ARM Development Tools
ARM Development Tools
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Process of converting a C program into the ROM image file
1. A compiler generates the object codes. The compiler assembles the codes
according to the processor instruction set and other specifications. The ‘C’
compiler for embedded systems must, as a final step of compilation, use a
code-optimizer. It optimizes the codes before
2. In the next step, called linking , a linker links these codes with the other
required assembled codes. Linking is necessary because of the number of
codes to be linked for the final binary file.
3. The final step of the system design process is locating the codes as a ROM
image and permanently placing them at the actually available addresses in the
ROM/flash. In embedded systems, there is no separate program to keep track
of the available addresses at different times during the running, as in a
computer. The designer has to define the available addresses to load and
create files for permanently locating the codes. A program called locator
reallocates the linked file and creates a file for permanent location of codes in
a standard format. This format may be Intel Hex file format or Motorola S-
record format.
4. Lastly, a laboratory system, called device programmer, takes as input the ROM
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image file and finally burns the image into the PROM or EPROM