PSoC Creator on Linux (or OSX) w/ or w/o wine

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cross mob
Anonymous
Not applicable

I got introduced to the PSoC 5 chip by the freeSOC project on Kickstarter (and smARtDUINO, which is compatible with it). They are part of the Arduino community.

   

I've tried installing PSoC Creator with wine, with both Mono and Microsoft .NET. That didn't work. Then, I tried, and succeded in installing the separate .msi packages, but the program crashes at startup (I'll try to investigate those).

   

Now, some questions:

   
        
  • Does the .exe installer do anything important other than running the .msi installers?
  •     
  • How much does your code use native Win32 .dll's? Would it be possible to use only .NET APIs, so as to enable running the program on Mono on Linux or OSX?
  •     
  • Have you considered open sourcing any parts of your PSoC software? I know you've at least used compilers et' al based on the GPL'd gcc compiler suite. Is there any really important IP that mandates keeping the no cost sofware proprietary?
  •    
   

I'm sure you know about the success of Arduino and friends. The reason those 8 bit AVR based chips have been much more popular among hobbyists than similar PICs, is the fact that Atmel released their IDE to users at no cost. That is what you have done. Now, what has enabled the multi platform and really easy to use Arduino IDE (and Unix like cmd tools), is the fact that the AVRs are well supported by open source tools like GCC (which Atmel contributes to) and AVRDude.

   

Now, the Cortex-M3 in PSoC 5 is already supported by GCC (which you use through Sourcery G++), but the programmer protocol and the CPLD hardware configuration have no such support in the open source world (there is an abandoned project from 2006 to create such tools). I urge you to consider the Open Source HardWare movement and the hobbyists using linux, OSX, Android, (and Windows) who are constantly inventing new ways to create and better themselves and the world around us. I know you and them would have much to gain from each other, if you welcome them by realeasing some (simple) portable open source tools to usefully use you hardware in non-Win32 environments, with or without GUIs. You could start by releasing a simple open source tool to upload pre compiled binaries to your hardware, which would be useful for user side firmware upgrades etc. Even just documenting the protocol would help, I'm sure some of the freeSOC board owners will start developing tools if given the chance. I' know I would like to buy a freeSOC board if I can use it without the hassle of installing Windows in a VM, I want the user of my hardware or code to have free and easy to use tools on the platform of their choosing.

   

Thanks, and sorry for this lengthy post. I hope this will be read by the right people 😉

54 Replies
Anonymous
Not applicable

I also tried to get PSoC creator working under Linux. unfortunately, it's not possible. So I tried to port some tools of the suite (https://github.com/clementleger/cypress_linux_tools). The current tools allow to build the software part of applications under Linux (no fitter, no hardware design, etc) for the CY8CKIT-049 and to upload them. Some tools have not been reversed (cyelftool). 

   

Additionnal board support can be added in Makefile.cypress with a few lines (providing they use the same format as other board). Feel free to try it, fork it and contribute if needed.

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GaMc_293196
Level 1
Level 1

Had just confirmed PSoC tools work in Win10 when it broke badly.

   

Have now ditched Windows 10 for home use, all development tools will be Linux based from now on.

   

Been googling this subject, Cypress on Linux requests go back a long time.

   

Just tried installing under Wine in Mate 18, looks like the installer cannot do it.

   

Have downloaded the Creator iso version and unzipped it and will try installing each bit manually.

   

I don't expect good news after everyone else has tried.

   

Cypress guys, you really need to look at converting to Linux or making is easy to run in Wine etc.

   

Windows 10 is not looking like a good OS especially for my Work Enterprise OS.

   

Options -  a Docker or VM , Windows + Cypress ISO?

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Anonymous
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I've had to abandon Windows as well and would love to try Cypress for some potential products. However the lack of development platform choice is simply a non-starter. There was a time when I would have dual booted, or temporarily changed platforms, to use development tools, but no longer. Windows 10 is simply an insult to our collective intelligence, privacy, and security. I'll check in from time to time and if Cypress ever supports Linux I'll be happy to try their parts.

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Anonymous
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We're a startup, because of which we would prefer to keep the cost low for prototyping, which include all tools for development as well. All of use linux as our daily driver. We've chosen Nordic for our Bluetooth requirements for the hardware simply because of all the linux and gcc goodness they provide. Would consider Cypress only if there is a linux version.

   

Hopinh to see a linux software stack soon.

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DaEr_349131
Level 5
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25 likes received 50 sign-ins 5 comments on KBA

Hi,

   

Any leads on how to use Miniprog3 for pure flashing purposes under Linux (no VM)

   

Even better, a way to use a PSoC 5LP as the programmer for a virgin psoc, streaming the binary via usb -> psoc 5 -> target device. Pref with some basic example code in C or Python to talk to the "swd-bridge"

   

 

   

best david

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Anonymous
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Hi folks,

   

I just started looking at PSoC (5), and was surprised over the range of possibilities this architecture provide and see several possible use cases.

   

If anyone at Cypress follows this thread, I think you should consider that a significant amount of engineers in the asic/fpga community is cli/Linux based, and would be discouraged to evaluate PSoC due to Microsoft centric tool chains. As the complexity and capacity of PSoC increases and approaches a point where it becomes a viable alternative to traditional asic/fpga + analog designs, you'd probably find several new potential markets. Cross platform (and cli) development tools would surely ease the step for many engineers.

   

Regards,
Mike

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anyone used Open OCD to "swd" the psoc's? I wonder if it's stable and how it supports things like read-back protection etc.

   

I wouldn't mind using the miniprogs as long as there were a linux based cmd-line tool to run them

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DaEr_349131
Level 5
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25 likes received 50 sign-ins 5 comments on KBA

ping cypress! is there anyone official here, I've never seen a single reply 😞

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i don't work at Cypress but support for kitprog is now merged on OpenOCD master branch, i don't know when the new version of OpenOCD becomes available.

   

See here https://github.com/azonenberg/openfpga/wiki/UDB-%26-Routing-Examples

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Anonymous
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Back in 2014 on this thread Scott Atkins said Linux support was on the Cypress road map. Three years later has there been any progress in that regard? Is it even being worked on anymore? Can we look forward to seeing something in our lifetimes?

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WaMa_286156
Level 5
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First comment on blog 100 replies posted 50 replies posted

I hope Cypress is listening.  Microsoft now has Visual Studio on Macintosh, more or less natively.  (www.visualstudio.com/vs/visual-studio-mac/)

   

Based on my sketchy reading, it is based on Mono, which they acquired when purchasing Xamarin.  

   

I suspect that doing Cypress creator for Mac and Linux just got easier.

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Anonymous
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If you want Linux support, use someone else products. I switched to ST a couple years ago and I'm very happy. They have a whole toolchain available for free and it works perfectly on Linux.

A Cypress employee has made it clear http://origin-www.cypress.com/forum/psoc-creator-software/any-movement-psoc-creator-linux

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Cypress, it would be great with a reply here. As mir @user_37207811 said, switching to NXP or ST is an option of course, but we'd rather see you guys follow the trend and make this available on macOS and Linux using "less closed-source IDE's"

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Check iym answer on this another thread Creator for Mac it seems like Creator will be not ported to other OSes but other Cypress tools will.

Thinking loud, having a web interface for schematic edition, then downloading the generated code and running command line tools seems like a way to solve the problem.

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highgearme
Level 1
Level 1
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I think I'll just use Nordic chips in my designs since they natively support most OSes. I've already wasted way too much time trying to get PSoC Creator working on a real OS.

FYI... I started programming with punch cards in 1977 and I've programmed in most languages on most OSes since. I used the monochrome Windows 1.0 and was a beta tester for Windows NT, but I absolutely detest Windows now and avoid it if at all possible.

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