This CPU Support package enables the development for the iMXRT microcontroller family using the Crossworks development environment from Rowley. The package provides all needed data and information to enabled the Development Environment to compile and debug applications on the iMXRT microcontroller This Includes:

• CMSIS-Specific Code Files
• Memory-Map-Files
• Register-Descriptions for debugging
• Loader for programming the application to the Flash-memory

The Package is based on the work from Rowley. The original versions are included in the git-History and are tagged with a Rowley label. This package enhances the original package by

• Using the latest CMSIS-Files and register-descriptions provided by NXP
• Enabling debugging in the external-SDRAM-memory
• Added a loader (in Source code) which supports different Flash memory targets
• Adding support for iMXRT600 / iMXRT1180 (with restrictions)

Sample code for booting from external Flash can be found in this repository: https://github.com/Masmiseim36/Coremark_iMXRT

The following Controllers are supported:

• iMXRT600
• iMXRT1010
• iMXRT1015
• iMXRT1020
• iMXRT1024
• iMXRT1040
• iMXRT1050
• iMXRT1060
• iMXRT1064
• iMXRT1160
• iMXRT1170
• iMXRT1180
  Limited functionality:
  • Native dual-core debugging is not yet possible
  • the controller must be reset manually after each debugging process
  • Only the internal RAM memory is supported

The Package is provided unpacked and has to be packed before it can be installed. For this open the Project File located in the root of the project with the Crossworks IDE (File imxrtext.hzp). Then “compile" it like a normal project (Build -> Build iMXRT). This will create the CPU-Support package in the root-Folder of the project (-> iMXRText.hzq). To install the new created package, go to Tools -> Packages -> Manually Install Packages and choose the new File.

Although the support package is based on the original Rowley package, it is no longer compatible with it due to changes in the internal structure. However, both packages can be installed in parallel and do not affect each other.
Existing projects must either be newly created in order to use this CPU support package, or can be rewritten if you have the appropriate know-how.

The iMXRT is flashless, therefore you need to add external flash to run the code from. There are flash memories with different interfaces (SPI, QSPI, OSPI, HyperInteface) with different protocol dialects often used. To get access to those memories you need a software which configures the memory interface according the used Memory. This is done by the Loader. The Loader is transferred by the development Environment to the Internal-RAM of the controller and is executed there like a ‘normal’ application. After the Loader has initialized the interface, the program code is transferred via the JTAG/SWD interface to the unused areas of the internal RAM and then written to the flash memory by the loader. The Development-Environment tells the Loader which interface should be used. This information is passed with the second parameter of the main function and is loaded via JTAG/SWD before executing the Loader The following options are supported:

enum MemoryType
{
    MemType_Invalid     = 0,
    MemType_Hyperflash  = 1,
    MemType_OctaSPI_DDR = 2,
    MemType_OctaSPI     = 3,
    MemType_QuadSPI_DDR = 4,
    MemType_QuadSPI     = 5,
    MemType_SPI         = 6,
};

The lowest Nibble of the parameter is used to configure the first FlexSPI-Interface, the next nibble for the second interface if available on the target device.

The following flash memories were tested, and derivatives of these memories will presumably also work. Other memories can be supported by extending the loader.

• Adesto
  • AT25SF128A-SHB-T
  • ATXP032 (OctaSPI DDR)
• CYPRESS
  • S26KS512SDPBHI020
• Macronix
  • MX25L6433F
  • MX25UW6345G (OctaSPI DDR)
  • MX25UM51345G (OctaSPI DDR)
• ISSI
  • IS25LP064A
  • IS25WP064A
  • IS25WP128
  • IS25LX064/032 (OctaSPI DDR)
  • IS25WX064/032 (OctaSPI DDR)
• Winbond
  • W25Q32JV-IQ/JQ
  • W25Q64JV
  • W25Q128JW
  • W25Q512NWEIQ