STM32 Build Prerequisites

Prior to building a no-OS project for STM32 platforms, it is required to install the STM32 development tools and set up the environment.

Linux

Prerequisites

  • Install STM32CubeIDE (latest version) to default location /opt/stm32cubeide. If you'd rather install it at a different location, run export STM32CUBEIDE=/path/to/your/stm32cubeide in the terminal used for building.

  • Install STM32CubeMX version 6.5.0 to default location /opt/stm32cubemx. If you'd rather install it at a different location, run export STM32CUBEMX=/path/to/your/stm32cubemx in the terminal used for building.

  • Install Python3 (if not already present) and make sure the python command executes Python3 (not Python2). This can be easily achieved by running:

    $ sudo apt install python-is-python3

Building a project

Make sure you have the .ioc file in the project directory, then type:

$ make PLATFORM=stm32

Note

If during the project generation you get a dialog saying that you are using an .ioc file generated with an old CubeMX version, click Continue. Migrate is also a valid option but only if you know what you are doing.

If you're trying to use an .ioc file generated with a newer CubeMX than the one installed on your machine, you will get a prompt that asks you to upgrade your installation to the new version. There is no other choice than to click OK and then manually upgrade.

The build process creates a build directory in the project folder:

build
├── app
├── bsp
├── obj
├── project_name.elf
└── tmp

Running/Debugging

Once the .elf file has been generated, make sure the board is powered on, cable connected and use the following commands to upload the program to the board or debug.

Uploading the binary to target is achieved with:

$ make run

Windows

Prerequisites

Important

Use Git Bash to run these commands.

  • Install STM32CubeIDE (latest version) to your desired location like C:\stm32cubeide.

  • Install STM32CubeMX version 6.5.0 to your desired location like C:\stm32cubemx.

  • Install Python and make sure it's available in Git Bash by adding it to the Windows Path, if needed.

Building a project

Assuming you've installed STM32CubeMX at C:\stm32cubemx and STM32CubeIDE at C:\stm32cubeide, run these commands prior to building to let the build system know where they are installed:

$ export STM32CUBEMX=/c/stm32cubemx
$ export STM32CUBEIDE=/c/stm32cubeide

Make sure you have the .ioc file in the project directory, then type:

$ make PLATFORM=stm32

Note

If during the project generation you get a dialog saying that you are using an .ioc file generated with an old CubeMX version, click Continue. Migrate is also a valid option but only if you know what you are doing.

If you're trying to use an .ioc file generated with a newer CubeMX than the one installed on your machine, you will get a prompt that asks you to upgrade your installation to the new version. There is no other choice than to click OK and then manually upgrade.

Running/Debugging

The running and debugging steps are the same as on Linux. See the Linux section above for make run.

Debugging with PowerShell (OpenOCD)

Important

This section is for running built no-OS projects natively under Windows using PowerShell and OpenOCD.

  • Install STM32CubeIDE.

  • In PowerShell, set the variables below, correcting with the absolute paths of your STM32CubeIDE install:

$stm32cubeide="C:\ST\STM32CubeIDE_1.16.1\STM32CubeIDE"
$openocd_bin="$stm32cubeide\plugins\com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.externaltools.openocd.win32_2.3.200.202404091248\tools\bin\openocd.exe"
$openocd_scripts="$stm32cubeide\plugins\com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.debug.openocd_2.2.100.202406131243\resources\openocd\st_scripts"

  • Extract the pair of deliverables (e.g., some_project.elf.openocd, project.elf) in a folder. The .openocd file will be the same regardless of the Makefile configuration.

  • Navigate to the folder in PowerShell:

cd ~\path\to\my_project

  • Set the project files:

$openocd_cmd=".\some_project.elf.openocd"
$openocd_elf="./some_project.elf"

  • And run:

&"$openocd_bin" -s "$openocd_scripts" -f $openocd_cmd -c "program $openocd_elf verify reset exit"