Tips on speeding up a sluggish development environment

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cross mob
Anonymous
Not applicable

I'm just starting out tinkering with my first PSoC project and playing with (what I'm hoping to be) the easy version of programmable logic.

   

Anyway, comping from a software development background I'm used to rapid edit-compile-debug cycles and tend to get frustrated when running a basic test takes more than ten seconds. Unfortunately in PSoC Creator my simple of introductory tests using a small fraction of the available resources takes several minutes to build, and the graphical designer frequently freezes up for three second stretches.

   

Basically I'm not certain whether this is normal or whether it is an issue with my particular installation, and I'm a little concerned about how things will scale once my design starts to grow.

   

Are there any options available which I ought to fiddle with? Perhaps enabling parallel/progressive builds, tweaking cache sizes/garbage collection rate or reducing the number of optimization passes for my small and slowly-clocked debug build?

   

Alternatively is it time to bite-the-bullet and get used to a new type of workflow and/or get myself a more up-to-date computer?

6 Replies
Bob_Marlowe
Level 10
Level 10
First like given 50 questions asked 10 questions asked

Welcome in the fascinating world of PSoCs!

   

Getting hands on a faster computer is always a good choice  😉

   

 

   

The freezing of the IDE has been reported by some users that had their project-files residing on a network-connection. I would suggest to avoid that.

   

 

   

As far as we are talking about "programming" you will see that the time needed for compiling and linking your C-source is apparently short and nothing to moan about. But here you are in the world of hardware-design and using such complicated things as HDL which is used internally to generate the hardware you specified will take its time. When creating a schematic with EAGLE for instance you are going to wait some times when starting the auto-router and you must have done the component-placement before.

   

So, what you are actually looking at is not an emulation by some kind of software of your schematic, no, it is real hardware and that has to be programmed taking its time.

   

 

   

Bob

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Thank you! I confess that I'm still trying to get a handle on what these weird and wonderful devices can be made to do in practice.

   

 

   

My project is not actually placed on a networked drive but perhaps Windows or our version control system is playing tricks on me. I'll try shuffling the folders around to see whether that would help.

   

 

   

I take your point about HDL optimization. I suppose the hard timing constraints make it an inherently global process, as opposed to a software compiler which can primarily apply itself to single functions. Though I must admit that I have so far shied away from auto-routing/placement figuring, perhaps naively, that for my relatively small projects correctly specifying the constraints would take more effort than would be saved by the automation.

   

 

   

Still, I don't suppose there are any little tricks that would help? Perhaps an option to prevent the optimizer from going for extra-credit and stopping as soon as the results would fit?

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Bob_Marlowe
Level 10
Level 10
First like given 50 questions asked 10 questions asked

No, implicit, no explicit settings to speed up project build, ... except ... when you have defined your hardware, all components set up and named neatly and you refuse from changing the sheet, clocks and pins... then everything will run quite fast after the first successful build. Just changing some C-code compiles quickly, even with optimization.

   

On the other hand.... Sweden.... Don't you have rather long nights right now? ;-.)

   

 

   

Bob

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ETRO_SSN583
Level 9
Level 9
250 likes received 100 sign-ins 5 likes given

Look at build settings for synthesizer -

   

 

   

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Bob: Indeed, though I was kind of hoping for something a little speedier than overnight batch builds..

   

 

   

Dana: Thanks! I'll give it a wirl.

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ETRO_SSN583
Level 9
Level 9
250 likes received 100 sign-ins 5 likes given

You are always welcome !

   

Dana.

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