Analog Devices 82-003536-01 manual The Evaluation Process, Evaluation Tools

2 THE EVALUATION PROCESS

This chapter describes the available software and hardware tools needed to evaluate SHARC processors and develop application programs.

This chapter introduces the software and hardware evaluation tools that are currently available, including:

•“Selecting Software Development Tools” on page 2-2

•“Selecting the Right Combination of Tools” on page 2-60

Evaluation Tools

This section examines the process through which SHARC processor appli- cations are developed. Various tools are used at each stage. Typical application development occurs over multiple stages.

Most users acquire a set of software development tools first. The software development tools run on a PC and provide code generation and debug utilities such as a compiler, assembler, linker, simulator, debugger, and libraries. For information on selecting appropriate software, see “Selecting Software Development Tools” on page 2-2.

Optionally, users acquire a hardware tool to begin testing the application on a SHARC processor. Development boards typically provide expansion headers, allowing you to prototype basic hardware without customized user hardware.

Getting Started With SHARC Processors 2-1