Getting Started with FreeMASTER

This section will walk you through how to import, build and run a Motion and Temperature Monitoring System example for the FRDM-A-S32K344 board using FreeMASTER and S32 Design Studio (DS). You will select the example, configure the build, compile the project, flash it to your board—all within the S32DS—and monitor variables within FreeMASTER environment.

By the end of this process, will have a working Motion and Temperature Monitoring System application running on your hardware, serving as a solid starting point for your own FreeMASTER projects. The example is taken directly from NXP Application Code Hub  (ACH) where you can find additional relevant documentation.

The example is maintained by the ACH team and is subject to change without notice. If you notice that something is missing or broken, please report this issue through the Website Feedback option.

Note: The same general workflow may be used with other supported boards. Refer to the supported boards page and ACH for available examples and board-specific documentation.

2.1 Requirements

This step will prepare you for the Build steps.

Software and Tools Requirements

First, you will download the FRDM Automotive Board Installation Package from the Automotive Software Package Manager. This bundle contains S32DS, FreeMASTER, Real-Time Drivers (RTDs) alongside additional software such as transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) stack, local interconnect network (LIN) stack and FreeRTOS. Software development kits (SDKs) and bundles are tested to guarantee interoperability and come with customer support.

For more instructions on how to use Automotive Software Package Manager refer to the next video:

You can also download software elements separately from the following pages:

• S32DS
• FreeMASTER
• Real-Time Drivers

Hardware Requirements

It is recommended that you have the following equipment before proceeding through the remaining steps.

• FRDM-A-S32K344 board
• Personal computer
• USB Type-C cable

2.2 Import

Next, you will import the project from ACH.

1. Open S32DS integrated development environment (IDE). Under "Dashboard", choose "Import project from Application Code Hub"

2. Find the demo named dm-motion-temperature-freemaster-s32k344
3. Open the project and click the GitHub link and from there, the S32DS IDE will automatically retrieve the project attributes, then click "Next"

4. Select the main branch, then click "Next"
5. Select your local path for the repository in Destination>Directory and S32DS IDE will clone the repository into this path then click "Next"

Note: It's highly recommended to save the project in a known location as it will be needed.

6. Select Import existing Eclipse projects then click "Next"
7. Select the project in this repository then click "Finish" then the project will be automatically opened in Project Explorer tab

2.3 Build

This step will guide you though the build process. Follow the steps below.

1. In Project Explorer, right-click the project and select "Update Code and Build Project"
   • A warning pop-up may appear about the configuration being made by an older version, then click "OK"
   • This will generate the configuration—Pins, Clocks, Peripherals—to update the source code and build the project using the active configuration (for example, Debug_FLASH)
   • Make sure that the build completes successfully and the *.elf file is generated without errors

2. Connect the board via USB Type-C cable (that supports data transfer to a personal computer)
   • There will be a debug configuration for this project using GNU debugger (GDB) PEMicro Interface Debugging
   • Click on Debug icon and select the included Debug Configuration to automatically change to the Debug Perspective (if the board is connected)
   
3. If another debug configuration is needed, select "Debug Configurations…," choose the desired debug configuration and click on Debug where it will change to the Debug Perspective

2.4 Run

In this step, you will run the example. Follow the steps below.

1. Use the controls to control the application flow
   • Click on Resume icon to run the application in free mode
   • The clocks, peripherals and connection with FreeMASTER through low-power universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter 6 (LPUART6) will be configured and initialized

2. Start FreeMASTER (the main window will be displayed on the screen) while the application is running
3. Open FreeMASTER project by selecting File>Open Project or selecting the open icon. (you can also use the shortcut Ctrl+O)

4. Go to your local path where the application is saved by opening the file and selecting ".pmpx FreeMASTER project" then click "Open"

5. A warning will appear if the name of the .elf file changes.
   • Click "OK" to pop up a new window
   • Select "Access the variables anyway at their last-know addresses" and click "Continue"

6. The FreeMASTER project tree will contain a Temperature and Acceleration new oscilloscopes windows where you will select one and click the "GO!" icon to start visualizing the data in real time

This section will walk you through how to integrate FreeMASTER into your own S32DS project to establish communication with your target hardware. The steps cover adding the FreeMASTER SDK, configuring universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART)-based communication, enabling the required software components and initializing FreeMASTER within the application. You will also learn how to connect FreeMASTER to your running system, import application symbols and monitor or modify variables in real time to support debugging, validation and application tuning.

3.1 Add FreeMASTER SDK

In this step you will get the FreeMASTER SDK.

1. Start S32DS. Click the "Help" tab and click "S32DS Extensions and Updates"

2. Type "FreeMASTER" in the search bar and select communication driver for the selected family, then Install/Update

3. Next, you will open a project in S32DS to add FreeMASTER by selecting it from the project folder

4. Right-click project folder to open the ribbon, then scroll down and click "Properties" (Alt+Enter shortcut could also be used to open "Properties" directly)

5. Next, select SDKs (as shown below), select "FreeMASTER_S32" then click "Attach/Detach…."

6. In the next window, you mark the checkbox for "Select All" to select the FreeMASTER components that will be attached to the project, then click "OK"

7. Next, click "Apply and Close" to confirm your changes (a pop up should appear with a successful attachment)

3.2 Add FreeMASTER UART Communication

This step details how to obtain the UART.

1. FreeMASTER does not configure the protocol communication within the application, so the S32 Configuration Tools is provided to assist you
   • UART communication will be used by this example
   • Open S32 Configuration Tools by doing click on "Pins" icon

2. Configure the LPUART receiver (RX) and transmitter (TX) pins for the selected board. (make sure that LPUART TX is configured as "Output")

Note: This example will use FRDM-A-S32K344 development board. Pins may vary on different boards. Review the selected board schematic to identify appropriate LPUART_RX and LPUART_TX.


3. Click on "Peripherals" icon

4. Click on "drivers plus icon (+)," select the "Lpuart_Uart" component and click "OK"

5. Configure the UART peripheral as needed

6. Click on "Drivers plus icon (+)," then select the "IntCtrl_Ip" component and click "OK"

7. Click on "Interrupt Controller plus" icon (+) then clock the "PlatformIsrConfig plus icon" (+) and complete these fields:
   • Type interruption name
   • Select UART IRQ according to previous pins selection
   • Enable interrupt checkbox
   • Assign interruption priority level
   • Define handler's name (it is highly recommended to type FMSTR_SerialIsr as the handler)

8. Click "Update Code" then click "OK"

9. Click on the "S32DS C/C++" icon to return to project view

3.3 Add FreeMASTER to Application

This step covers how to add FreeMASTER to the application. Follow the instructions below.

1. Include FreeMASTER and FreeMASTER UART headers to the project as follows:
   #include "freemaster.h"
#include "freemaster_s32_lpuart.h"
2. Initialize clocks, pins, UART and interruptions in the main function (if not added yet) as follows:
   Clock_Ip_Init(&Clock_Ip_aClockConfig[0]);
OsIf_Init(NULL_PTR);
Siul2_Port_Ip_Init(NUM_OF_CONFIGURED_PINS_PortContainer_0_BOARD_InitPeripherals, g_pin_mux_InitConfigArr_PortContainer_0_BOARD_InitPeripherals);
Lpuart_Uart_Ip_Init(LPUART_UART_IP_INSTANCE_USING_6, &Lpuart_Uart_Ip_xHwConfigPB_6);
IntCtrl_Ip_Init(&IntCtrlConfig_0);
3. Initialize FreeMASTER serial communication after application initialization as follows:
   FMSTR_SerialSetBaseAddress((FMSTR_ADDR)IP_LPUART_6_BASE);
FMSTR_Init();
4. Add FreeMASTER polling function within the infinite loop in main as follows:
   FMSTR_Poll();
5. Open the include_freemaster folder and open freemaster_cfg.h then make the following changes:
   • Change FMSTR_SHORT_INTR from 0 to 1
   • Change FMSTR_POLL_DRIVEN from 1 to 0
   • // Select interrupt or poll-driven serial communication
   • #define FMSTR_LONG_INTR 0 // Complete message processing in interrupt
   • #define FMSTR_SHORT_INTR 1 // Queuing done in interrupt
   • #define FMSTR_POLL_DRIVEN 0 // No interrupt needed, polling only
6. Build and flash the application to ensure there are no compilation errors and the application launches successfully with no hard faults (For assistance, refer to the FreeMASTER community)
7. FreeMASTER will now ready to be used for the project

You will continue to develop the application in S32DS as outlined in the next section

3.4 Add and Monitor Variables in FreeMASTER

This section details how to manage FreeMASTER variables.

1. Start FreeMASTER after the application is running on the board
2. Click on "Tools>Connection Wizard", then select "User direct connection to on-board USB port" and click "Next"

3. Select "Serial USB Ports" and "Baud-rates" to be probed, then click "Next"

4. If the board is powered and running, the Connection Wizard will automatically detect board and baud rate used in the application
   • Select "Yes, use the detected port settings and start using FreeMASTER tool" and click "Finish"

5. Next, click "Yes" to accept FreeMASTER loading variables via .elf or .map file

6. Click on three dots (…), locate the same S32DS project folder as the application running and proceed as follows:
   • Open Debug_FLASH folder
   • click on .elf or .map files
   • Click "Open"

   Note: It will be necessary to compile the desired project to generate Debug_FLASH folder as previously in the "Build" section.


7. Click "View" to verify which variables are available within the application then click "OK"

Note: Variables shown in the image are for example only, and are not part of any configuration.


8. Click "Project" in the ribbon then click "Variables" to add the variables to monitor
9. Click on "New…" and search for the address of the variable of interest then click "OK," then proceed as follows:
   • Repeat this step until you have all the variables desired
   • Once finished adding variables, click "Close" in the "Variables List" window

10. Right-click in "Variable Watch" space and click "Watch Properties…."

11. Select the available variables and click "Add ->" (as shown below) then click OK once finished

12. Selected variables will now be available in the "Variable Watch" space
    • To modify variable value, double-click on the desired variable, go to the "Modifying" tab and select the "Any value within proper limits" option
    • Optionally, you may define limit values and steps

13. Click the "GO!" icon to start visualizing and modifying variables in real time (configuration can be saved as a project in application folder to access it later)

To learn more about intermediate and advanced FreeMASTER features go to FreeMASTER Community.

4.1 Developer Experience

This page covers the fundamentals of getting started with FreeMASTER, but there is much more to explore. To further expand your knowledge, discover advanced use cases and learn from real-world applications, visit the FreeMASTER Community. There, you can access technical discussions, ask questions, share experiences, find examples and best practices and connect directly with other developers and NXP experts.

Whether you are building automotive, industrial, or general embedded solutions, the FreeMASTER Community is a valuable resource for enhancing your development workflow and getting the most from FreeMASTER.

Join the FreeMASTER Community.

Additional References

• FreeMASTER Run-Time Debugging Tool
• FreeMASTER Community
• FreeMASTER How To (Community)
• FreeMASTER Releases
• Automotive Software Package Manager
• Application Code Hub

Trainings

• What's New In FreeMASTER?
• FreeMASTER Lite 1.1 + Node-RED Integration
• Tips for Enhancing Embedded Applications with MBDT and FreeMASTER
• NXP Software and Tools Solutions for Motor Control Applications in Automotive
• MCAT 2.0 Next-Generation Motor Control Tuning
• Motor Control Application Tuning (MCAT) Tool – PMSM Servo Tuning
• How To Use the Automotive Software Package Manager