JTAG ICE, PARTNER-Jet, High-speed multi-function JTAG ICE

It has been believed that it is very difficult for ICE to support logically multiplexed virtual spaces where the Linux applications are running. KMC has been working on this challenge and the PARTNER-Jet successfully cleared it.

For kernel debugging:

• Very fast downloading of your kernel image from the PARTNER-Jet.
• You can debug the XIP kernel.

For loadable module debugging:

• The PARTNER-Jet automatically recognizes the relocation information.
• Can automatically invoke the debugging on insmod.
• You can source-debug your original loadable modules not in the kernel source tree.

For applications and shared libraries debugging:

• Real-time trace analysis by process and/or by thread.
• Support debugging of XIP applications and prelink libraries.
• Has two modes in thread debugging, by threads or by binding all the threads in the target process.
• Can set hardware breakpoints by process or by thread.
• Can debug processes using the PARTNER-Jet without halting the kernel and the other process(es).
• Can attach running application from the PARTNER debugger.
• Can debug process' startup part before main().

For all Linux debugging:

• Supports hardware breakpoints, real-time trace, and flash memory, etc.
• Advanced overall performance analysis supporting the kernel, modules, shared libraries, and applications.
  (High Speed JTAG ICE "PARTNER-Jet" now supports performance analysis feature for Linux target system.)
• Can analyze huge debug information generated by GCC with native support. Supports stabs+ debug information as well as dwarf.

Can debug directly from the PARTNER-Jet for cases in the following table:

Type of programs	Memory space	Address	Paging	Support for debugging
Boot loader	Non MMU space	Fixed address	nothing	Same as ordinary embedded debugging
Kernel	Non multiplexed kernel space on MMU	Fixed address	almost nothing	Almost same as ordinary embedded debugging
Loadable module	Non multiplexed kernel space on MMU	Relocatable	Ondemand paging	Requires resolving relocation and support for paging
Application	Logical multiplexed virtual space on MMU	Fixed	Ondemand paging	Requires logical multiplexed virtual space, and support for paging
Shared library	Logical multiplexed virtual space on MMU	Relocatable	Ondemand paging	Requires resolving relocation, logical multiplexed virtual space, and support for paging

As shown above, debugging the Linux using ICE requires to support demand paging, relocatable format, and virtual space using MMU. The PARTNER-Jet supports all the required features shown above and it is the perfect debugging environment for Linux. It has been believed very difficult for ICE to support logically multiplexed virtual spaces where the Linux applications are running. KMC has been working on this challenge and the PARTNER-Jet successfully cleared it.

Compatible kernel versions

kernel 2.4 and 2.6 series

Distributions

MontaVista PRO, CEE, PREVIEW-KIT, Lineo uLinux, TimeSys Linux, axLinux, etc.

Supported target CPUs

ARM, MIPS, SH

The PARTNER-AP/Linux is a remote debugger which works via network. It uses ptrace() system call to invoke the 'ptsvr' debug daemon. It is extremely easy to use because it's a software-only debugger. It requires the 'ptsvr' debug daemon work on the target system and this does not allow you to debug the kernel. It supports spawning child processes using fork() or generating threads using pthread_create() and can automatically debug newly spawned child processes and threads. It also provides advanced features in multiple-threads debugging. You can debug multiple-threads by threads or by binding all the threads in the target process. You can also debug XIP applications and use hardware breakpoints if the target kernel supports them.