Debug Printfs

[Gabriel]

Hi All,

I have a very long and very verbose code with plenty printfs via software uart.

The final circuit does not have any way for me to see these printfs unless I physically plug an FTDI chip or Bluetooth radio.

I would like to be able to turn these on/off on command as to not waste any power and especially TIME executing these software printfs while I'm not playing big brother on my circuit.

ive considered using the #ifdef way but that is more of a All or Nothing route.
I'd like to en/dis-able them during run time.

Am i supposed to place an "if Flag then print" on all of them?

Suggestions appreciated.

thanks,

G.
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[Ttelmah]

The standard way is to change the actual definition of the debug printf.

So instead of using 'printf', use 'debug_printf', and #define this to be the printf you want to use (either a standard printf to the required stream, or nothing).

[Gabriel]

Hi Ttelmah,

Thanks for your input.

Could i enable / disable the printfs during run time WITHOUT recompiling?

Thanks,
G.
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[Ttelmah]

Only by encapsulating them, and this then will cost code.

So you have the debug_printf, print to your own output routine (debug_putc), and then have this coded something like:

[jeremiah]

I do something similar to that, but move the check to outside the printf. This is only practical with the version 5 compiler as it supports variadic macros

[Gabriel]

Idea:

what are the consequences of a "Setup_Uart(0);" on a software Uart Printf?
Would this be another possible way to do this?

G.
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[Ttelmah]

"This function is only available on devices with a built in UART."

[oxo]

If I'm using the debugger monitor window with

[Ttelmah]

You have to test for being in debug mode 'round' your print, or the print code will be generated in all build modes.

[oxo]

[Ttelmah]

Don't get me wrong, but it does seem as if a 'complex' solution is being sought for a simple thing.

#DEFINE DEBUG
#DEFINE DEBUG_PRINT

Then have all your debug code (printouts, the actual selection of the debugger etc.), all enabled by these defines.

Just selecting the DEBUGGER printout stream, does not automatically imply you are actually running an ICD. I'll often print to the DEBUG hardware port, while actually executing the code (other than the prints) in 'run' mode. Means you don't have to have a MAX232, and saves pins. So you don't want this controlled or linked to the ICD options.
Sometimes trying to tie things together too much is more complex/restrictive than allowing people just to select what they want....
However key is that when you are writing code, you must think about the debugging as you write. I usually set up macros like 'DEBUG_MESSAGE', which contains the tests, and outputs a message as needed. This has become much easier (used to have several supporting different message types, but the last few dozen CCS releases support variable length argument lists in macros - makes this much easier/nicer...).

The original poster seems to be looking for a complex way to do a simple thing.
Just use search and replace, to replace all the printfs that are 'debug only', with something like 'debug_printf'. Assuming they all will talk to a particular stream, a search for printf(STREAMNAME will find them all.

Then just have a single #define, that makes debug_printf into a blank statement or into the required output, depending on whether you are debugging or not. Job done.

[Gabriel]

My original intention was to be able to switch the printfs on and off DURING RUNTIME without having to recompile in the simplest way.

G.
_________________
CCS PCM 5.078 & CCS PCH 5.093

[Ttelmah]

Which the 'debug_on' flag I showed earlier does. Just route all your debug printf's through this. So

printf(debug_putc,"what you want to print");

This can then be disabled by setting 'debug_on' to FALSE;

[nuclear__]

Ttelmah, how can i modify my code to use your solution and subtitute the line below.
Printf(usb_cdc_putc,"debug test ");

?

What should be the definition on debug_stream ?

[gpsmikey]

Another option you might want to consider (it still involves a flag test around each printf) is to use an available pin with a jumper. If the jumper is in place (say to a pull-up or your choice), print else not print. Sort of a "bench mode" if you will where the board behaves differently (prints debug info) if the debug jumper is in place.

mikey
_________________
mikey
-- you can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !
old engineering saying: 1+1 = 3 for sufficiently large values of 1 or small values of 3