Description

Code Composer Studio™ (CCStudio) is an integrated development environment (IDE) for Texas Instruments (TI) embedded processor families. CCStudio comprises a suite of tools used to develop and debug embedded applications. It includes compilers for each of TI's device families, source code editor, project build environment, debugger, profiler, simulators, real-time operating system and many other features. The intuitive IDE provides a single user interface taking you through each step of the application development flow. Familiar tools and interfaces allow users to get started faster than ever before and add functionality to their application thanks to sophisticated productivity tools.

Code Composer Studio is based on the Eclipse open source software framework. The Eclipse software framework was originally developed as an open framework for creating development tools. Eclipse offers an excellent software framework for building software development environments and it is becoming a standard framework used by many embedded software vendors. CCStudio combines the advantages of the Eclipse software framework with advanced embedded debug capabilities from TI resulting in a compelling feature-rich development environment for embedded developers.

Code Composer Studio supports running on both Windows and Linux PCs. Not all features or devices are supported on Linux please see Linux Host Support for details.

Additional Information

• Wiki: Code Composer Studio - Robust information on how to more effectively use CCStudio
• DOWNLOAD SITE - All current and archived product images
• HELP: Having trouble? - Where to go for Downloads, Upgrades, Licensing, Subscription help
• System Requirements - Details on the minimum and recommended system requirements
• Subscription information - Details on the Code Composer Studio Subscription service
• For F24x/C24x devices - Requires Code Composer Studio v3

Features

There are many features included in Code Composer Studio IDE. The following are some of the key features that may be of interest.

Resource Explorer
The Resource Explorer provides quick access to common tasks such as creating new projects as well as enabling users to browse through extensive examples provided as part of ControlSUITE™, StellarisWare and others.

Grace™ – Peripheral Code Generation
Grace is a feature of Code Composer Studio that allows MSP430 users to generate peripheral set up code within minutes. The generated code is fully-commented and easy-to-read C-code.

SYS/BIOS
SYS/BIOS is an advanced, real-time operating system for use in a wide range of TI digital signal processors (DSP), ARM microprocessors, and microcontrollers. It is designed for use in embedded applications that need real-time scheduling, synchronization, and instrumentation. It provides preemptive multitasking, hardware abstraction, and memory management. SYS/BIOS is royalty free and is included with Code Composer Studio.

Compiler
Code Composer Studio includes C/C++ compilers tailored for TI’s embedded device architectures. Compilers for C6000™ and C5000™ digital signal processor devices get the most out of the powerful performance potential of those architectures. Compilers for TI’s ARM® and MSP430 microcontrollers, while not sacrificing performance altogether, are more attuned to the code size needs of those application domains. The compiler for TI’s real-time C2000™ microcontrollers takes the best advantage of the many performance and code size features available in this architecture. The Control Law Accelerator (CLA) C-Compiler is also supported in CCSv4 and CCSv5. For more information on the CLA C-Compiler, please click here.

Support for C++ could not be any better, especially now that EABI is rolling out. EABI (Extended Application Binary Interface) is a modern set of standards for organizing compiler generated code. EABI standards include the ELF object file format; the same format used in Linux. Higher levels of programming available only in C++, through templates and function in-lining, see much improvement due to EABI. EABI support is presently available for ARM, C6000 DSP and MSP430 compilers, and will soon be available on the other TI compilers.

Optimization supplied in TI compilers is world class. The software pipelining optimization of the C6000 DSP compiler is the cornerstone upon which is built most of the performance success of that architecture. Numerous other optimizations, both generic and target specific, boost performance for all TI compilers. Such optimizations can be applied at multiple levels: within statements and blocks of statements, throughout functions, entire files, and even across files.

Linux/Android Debug
Code Composer Studio supports both run mode debug and stop mode debug of Linux/Android applications.

In run mode debug, it is possible to debug one or more processes. To accomplish this CCStudio launches a GDB debugger to control the target side agent (a GDB server process). The GDB server launches or attaches to the process to be debugged and accepts instructions from the host side over a serial or TCP/IP connection. The kernel remains active during the debug session.

In the stop mode debug, CCStudio halts the processor using a JTAG emulator. The kernel and all processes are suspended completely. It is then possible to examine the state of the processor and the execution state of the current process.

Additional plug-ins such as the Google Android Development Tools (ADT) are available and can be added to the CCStudio environment to improve the Android development experience.

C6EZFlo
C6EZFlo is a graphical development tool that generates C6000 DSP applications from an intuitive block diagram view. C6EZFlo provides optimized processing algorithms and peripheral I/O support for a growing set of DSP-only devices.

System Analyzer
System Analyzer is a suite of tools that provide real-time visibility into the performance and behavior of application code, and allow for analysis of information that is collected from software and hardware instrumentation. System Analyzer enables benchmarking, CPU & task load monitoring, Operating System execution monitoring and multi-core event correlation.

Image Analyzer
Code Composer Studio includes the ability to graphically view variables and data, including video frames and images in native format.

Scripting
Some tasks such as testing need to run for hours or days without user interaction. To accomplish such a task, it needs to be possible to automate usage of the development tools. CCStudio has a complete scripting environment allowing for the automation of repetitive tasks such as testing and performance benchmarking. The scripts can either be run independently from the command line or from within a scripting console inside the CCStudio IDE.

Hardware Debugging
TI embedded processors include a selection of advanced hardware debugging capabilities. The capabilities vary by processor and can include:

• Non-intrusive access to registers and memory
• Real-time mode enables suspending background code while continuing to execute time-critical interrupt service routines.
• Multi-core operations such as synchronous run, step, and halt. This includes cross-core triggering, which provides the ability to have one core trigger other cores to halt.
• Advanced hardware breakpoints, watchpoints and statistics counters.
• Processor Trace can be used to debug complex issues, measure performance and monitor activity.
• System Trace (STM) provides non-intrusive software instrumentation enabling visibility into software execution without altering system behavior.

License Options
There are several license options for Code Composer Studio:

• Evaluation - free limit limited licenses that can be used to evaluation TI tools and devices.
• Node locked - a license that is tied to a specific computer.
• Floating - licenses that can be shared across multiple computers.
• Code Size Limited - free 16KB code size limited license for MSP430.
• Bundle/Dev Kit - free license for use with EVMs and development boards with onboard emulation as well as XDS100 class emulators.
• University - contact the TI University Program for details.

Available Versions

• The most recent release of Code Composer Studio IDE is available with a variety of license options, which support all TI embedded processor platforms (except F24x/C24x). These part numbers begin with "TMDSCCS-ALL." Scroll down to "Order Now" to find the CCS “ALL” options currently available.
• Effective 01 November, 2011 - Previously, TI Microcontroller users had the option to purchase separate part numbers. “MCU” part numbers are NO LONGER SOLD. Note that the "ALL" licenses are now available for the same price as the previous CCStudio IDE v4 MCU licenses, allowing development for all TI embedded processors. Go to CCStudio Subscriptions to see more Info for MCU Users.
• For F24x/C24x support, go to CCStudio v3.