[Discuss-gnuradio] [GSoC] Co-Processors Update #4

Hello community,

Sorry this update is so late. I spent about a week walking down the wrong path so I've been spending days and nights trying to get an actual update.

Logistical:

- Midterm evaluations due tomorrow

- Coproc dev call tomorrow

Progress:

- In getting the FFTC to work, I followed the builtin examples which require us to run Ti's code composer software and have the board in a mode where the ARMs are shut off. When I tried to program the DSP through the ARM to run the examples, I get memory errors because the DSP is trying to initialize subsystems that have already been initialized by the ARM. Spent a long time on that getting nowhere so what Philip recommend to me was to try to get things working without the DSP cores starting from hello world.

- I've been able to initialize a couple of subsystems like the QMSS and CPPI. I just need to get the configuration correct for talking to the FFTC. I've been able to compile the FFTC drivers using the linaro arm toolchain so I'm confident this approach will work. TI's software is multi layered so not that many changes are required to port code from the DSP to the ARM.
- Taking it a step at a time trying to understand what's going on is making me a better programmer. I feel a lot more prepared to tackle modifying GNU Radio. Hopefully I get past setting up the TI chip next week so I can switch gears.

I've been holding back updating the wiki since I wasn't sure if this method was going to get me anywhere but it actually works! will update the wiki this weekend with a big section on programming this monster using TI's libraries and the linaro arm toolchain. I'm sure my method isn't the prettiest but hopefully it's a start so others can develop applications using the coprocessors through the ARM. I imagine it will be useful to the TI people and others using this board.

Not as much progress as I'd hoped but at least I can see the light again. Thanks!