runners: Add lldbac runner for run-lldbac debugging #97635
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zephyrbot
added
area: Boards/SoCs
platform: Synopsys
zephyrbot
requested review from
abrodkin,
carlescufi,
evgeniy-paltsev,
marc-hb,
mbolivar,
pdgendt,
ruuddw and
swinslow
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pdgendt
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Oct 15, 2025
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Re-assigning because I have zero experience with ARC |
ruuddw
requested changes
Oct 16, 2025
marc-hb
reviewed
Oct 16, 2025
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| def __init__(self, cfg, props, tcf=None, hardware=False, board_json=None, gui=False): | ||
| super().__init__(cfg) | ||
| self.lldbac_cmd = ['run-lldbac'] |
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Suggested change
| self.lldbac_cmd = ['run-lldbac'] | |
| self.lldbac_cmd = [shutil.which('run-lldbac')] |
shutil.which() automatically appends .bat or .exe on Windows, which solves the Windows problem reported by @ruuddw in #97635 (review)
This is already used in dozens of places in this repo.
(I have not looked at the code; I only saw @ruuddw 's comment)
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Thanks for the tip @marc-hb!
Introduce a new Zephyr runner, `lldbac`, providing interactive debugging for both nSIM (simulator) and physical hardware using the run-lldbac tool from Synopsys ARC MWDT. This runner provides two distinct operation modes: 1. Integrated mode (debug/flash): Runner manages debug server internally via run-lldbac wrapper tool 2. Client-only mode (debugserver): Connect lldbac client to externally managed GDB server (works for both simulator and hardware) Key features: - Hardware mode: Flash and debug on physical hardware using JTAG flags (requires --jtag-device parameter) - Simulator mode: Interactive debugging on nSIM using run-lldbac with --nsim flag (props or --tcf). Enable with --simulator flag. - Board-driven config: Boards can specify defaults in board.cmake - TCF support: Optional --tcf for simulator mode (mutually exclusive with --nsim-props) - GUI support: Optional --gui flag for VS Code debugging - Client-only mode: Connect to pre-started GDB server for advanced workflows and remote debugging Runner capabilities: - flash: Available for hardware only (simulator should use arc-nsim) - debug: Available for both simulator and hardware (integrated mode) - debugserver: Connect to existing GDB server (client-only mode) Hardware configuration (flag-based): - --jtag-device: JTAG device name (required, e.g., JtagHs2) - --jtag: JTAG adapter type (default: jtag-digilent) - --jtag-frequency: JTAG clock frequency (default: 500KHz) Simulator configuration: - --simulator: Enable simulator mode (required) - --nsim-props: nSIM properties file path - --tcf: Tool Configuration File (alternative to --nsim-props) Client-only mode: - --gdb-host: GDB server hostname/IP (default: localhost) - --gdb-port: GDB server port (default: 3333) The debugserver command uses raw `lldbac` instead of `run-lldbac` to avoid automatic platform connection, enabling clean client-only operation for remote debugging and advanced workflows. Signed-off-by: Afonso Oliveira <[email protected]>
Add lldbac runner configuration to arc_v nSIM board family for simulator debugging with run-lldbac tool. Configure --nsim-props argument using the same NSIM_PROPS variable as arc-nsim runner for consistency. This enables the lldbac runner to use the board-specific nSIM properties for simulator mode debugging. The lldbac runner supports both simulator and hardware modes, with simulator mode being enabled via the --simulator flag. For hardware debugging, users need to provide --board-json configuration separately. Signed-off-by: Afonso Oliveira <[email protected]>
Add comprehensive documentation for using the lldbac runner with arc_v nSIM board targets, covering simulator and hardware debugging workflows. Signed-off-by: Afonso Oliveira <[email protected]>
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This PR introduces a new Zephyr runner
lldbacthat provides interactive debugging support for ARC-V targets using therun-lldbactool from Synopsys ARC MetaWare Development Toolkit (MWDT).The runner supports both simulator (nSIM) and physical hardware debugging. For simulator mode, it uses
--nsimwith board-configured properties or optional--tcffiles. For hardware mode, it provides flash and debug capabilities via board.json JTAG configuration. Hardware mode requires explicit--board-jsonargument to prevent accidental misconfigurations.The
debugcommand is available for both simulator and hardware, whileflashis hardware-only (simulator users should use the existingarc-nsimrunner for non-interactive execution). TCF and props are mutually exclusive for simulator mode, with TCF taking precedence if both are specified.Example usage:
Tested on
nsim_arc_v/rmx100board target.