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STM32F4 Discovery Board running .NET MicroFramework – SITE RELOACTED
October 23, 2012
Site Moved to : http://singularengineer.com/stm32f4-discovery-board-running-net-microframework/
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computer, dev boards, device programmer, software, technology
Site Moved 
I can not install the STM32_WinUSB_drivers_(for_evaluation_purposes_only). Can somebody help me how I should install this? thx
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Which OS are you using? 7 or 8?. Also the site is moved to http:\\singularengineer.com . So please post the reply there and should be easy for others to follow.
Thanks!
SE
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I appreciate the information on your website. thnx.
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I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this blog.
I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you in the future as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own blog now 😉
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Hi to all, the contents present at this web site are genuinely awesome for people knowledge,
well, keep up the good work fellows.
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can u people tell me how to write an array of data in to USD (Mass storage device) using Stm32f4xx ….
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hello
I made all step,run the mfdeploy,selected usb but i couldnt connect stm32f4
What should i do firstly.Where is my fault,
thanks
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> driver link is dead. dev community needs this.
i need it too.
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All links seems to be working properly. which one is not working?
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driver link is dead. dev community needs this.
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All links seems to be working properly. which one is not working?
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Hello, really good & informative tutorial. I have successfully done this. But there is a problem now stlink is not communicating with stm32 board it gives internal command error. what should I do ? how I can retain original configuration of stm32 baord ?
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Use Mini USB connector (not the Micro). Also erase the chip and sectors completely and you are good to go.
To get the firmware that board already had when you received, you need to download it form the ST site. I forgot the location, but it was along with their peripheral library. Download it and compile it with Keil or other compilers (you get free versions with code limit – don’t worry, you won’t exceed).
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Update on USB driver problems – solved!
I posted on 31st Jan about problems I was having getting the USB link to work reliably. There seemed to be a caveat about the USB drivers (‘for evaluation only’) and I had assumed that was the problem and laid all the blame on that. I corresponded briefly with Cuno Pfister and he explained that there was no problem with the drivers, only that a licensing issue required them to be released as ‘for evaluation only’. After LOTS of installing and re-installing I finally found the cause of the problem – my ‘5V USB supply’ was actually running at about 4.5V, and this caused the intermittent and sporadic failure of the system. Since I started using an independent 5V supply ALL the problems have gone away – if you are having problems, check your USB supply voltage.
I’m still looking for a definitive list of pin numbers/device numbers for all the interfaces. I have got the 4 LEDs going (at 100kHz), plus UART and PWM. I’d like to explore I2C but don’t know where to start looking – even when I find the pin numbers, its not always straightforward to link up with the .NET/c# references to these I/O systems. Is there a definitive list anywhere? Anyone fancy drawing one up, or starting to contribute to the development of one?
This is a fantastic piece of kit which exploits the rich development environment of .NET/c#/VS2010, although I have yet to push the boundaries of performance, given the limitations of .NET.
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hi Philip,
This should help you https://netmf4stm32.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/a73f4371d473#MicroFrameworkPK_v4_2/DeviceCode/Targets/Native/STM32F4/STM32F4_template_selector.h
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Brilliant – thanks a lot. I had that file (along with several hundred others) – just didn’t know where to look.
Thanks again!
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Yes, You give me a light. I have the same problem. After I use a stand along 5V USB power, Then the MFDepoy.exe can see my Borard. Thanks!
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Hello, thanks for the article.
I have done program the boot loader, MS deploy detects my STM32 Discov, All is ok. But when i compile (USB in property setting as you given) nothing happen, when i press debug button it will be disabled, hope the debugging is going on, but even after 2,3 minutes it is the same. Can we see program loading?
What will happen when we press debug button?
Regards
Vishal
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I dont have this file and directory
c:\MicroFrameworkPK_v4_2\DeviceCode\Targets\Native\STM32\ManagedCode\Hardware\CPU.cs
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you need to install the .net microframework
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Hi,
I appreciate your article a lot. However, I have serious problem forcing my stm32f4discovery board to work. I successfully uploaded tinybooter.hex and after reset, the system (win 7 x64) detected STM32 .Net Test device. I chose usb drivers to install then and everything appeared to be fine. But MFDeploy cannot see any device connected to USB. I have rev Z board. There is nothing connected to the board except two usb cables and I ereased my chip using ST-LINK utility. Any ideas? I really wanted to evaluate .Net framework on my ARM uC. Thanks in advance.
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Hi L0nger (and everyone)
I’m having the same problem with the WinUSB drivers. I have had the whole thing up and running, and I’ve deployed several apps to the STM board, but then it all stops and Windows either doesn’t recognise STM.Test or it recognises it and then says there is an error. Endless connecting and disconnecting and erasing and reflashing sometimes fixes it, but often doesn’t. Under these conditions MFDepoy cannot see it.
Its a great pity, because when it does work, its fantastic! I’ve posted a query to Cuno Pfister who seems to be the originator of some of this – especially the drivers – and am hoping for some advice. The WinUSB drivers do carry a warning though, so we may have to accept this until they become more stable. Trouble is, I really want to get going.
On a slightly different topic, when it did work, I managed to get all the GPIO pins toggling – even the four LEDs on the STM board, but I’m stuck as to how to find the PWM, I2C, UARTs etc. (and which is which). I’m sure its in the documentation somewhere, but I’m not all that familiar with this stuff, so I do not know where to look.
Anyone help?
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Hi,
thanks for your reply. I will greatly appreciate if you post some information about the driver when you contact the author.
It seems though that it’s the matter of driver, not the board. I really doubt that boards rev A,B,Z differ much from each other.
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After downloading the tinybooter.hex and restarting the board the mini usb is used as a mere power supply. The micro usb connected is what the microframework will be dealing with.
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Yep, you’re right. I tried connecting and disconnecting, erasing and flashing many times. Nothing helped. The driver installs well, but MFDeploy cannot see the device.
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Sorry to be a bit picky – I like this and I’m going to try it – but the first picture shows a USB Mini connection, not a USB micro connection – which is correct?
Thanks for an interesting project
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The mini usb will be used up till you burn the tinybooter.hex. After that the mini usb will act just as a power supply for the board. The micro usb will used for the other 2 hex file and MFDeploy step.
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in my view its truly remarkable designed for me.
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Thanks, I run it
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There’s certainly a great deal to learn about this topic. I love all of the points you made.
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I’m really impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one nowadays.
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Sorry for a very late reply. No – this is not a payed job. Its just something I want to try writing a blog.
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Hello, really good tutorial 😉 Led blinking in 15 minutes after reading this.
But i have problem, can i connect USB Keyboard (HID) to this device? I dont know how to do it with .NET, what i need to include and how to connect debug+keyboard both?
Thanks for reply Roman
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Dear Roman,
I never tried a USB keyboard or mouse before with .netMF. Don’t want to give you a wrong direction with thinks i don’t know. But if you find something i’ll be happy to see a walk-through of it.
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I have to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website.
I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal blog now 😉
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I believe that it is best to write extra on this matter STM32F4 Discovery Board running .NET MicroFramework Singular Engineer. It won’t be a taboo subject but generally individuals are not sufficient to speak on such topics.
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yes, there are already plenty of dev boards with netmf but if someone consider build own system based on netmf then there is solution to build own board. I’ve already designed my own board with additional 8MB flash.
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Thanks for this tutorial
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Hi there! Nice write-up. I’ve been trying (with little success) to follow your procedure.
I’ve hit a stumbling block when deploying the ER_FLASH hex file, using MFDeploy. I am able to do everything up to this point, including load the ER_CONFIG file successfully, but I can’t get ER_FLASH to deploy. The process starts, and then fails when attempting to write (may have been erase, I’m not at work to check currently) the first memory location for the ER_FLASH file.
Can you offer any thoughts as to why this may be? I have the GHI gadgeteer system installed, but that shouldn’t be affecting this separate process, right? Maybe I somehow have a different version of the ER_FLASH hex file?
I’d be very grateful for any suggestions from anyone!
Cheers,
Tom
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Are you working with STM32F4 Discovery board? Make sure you have nothing connected to the discovery board (all pins should be free – nothing should be connected to the pins.also make sure when you erase the chip you also did erase all the sectors (as given in the screenshot. Try writing ER_FLASH first. Also make sure you downloaded the right files. The gadgeteer will not affect this.
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The board is stock, fresh from the blister pack. Nothing is connected to any pins. I have followed your procedure to the letter, and tried several times, including varying the order of ER_FLASH & ER_CONFIG, with the same error every time. The files were downloaded from the link you provided… I will try with a colleagues board tomorrow, but given that the error exists for only ER_CONFIG, I suspect that file, rather than hardware. I will re-download the files and try that too.
Cheers,
Tom
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Hi Again,
I’m still having trouble with this! I’ve checked all the previously mentioned points, and the only difference that I can find in my method / setup is that I have a Rev Z MCU, as opposed to your Rev B. Is this likely to make any difference?
Cheers,
Tom
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Hello!
I’ve finally found where my process was falling down. In MFDeploy, I was selecting and deploying the ER_FLASH and ER_CONFIG one by one. This always resulted in failiure.
If both files are selected in the browse dialog, and deployed together, the procedure works.
With that sorted, I’m now up and running with the serial ports and LED’s, with my sights set on the rest of it before too long!
Thanks again for the writeup,
Tom
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Is it possible to use System.IO.Ports.Serial on the discovery board, and when how?
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Here is a bunch of tutorial that might help you http://www.ghielectronics.com/support/dotnet-micro-framework
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Simply try this :
Serial1 = new SerialPort(SerialPorts.COM2, (int)BaudRates.Baud9600, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
And connect to the related pins on the STM32F4DISCOVERY :
rxPin = Pins.GPIO_PIN_A_3;
txPin = Pins.GPIO_PIN_A_2;
ctsPin = Pins.GPIO_PIN_A_0;
rtsPin = Pins.GPIO_PIN_A_1;
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If you use this code you dont need an external LED. You have to add c:\MicroFrameworkPK_v4_2\DeviceCode\Targets\Native\STM32\ManagedCode\Hardware\CPU.cs to project.
using System;
using System.Threading;
using Microsoft.SPOT;
using Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware;
namespace STM32F_Test
{
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
OutputPort led = new OutputPort(Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.STM32.Pins.GPIO_PIN_D_12, false); //PA1 on discovery board
while (true)
{
led.Write(true);
Thread.Sleep(500);
led.Write(false);
Thread.Sleep(500);
Debug.Print(“Test”);
}
}
}
}
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Yes and it comes with installation of Porting Kit 4.2 which was not listed in the list of required items. But yes, you can use it.
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Does this work on STM32F3 ? (with less memory)
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I doubt it. CLR requires at least 64KBytes of RAM. F3 series according to ST’s site says “The STM32 F3 series includes devices with 64 to 256 Kbytes of on-chip Flash memory, up to 48 Kbytes of SRAM” which i don’t think is sufficient.
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Very Nice…
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It’s great to run .net on the ST dev board, as those are dirt cheap, but there already is a STM32 board running .NET MF: the Netduino Go…
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