On-Chip Debugging offers numerous advantages over other debug options. Relative to ICE, OCD is less expensive and provides access to a much broader range of CPUs, which often aren't available in the bond-out versions necessary to support ICE. Relative to ROM monitors and RTOSs, OCD is less intrusive, thereby enhancing testability and reliability. Because OCD does not require access to on-chip resources (such as the stack pointer, chip selects, and memory), it enables the target program to function in debug mode just as it will in the target environment. Moreover, if the target application crashes the system, the OCD debugger is not disabled.

MULTI's OCD Server currently runs on PCs under Windows 95, with Windows NT and Unix versions planned for the near future. The server communicates with the target processor via the processor's on-chip debug port (such as JTAG), which is made available via an external connector on most embedded systems. A small adaptor pod known as a "Wiggler," which attaches to the PC's parallel port, handles target communications and implements the debug operations specified by MULTI. The Wiggler is provided by Green Hills at no additional charge to the user.

Noted Green Hills president Dan O'Dowd, "MULTI has always supported a broad range of target debug interfaces, including ICE, ROM monitors, and real-time operating systems. Now, with MULTI's OCD Server, designers can start debugging code on their target hardware fresh off the assembly line, without having to write a ROM monitor or port an RTOS. Moreover, our OCD implementation provides unrestricted access to MULTI's source-level debug facilities."

MULTI's OCD Server enables programmers to fully exercise MULTI's source-level debug capabilities on the target hardware. With the MULTI debugger and OCD Server, programmers can debug their code using mixed assembly and high-level language formats. Through its class browser, MULTI also provides special support for C++ debugging.

With MULTI, programmers can set conditional and temporary breakpoints, single step, and examine local and global variables. Complex expressions and structured elements such as arrays and records can also be displayed. The debugger recognizes pointers and automatically displays the objects that they reference. It also displays a stack trace that simplifies the analysis of hierarchical program structure.

MULTI's program builder, editor, and debugger are tightly integrated to offer quick, convenient single- and double-click transfers between debug mode and full source editing. For example, simply clicking on a compiler error message brings the user to the editor, opens the file containing the error, moves the cursor to the line containing the error, and highlights the error.

The OCD Server is available immediately, with initial Wiggler support for Motorola's CPU32 and PowerPC 800 family processors. Wiggler support for Motorola's PowerPC 500 and Coldfire processors, and IBM's PowerPC 403 family will be available shortly.

For sales information on Green Hills Software's products, please call 1-805-965-6044 or email inquiries to sales@ghs.com.