Features¶
What features are new:
Run multiple AVR devices in one simulation. (only with interpreter interfaces or special application linked against simulavr library) Multiple cores can run where each has a different clock frequency.
Connect multiple AVR core pins to other devices like LCD, LED and others. (environment)
Connect multiple AVR cores to multiple avr-gdb instances. (each on its own socket/port number, but see first point for running multiple AVR cores)
Write simulation scripts in Tcl/Tk or Python, other languages could be added by simply adding swig scripts!
Tracing the execution of the program, these traces support all debugging information directly from the ELF-file.
The traces run step by step for each device so you see all actions in the multiple devices in time-correct order.
Every interrupt call is visible.
Interrupt statistics with latency, longest and shortest execution time and some more.
There is a simple text based UI interface to add LCD, switches, LEDs or other components and can modify it during simulation, so there is no longer a need to enter a pin value during execution. (Tcl/Tk based)
Execution timing should be nearly accurate, different access times for internal RAM / external RAM / EEPROM and other hardware components are simulated.
A pseudo core hardware component is introduced to do “printf” debugging. This “device” is connected to a normal named UNIX socket so you do not have to waste a UART or other hardware in your test environment. (How?)
ELF-file loading is supported, no objcopy needed anymore.
Execution speed is tuned a lot, most hardware simulations are now only done if needed.
External IO pins which are not ports are also available. (E.g. ADC7 and ADC8 on ATmega8 in TQFP package.)
External I/O and some internal states of hardware units (link prescaler counter and interrupt states) can be dumped out into a VCD trace to analyze I/O behavior and timing. Or you can use it for tests.