this have any effect?

Thanks, PM_Dialog

Hi Detier,

I used the same custom_config_qspi_suota.h header file in the pxp_reporter example of the SDk but I am not able to replicate this error. Additionally, I built the project for SUOTA configuration, Should I do any other steps in order to replicate this error except from your own custom_config_qspi_suota.h?

Thanks, PM_Dialog

Hi Dieter Falk,

I am using the SDK_1.0.14 and the SmartSnippets Studio v.1.6.3.  This version is available on the DA14682/683 product page under “Development Tools” section.

https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/products/connectivity/bluetooth-low-energy/smartbond-da14682-and-da14683

Could you please try it in a new SDK directory?

Thanks, PM_Dialog