example code to flash/debug rp2040 / Pico with an stlink and vscode debugging

Ubuntu

Requires:

• build probe code for your stlink with https://github.com/blackmagic-debug/blackmagic (precompiled in binaries/)
  • meson setup build --cross-file cross-file/stlink.ini -Dtargets=rp -Dbmd_bootloader=false
  • meson compile -C build
  • this is for stlink-v2
• build stlink-tool from https://github.com/jeanthom/stlink-tool
  • git submodule update --init
  • make
• flash stlink:
  • ${path}/stlink-tool ${blackmagic_path}/build/blackmagic_stlink_firmware.bin
• cortex debug plugin, with gdb-multilib
• default pico-sdk tools, like cmake
• set the paths in launch.json and tasks.json of the binaries

Tested on Ubuntu 22.04.

Windows

Requires:

• flash stlink with stlink-tool:
  • download from https://github.com/sakana280/stlink-tool/releases/download/1.0-Win64/stlink-tool.exe or use one from binaries folder.
  • ./binaries/stlink-tool ./binaries/blackmagic_stlink_firmware.bin
  • use zadig to fix stlink driver (libusbK), https://zadig.akeo.ie/ , only that one!
• install arm toolchain for gdb (https://developer.arm.com/downloads/-/arm-gnu-toolchain-downloads , use the .exe installer), make sure it gets added to your path or you need to change the path in launch.json to an absolute path.
• install cortex debug plugin, vscode will show a popup for recommended plugins.
• install raspberry pi pico plugin
• start vscode as "Pico - Visual Studio Code" to fix the env vars if it's not working. Maybe install python3 from Microsoft Store if it isn't installed.
• set the paths in launch.json and tasks.json of some of the binaries

how it works

• task build will compile the code for the rp2040
• task triggerBMPAndBuild includes the build task and then triggers the stlink into probe mode. By default it starts in DFU mode (for flashing new probe code).
• Launch config BMP Debug uses this last task and starts cortex-debug with the USB connection. This also flashes the rp2040.

Only flashing

• also build the blackmagic app
  • meson setup build -Dprobe='' (might need to delete build directory before)
  • meson compile -C build
• ${path}/stlink-tool to trigger DFU.
• ./build/blackmagic --device /dev/ttyACM0 ../RPi-Pico-Baremetal/test_cmake/build/hello_world.bin -w -V Change path to device and path to bin, must be the bin!
• Somehow flashing again doesn't work, second time it will.