For developing systems built around an ARM microprocessor core, you can now use a new set of tools from ARM itself. By exploiting its knowledge of the silicon and in some instances adding small amounts of on-chip hardware support, ARM aims to get the best possible visibility and control of software running on the core and on any associated processors in a multiprocessor system. This release includes the RealView ICE (in-circuit emulator) and trace module, supporting all of the ARM core series. It features downloading speed of more than 600 bytes/sec, which the processor achieves with a 10-MHz JTAG port; this port will enable future systems to run at 66 MHz. You can step system operation at as many as 100 steps/sec.

The tool set also supports multiprocessor and coprocessor systems; the companion processors need not be ARM devices. You can describe the structure of the companion device in the JTAG command set or sets, and the system traces transactions to it or them. ARM provides a "template" approach for this description process or performs it as a service. You can perform tracing with either an embedded trace buffer or an add-on trace module. The maximum clock speed of the target is greater than 200 MHz; the module provides 4 million events of buffering at 4- or 8-bit tracing. The tools perform 48-bit timestamping with 10-nsec resolution to support a maximum of 32-day duration for locating extremely infrequent events. The whole system is also "OS-aware," with initial support for Nucleus and Symbian and has IDE tools, such as an editor, a project manager, and a system builder. The RealView debugger gives a full multiwindowed and synchronised view of all of the processes running on a target design.

In the same release, ARM offers an unbundled version of its compiler, which it asserts performs as much as 30% better than third-party tools in code size and in operating frequency for equivalent system performance. The Integrator development platform, which also supports emulation of multicore systems, accompanies the tool set.

ARM, +44 223 400400, www.arm.com.