Build & debug tools

Atollic has developed a unique set of command-line tools that work with any CPU architecture. The tool chain is cross-platform and runs equally well on Windows, Linux and Unix. It is fully compatible with the GNU tools, and uses the same command line options, directives and keywords. All tools are proprietary ”clean” implementations and can be considered as ”GNU clones” without GPL contamination issues.

The tool chain contains build and link tools, binary utilities and a debugger backend with built-in CPU simulator. Being GNU compatible, they work as drop-in replacements in any environment or build system designed to use GNU tools. For example, our ”gdb clone” can be used with the Eclipse debugger frontend without changes to Eclipse, as it is designed to work with the ”standard” gdb debugger.

All the tools are CPU agnostic and work with any CPU architecture (8/16/32/64-bit, etc). The tools get their target information by reading an ISA (instruction set architecture) configuration file for the target you wish to support. Writing a configuration file that immediately makes all the tools understand the behavior of any new CPU is done in just a matter of weeks.

By changing the configuration file (e.g. replacing an Intel 8051 configuration file with a Renesas SH configuration file), all the tools immediately change behavior and automatically start to support the new processor architecture. In effect, this dramatically reduces the development time/cost for software tools and also provides ”GNU like” tools without the GPL issues.

The Atollic tool chain is available for licensing by microprocessor manufacturers or SoC IP-library suppliers and can preferably be combined with an Eclipse or proprietary IDE.