Compiler supports Power Architecture based MCUs

17th December 2013

Altium Limited

Nat Bowers

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Altium has announced a major release of its TASKING C compiler solution for automotive application development. Supporting the Power Architecture based microcontrollers from the Freescale Qorivva/5xxx series and STMicroelectronics SPC5 series, the updated compiler includes various improvements on code optimisations for speed and size.

The TASKING VX-toolset for Power Architecture compiler includes a plug-in that enables a seamless integration of the compiler tools and the simulator user-interface into the Eclipse framework. Saving the developer from having to type options manually in text boxes or on the command line, this plug-in customisation and optimisation of the build process by selecting the compiler chain options from a configuration explorer tree. Utilising the TASKING’s Viper technology, compatibility to other popular TASKING toolsets is guaranteed and migration of an application to and from other architectures is straightforward.

TASKING toolsets feature highly efficient and robust code for automotive applications like power train, body control, chassis control and safety critical applications. With the updated release, the Viper compiler is extended with caching functionality to save the compiler’s intermediate results in order to avoid full compilations. This significantly reduces the project build time of embedded applications and saving developers both time and cost.

The VX-toolset features a MISRA C and CERT C code analyser built into the compiler and is compliant to relevant industry standards. With profiling enabled via code instrumentation and run-time error checking capabilities, it also includes a highly configurable linker with versatile script language for optimal memory control.

Harm-Andre Verhoef, TASKING Product Manager, Altium, commented: "TASKING customers enjoy excellent proven-in-use experiences with our C compilers and have requested support for the new Power Architecture automotive chips from Freescale (Qorivva/5xxx) and STMicroelectronics (SPC5). With this release, we are delivering to users of the latest Power Architecture; compatibility with our popular VX-toolsets and the robust, efficient code generation customers can expect from TASKING".

Available now on PC/Windows (other platforms supported on request), the VX-toolset for Power Architecture release v2.1 is free to customers with an existing maintenance contract. Pricing starts at $3,495 (USD) for the TASKING VX-toolset Standard Edition.