Binding a project to a connection

When you create a project, you specify a processor family and toolchain that is to be associated with the target application, for example, ARM-ADS. You can further restrict the project to one or more specific processors by using the Specific_device setting in the Project Properties window.

RealView Debugger uses a mechanism of project binding to make the details of a project available to you in the Process Control pane and File Editor pane of the Code window. If you are connected to a matching target, that is, a target in the specified processor family, or a specified processor, when you create or open a project, RealView Debugger attempts to bind the project to that connection. This procedure is known as default binding.

$image\lamp.gif$ You can specify one or more commands to execute as a project is bound. Use the Open conn setting in the PROJECT\Command_Open_Close group of the Project Properties window.

When an open project is bound to a connection, you can see the project details in the Process Control pane, and you are able to load the image from there, or by clicking on the link in the File Editor pane.

$image\bound.gif$

When an open user-defined project is unbound, you cannot see the project details in the Process Control pane or load the image from within the project. The only way that you can load the image is by using the Load Image… option in the Code window File menu, and then RealView Debugger creates an auto-project for it.

$image\lamp.gif$ Details for an auto-project that is created as a result of loading an image to the connection are always visible in the Process Control pane for that connection, even when the image is unloaded and the auto-project is unbound.

You can make the Project and Tools menu options available to an unbound project by making it the active project. See Changing the active project.

The Code window title bar shows the project binding using different brackets around the project name, for example:

RVDEBUG <my_project> = @ARM7TDMI_0:ARM-A-RR

shows that the project is unbound.

RVDEBUG (my_project) = @ARM7TDMI_0:ARM-A-RR

shows that the project is bound to the current connection.

$image\lamp.gif$ RealView Debugger fails to bind a project if:

the current connection does not match the processor family specified for the project
the project has the specific_device setting set to a different processor
an open project is already bound to the processor using a specific_device setting, and you are opening a project that does not have the specific_device setting set

If projects are already bound to all suitable processors using default binding, you are prompted to force a binding to a connection. If you do not force the binding, the project remains unbound, that is, it is not associated with the current connection.

Autobinding

You can specify that a project must be bound to a specific processor or device from the Project Properties window, using the Specific_device setting in the PROJECT group.

This feature is known as specific device binding, or autobinding. It is particularly useful when you are working in a multi-processor environment.

$image\exclaim.gif$ Specific device binding always takes precedence when you open a project. If a project is already bound to the specific processor, RealView Debugger unbinds it, performs any actions associated with the unbinding, and binds the new project to the connection.

$image\openred.gif$ See the RealView Debugger v1.7 Project Management User Guide, for more details.