Special considerations for Atmel ICE

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If you have never used it before, Atmel ICE is a robust development utensil. It is for the programming and debugging of AVR, SAM, Cortex-M based, and ARM microcontrollers. This is with On-Chip Debug capability. For those intending to use it, you should know that there are a number of special considerations you must take into account. We will look at some of them here.

JTAG interface

On specific Atmel AVR UC3 gadgets, the JTAG port isn’t enabled by default. When you use them you have to connect the RESET line. This way, the ICE will have the ability to enable the JTAG interface.

The aWire interface

The baud rate belonging to aWire communications relies on the system clock’s frequency. This is because it is necessary for data to sync between the two domains. Your ICE is going to automatically detect the lowering of the system clock. Accordingly, it will recalibrate its baud rate. This automatic calibration only functions down to an 8kHz system clock frequency. If you opt to switch to a lower system clock in a debug session, contact with the target could become lost.

If necessary, you can restrict the aWire baud rate. All you need to do is set the clock parameter. Automatic detection is still going to occur here, but, there will be a ceiling value on the results.

When there is a stabilising capacitor linked to a RESET pin, it will need disconnecting when you use an aWire. This is because it is going to interfere with the proper operation of the interface. A recommendation here is to employ a weak external pullup on the line.

Shutdown sleep mode

Particular AVR UC3 contraptions come with an internal regulator. It is one you can utilise in 3.3V supply mode alongside 1.8V I/O lines. What we mean is that the internal regulator supplies power to most of the I/O and the core. When you are debugging while this regulator is turned off, only the Atmel AVR ONE! debugger supports it.

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