(Microcontrollers) Is it possible to utilize .svd file to view target registers? #430

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1. GitMensch commented on Jun 6, 2024

   

   GitMensch

   on Jun 6, 2024

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   How does an SVD file looks like? Does it "somehow work" with GDB?
2. retif commented on Jun 6, 2024

   

   retif

   on Jun 6, 2024

   Last edited by retif

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   The manufacturer provides SVD(System View Description) file for every microcontroller, the insides are looks like this(snippet)

      <peripheral>
         <name>HRTIM_Master</name>
         <description>High Resolution Timer: Master
         Timers</description>
         <groupName>HRTIM</groupName>
         <baseAddress>0x40017400</baseAddress>
         <addressBlock>
           <offset>0x0</offset>
           <size>0x80</size>
           <usage>registers</usage>
         </addressBlock>
         <registers>
           <register>
             <name>MCR</name>
             <displayName>MCR</displayName>
             <description>Master Timer Control Register</description>
             <addressOffset>0x0</addressOffset>
             <size>0x20</size>
             <access>read-write</access>
             <resetValue>0x00000000</resetValue>
             <fields>
               <field>
                 <name>BRSTDMA</name>
                 <description>Burst DMA Update</description>
                 <bitOffset>30</bitOffset>
                 <bitWidth>2</bitWidth>
               </field>
             </fields>
           </register>
         </registers>
      </peripheral>
   

   There many more of them in .SVD file. And they provide description of every peripheral register address, name, description and every field name, description offset. This allows when we are in debug session to navigate over this list rendered as a tree of names and view/set the value of them, for debug purposes, this can save time of reading datasheet or .svd file to find out the needed address. Its could be not easy, because for every bit field you need to sum the offset with baseAddress of register to see/change its value
3. retif

   changed the title [-]Is it possible to utilize .svd file to view target registers?[/-] [+](Microcontrollers) Is it possible to utilize .svd file to view target registers?[/+] on Jun 6, 2024
4. GitMensch commented on Sep 13, 2024

   

   GitMensch

   on Sep 13, 2024

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   To answer the initial question. Yes it is possible. And to possibly also answer it: someone would need to implement a configuration for reading this file and loading the registers in the already available register view. Maybe that someone could be you or someone you know?

   Side note: There's a good debug extension specialized on debugging microcontrollers and it already has SVD support: Cortex Debug (and no, we sadly cannot copy any of its part as it has an incompatible license [you cannot take MIT-code and put it in a Public Domain code if you don't want to switch to MIT]).
5. ChrisIdema commented on Jul 15, 2026

   

   ChrisIdema

   on Jul 15, 2026

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   Side note: There's a good debug extension specialized on debugging microcontrollers and it already has SVD support: Cortex Debug (and no, we sadly cannot copy any of its part as it has an incompatible license [you cannot take MIT-code and put it in a Public Domain code if you don't want to switch to MIT]).

   I don't think this is correct. The license explicitly allows modifying and sub-licensing:
   https://github.com/Marus/cortex-debug?tab=MIT-1-ov-file
   You can put the copied code and license in a separate folder. The license does not apply to other code.