Development tool reseller Ultimate Solutions is shipping an Eclipse-based debugger optimized for use with Abatron's BDI2000 BDM/JTAG probe. The “LinuxScope-JTD” (JTAG Target Debugger) debugger supports Linux kernel debugging and Flash programming, and has an enhanced MI (Motorola Interface) said to add hardware breakpoint… awareness into Eclipse.

(Click for larger view of LinuxScope-JTD screenshots)

The BDI2000 is a “background mode debugger” (BDM) that exploits on-chip debugging capabilities within many modern processors. BDM debugging sessions can survive target system crashes, facilitating crash forensics.

Ultimate Solutions claims to be “the leading supplier of Abatron's BDI2000.” The company further claims that the BDI2000 and Eclipse IDE are “definitely today's most commonly used tools within the embedded Linux community.”

Touted features of the LinuxScope-JTD debugger include:

• Enhanced MI interface adds hardware breakpoint awareness into Eclipse and tracking of modules
• Integrated flash utility supports a variety of Flash and StrataFlash devices
• Allows creation of custom scripts to perform special target operations
• Allows Linux kernel debugging
• Mechanism to modify and view hardware registers
• Quick setup
• Available as Eclipse-based IDE or plug-in
• Standard debugging features: View/Modify memory, view disassembly, track watch points, view variable, and view stack
• Plug-in updates

LinuxScope-JTD supports Linux, Windows, Macintosh, and Solaris development hosts. A list of architectures and chips supported under GNU/Linux by the BDI2000 can be found here.

LinuxScope-JTD was developed for Ultimate Solutions by Embedded Alley, an embedded Linux service provider with offices on both U.S. coasts. Embedded Alley CEO Pete Popov stated, “This product was developed from the ground up to leverage the capabilities of the BDI2000 and the Eclipse IDE.”

Ultimate Solutions CEO Peter Tympanick added that “Embedded Alley is under contract to develop future revisions of the product that we expect to release later this year.”

Availability

LinuxScope-JTD can be purchased stand-alone or bundled with Abatron's BDI2000. It appears to be available now, under various licenses plans. A free evaluation download is accessible after registration.

Other graphical debuggers that support the BDI2000 include TimeSys's Eclipse-based TimeStorm IDE, and VioSoft's Arriba Embedded Edition.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.