CODESCAPE Tools

On-time delivery of leading-edge embedded solutions requires world-class tools. These tools must streamline programming, debugging and application optimization at all stages of SoC development to reduce time-to-market and ensure the best possible power consumption and system utilization. For example, this may include optimizing use of META's multi-threaded architecture or fine tuning ENSIGMA UCCP applications. Imagination Technologies therefore provides CODESCAPE™ – a state-of-the-art Integrated Development Environment (IDE) containing a comprehensive suite of development tools that provide support for the advanced and unique features of Imagination's IP cores.

The mature and successful CODESCAPE development system forms the hub of this tools suite providing a Windows-hosted IDE and debugger. The GNU based C/C++ META compiler, assembler and multi-threaded linkers can be invoked from CODESCAPE by using its integrated project manager and build system, with output files being automatically loaded onto a variety of different META hardware and simulator implementations. In addition to traditional features such as source-level debug, hardware code/data breakpointing, flexible structure viewers, and a C++ class browser are many advanced features such as built-in graphical scripting, fully annotated memory mapped peripheral inspector, and state-of-the-art features to support multi-threaded development and debugging.

As the toolset is designed to be used throughout the SoC and software development cycle it can be used with VHDL emulators, instruction set or full chip level simulators, FPGA based development boards and, of course, final silicon. The target hardware is connected via a powerful Ethernet JTAG debug pod that requires no debugging code to be present on the META core, so providing a high-speed and non-intrusive connection.

Extensive scripting support provides full control of the META core and can be used both with CODESCAPE and stand-alone to allow extensive automated testing of SoC products. The META toolset has proved itself to be stable, reliable and highly featured during the delivery of a number of successful SoCs. The toolset is being used world-wide at all levels of silicon and software development. Its comprehensive features, efficient design and solid support will continue to drive META into the heart of many consumer electronics devices.