Overview

This is about the python-msp430-tools, that provide a number of tools related to the MSP430 microcontroller.

Python 2.6 or newer should be used. The Python package “msp430” can be installed with python setup.py install. These modules can be used as standalone applications or as library for other programs.

NEWS

Compared to the python-mspgcc-tools:

  • new “target” base implementation that all upload/download tools share
  • >64k address space support for most tools
  • new download tool: msp430.gdb.target. It communicates with a GDB server for the MSP430 such as msp430-gdbproxy or mspdebug.
  • new BSL implementation (F1x, F2x, F4x): msp430.bsl.target
  • new BSL implementation (F5x, F6x): msp430.bsl5.hid and msp430.bsl5.uart
  • JTAG tool renamed to: msp430.jtag.target
    • renamed command line options -l/--lpt to -p/--port
    • new command line option -l/--library-path
  • all target tools:
    • renamed command line options -P, -V to upper case
    • new command line option -U/--upload-by-file
    • new command line option -b/--erase-by-file
    • multiple files on the command line are merged before downloading (supporting overlapping areas - last one counts). Useful e.g. if a boot loader part should be merged with an application part.
    • specifying input format is now one option: -i/--input-format
    • specifying output format is now one option: -f/--output-format
    • new file formats: hex, bin
  • new modules:
    • msp430.listing (read IAR and mspgcc listing files)
    • msp430.gdb (GDB client code for use with GDB servers)
    • msp430.shell.command (busybox alike shell commands: mv, cp, rm and more)
    • msp430.bsl5 (F5xx/F6xx BSL support)
      • msp430.bsl5.hid (USB HID frontend)
      • msp430.bsl5.uart (serial frontend)
  • new tools:
    • msp430.memory.convert (convert hex file formats)
    • msp430.memory.generate (create hex files with fill pattern)
    • msp430.memory.compare (compare hex files)
    • msp430.memory.hexdump (show contents of hex files)
  • new license: Simplified BSD License instead of Python License.

There is no longer a separate line frontend for each tool. However tools can be used as follows:

python -m <module name> [options] [arguments]

e.g.:

python -m msp430.bsl.target -p /dev/ttyUSB0 -e somefile.elf