CMSIS-DAP: Firmware for CoreSight Debug Access Port

| CMSIS-DAP Version 1.2.0 (Proposal) Interface Firmware for CoreSight Debug Access Port

- Main Page
- Usage and Description
- Reference

All Functions Groups Pages
Firmware for CoreSight Debug Access Port

CMSIS-DAP is a specification and a implementation of a Firmware that supports access to the CoreSight Debug Access Port (DAP).
The various ARM Cortex processors provide CoreSight Debug and Trace. CMSIS-DAP supports target Devices that contain one or more Cortex processors. A Device provides a Debug Access Port (DAP) typically either with a 5-pin JTAG or with a 2-pin Serial Wired Debug (SWD) interface that connects to a Debug Unit. CMSIS-DAP is the interface firmware for a Debug Unit that connects the Debug Port to USB. Debuggers that execute on a host computer connect via USB and the Debug Unit to the Device which runs the application software.

CMSIS-DAP Overview

## Benefits of CMSIS-DAP

- Provides a standardized interface for debuggers. Interfaces to many standard debuggers is available.
- Access to CoreSight registers of all Cortex processor architectures (Cortex-A/R/M).
- Connects via 5-pin JTAG or 2-pin Serial Wire Debug (SWD).
- Supports multi-core debugging.
- Supports Serial Wire Output of Cortex-M devices (new in CMSIS-DAP Version 1.1.0).
- Supports trace recording of additional Test Inputs, for example power measurement (new in CMSIS-DAP Version 1.2.0).
- Easy to deploy to Debug Units based on Cortex-M microcontrollers.
- Debug Unit may be integrated on an evaluation board.
- USB using HID (Human Interface Device) driver class that avoids driver installation on host PC.
- Supports time-critical JTAG or SWD command execution (new in CMSIS-DAP Version 1.10).

# CMSIS-DAP Firmware

The CMSIS-DAP Firmware is provided as source code and is fully configurable to a new Debug Unit. A source code template and several reference implementations for popular Debug Units are provided. Refer to Firmware Configuration for more information.

The CMSIS-DAP Software Stack is composed of the following components:

- CMSIS-DAP Firmware that interfaces to JTAG or SWD Debug pins using standard I/O pins of the Cortex-M device.
- CMSIS-Driver USART that connects the UART of the Cortex-M device to the SWO output from the target.
- USB Communication Stack that interfaces to the USB Port of the Host Computer using the HID class.
  - The USB Device middleware may require CMSIS-RTOS and a CMSIS-Driver USB.

CMSIS-DAP Software Stack

In the examples provided the MDK Version 5 USB Communication Stack has been used. However it is possible to use alternative USB stacks instead.

The CMSIS-DAP Firmware is provided in the following directory structure.

Directory | Description
--- | ---
.\CMSIS\DAP\Firmware\Config | CMSIS-DAP Firmware configuration
.\CMSIS\DAP\Firmware\Examples | CMSIS-DAP Firmware adapted to various Debug Units
.\CMSIS\DAP\Firmware\Include | CMSIS-DAP Firmware header file
.\CMSIS\DAP\Firmware\Source | CMSIS-DAP Firmware source code
.\CMSIS\DAP\Firmware\Template | Interface Templates for MDK Version 5 middleware

## Debug Access

Note
  ARM plans to provide the RDDI-DAP Access DLL that connects a debugger to the CMSIS-DAP Firmware. However as the DAP registers are standard in all Cortex devices, the debug access is well understood by the industry.

## Validation

CMSIS-DAP compliant Debug Units must be validated using the scripts provided in Validate Debug Unit.