Wind River today announced the latest version of its Eclipse-based toolsuite for device software development. Workbench 2.4 is one of the first embedded software development toolsuites to incorporate Eclipse version 3.1. The suite supports development of embedded software based on both Linux and VxWorks (the company's proprietary real-time operating system).

Wind River said its implementation of Eclipse 3.1 technology in Workbench 2.4 adds new processor architecture support for ARM 9, ColdFire, and XScale, and currently includes ARM and MIPS architecture support for the kernel mode debugging, ScopeTools, and System Viewer “on-chip debugging” functions. Linux platform build support is now available for both Windows and Solaris hosts, the company added.

Eclipse is an open cross-platform framework for multi-vendor tools integration. Eclipse has become the tools platform of choice for a growing number of embedded Linux operating system and tools vendors, including Enea, LynuxWorks, MontaVista, Sysgo, TimeSys, Wind River, and possibly others. Additionally, Eclipse tools are offered by chip companies such as Intel and Texas Instruments, and by middleware companies such as Devicescape, to name a few.

Other enhancements

In addition to these Eclipse enhancements, Workbench 2.4 introduces two new toolsets, which initially support VxWorks, only:

• Workbench Unit Tester tools — this toolset allows developers to create and perform unit test functions, code integration tests, and test coverage analysis in an “easy,” “standardized” manner, according to Wind River. The tests can also be automated, a useful feature throughout the full development cycle.
• Workbench Diagnostics — this toolset provides both nonstop dynamic debugging and forensic-style device-level inspection capabilities. The diagnostics tools can be deployed on production devices, enabling convenient access and troubleshooting once the devices are deployed in the field. In the event of a system failure, the diagnostics enable forensic analysis on a core file and can “intelligently” rewind key system attributes step-by-step prior to the failure, Wind River said.

The company said it continues to invest in on-chip debugging (OCD) support within Workbench, and that its Workbench OCD Edition product retains the ability to debug “any Linux kernel.” OCD Edition uses JTAG-based debugging to support the early stages of device software development, including initial board bring-up and validation, device driver development, low-level software development, and C/C++ application development, according to the company.

Availability

The Workbench 2.4 toolsuite supporting both Linux and VxWorks is currently available under “early access” conditions to select customers, and will be fully released later this month, the company said.

Workbench Unit Tester and Workbench Diagnostics support for VxWorks targets will become available later this month; no date was stated for Linux support of the two new toolsets.

 
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