TI releases CCEssentials (Code Composer Essentials) v3

Texas Instruments (TI) released the CCEssentials (Code Composer Essentials) v3 for company’s MSP430 microcontrollers. CCEssentials v3 streamlines the design process with a more intuitive interface combined with leading C code density and powerful debugging capabilities. Major upgrades include an optimizations and improvements focused on improving design flow, simplifying debugging and verification and speeding up development time.

TI CCEssentials (Code Composer Essentials) v3 - Screenshoot

Enhancements in CCEssentials v3 includes:

• Increased ease-of-use: Streamlined options dialog boxes reduce the number of steps required for commonly performed design tasks. Additionally, developers have consolidated access to other MSP430 compilers tools such the MSPGCC GNU tool chains through a single IDE.
• Advanced embedded emulation: Comprehensive support of MSP430 Microcontroller’s on-chip capabilities, including hardware-based breakpoints and stack trace, results in faster emulation and more efficient debugging.
• High-performance debugger: Replacing the GDB debugger with the TI CCStudio Debug Server yields up to 200 percent faster performance for tasks such as downloading applications, single-stepping, and refreshing registers and variables.
• Updated C-code syntax: Allows developers to directly import code without modification from the rich diversity of code examples, libraries and demos from TI and TI third parties.
• Support for all MSP430 Microcontrollers: Support for all MSP430 Microcontroller generations including the extended memory capabilities of MSP430X architecture such as the MSP430F261x.
• Based on Eclipse: Code Compose Essentials v3 is based on the Eclipse 3.2 open source development platform, which offers developers the freedom of choice in tool integration, software modeling and testing in a multi-language, platform and vendor environment.
• Language flexible: Several programming languages are supported including MSP430 assembly, C and C++.

CCEssentials brings all the MSP430 development tools under a single IDE to give developers the option of ‘one-stop shopping’ for added efficiency to help get designs up and running in just minutes. Code Compose Essentials v3 integrated development environment reduces development time and optimizes the performance for MSP430 applications. Based on the Eclipse 3.2 platform, CCEssentials allows designers to leverage hundreds of  Eclipse plug-ins to accelerate development.

Eclipse and Code Composer Essentials
The CCEssentials IDE is based on version 3.2 of the Eclipse open source development platform, which offers developers the freedom of choice in tool integration, software modeling and testing in a multi-language, platform and vendor environment. Eclipse’s plug-in based framework and customizable tools simplifies the creation and integration of software tools by designers and third parties to reduce development time and investment. By collaborating and exploiting core integration technology, developers leverage platform reuse and concentrate on core competencies to create new technologies. For more information see www.eclipse.org.

MSP430 Microcontrollers
The MSP430 Microcontroller platform features a flexible clock system with five low-power modes enabling unmatched ultra-low-power performance with standby current as low as 0.5 microamps. Engineers can tune system clocking to precisely meet the power requirements for their application. A complete chain of integrated peripherals lets designers tap into more functionality while keeping overall system costs low and development time short. Fast instruction execution enabled by a modern 16-bit RISC CPU, coupled with the ability to start-up from standby in less than 1 microsecond with a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), results in ultra-low power consumption for battery life of over ten years.

The free of charge Code Composer Essentials v3 (MSP-CCE430) with 16K bytes of code space can be downloaded at  www.ti.com/cce. Meanwhile, the Code Composer Essentials Pro v3 (MSP-CCE430PRO) features unlimited C and assembly code space is priced at $499.

Code Composer Essential’s fully integrated Host Tools include:

• MSP430 C compiler, assembler and linker
• Source Code Debugger
• Integrated Visual Project Manager
• Hardware and virtual breakpoints
• Integrated editor

More info: Texas Instruments