Until now I have been using E2 Lite for multiple product developments on RA6 series with FreeRTOS and FSP. I have had several occurrences where single stepping code becomes difficult due to interrupts and context switches. I had hoped that single-stepping would follow only the current thread. I have also noticed that single-stepping a longer section of code sometimes results in the debugger disconnecting from the target.
Note: I have flash breakpoints disabled.
I'm hoping someone out there has relevant experience and can help me with some advice.
Am I expecting too much from the E2 Lite? Is JTAG better and/or more reliable than SWD? Does the E2 provide a significantly better debugging experience than E2 Lite?
Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
Hello,
E2lite debugger provides all the basic debugging functions and supported on any IDE used for Renesas mcu programming and Renesas Flash Programmer.
E2 handles higher speed downloading rate than E2 lite, it allows more advanced debugging and supports adjustable supply power.
A useful link that shows some technical details for every emulator for each family device can be found below:
https://www.renesas.com/en/document/mat/chip-debuggers-performance-property?r=488796
Νοw, about SWD vs JTAG, there isn't a clear answer which is best.
SWD requires less signal lines than JTAG.
SWD is dedicated for ARM architecture microcontrollers, while JTAG is more generic and can be used to more complicated systems. Compared to JTAG, SWD seems to offer better overall performance in terms of speed.
If your debugging target is just a RA mcu, SWD seems to cover your requirements. If you have a more complicated system JTAG should be prefered,
E2lite does the basics, regarding debugging process, if you have a more complicated multi-thread system, E2 emulator or some of Segger debugger solutions should be prefered.
Regards,
AL_Renesas