Atmel: Atmel Studio 6 IDE Overview

Overview

Atmel Studio 6 is the integrated development environment (IDE) for developing and debugging Atmel ARM Cortex-M processor-based and Atmel AVR microcontroller applications. Atmel Studio provides a complete set of features including project file management, task management and version control integration (CVS); a C/C++ editor with syntax highlighting, navigation and code completion; a debugger supporting run control including source and instruction-level stepping and breakpoints; registers, memory and I/O views; and target configuration and management. Atmel Studio is Built on Eclipse, enabling easy integration with third party plugins for increased functionality. Atmel Studio IDE also gives developers a seamless and easy-to-use environment to write, build and debug user applications written in C/C++ or assembly code. Atmel Studio supports all 8- and 32-bit AVR, SAM3 and SAM4 microcontrollers, and connects seamlessly to Atmel debuggers and development kits.

There are many features included in Atmel Studio. The following are some of the key features that may be of interest.

One Environment for Two Architecutres

The latest version of Atmel Studio 6 supports both Atmel 32-bit ARM Cortex-M series processor-based and Atmel 8/32-bit AVR based microcontrollers (MCUs).

Integrated C Compiler

Faster product development cycles combined with reduced cost for on-chip Flash and the advent of faster MCUs are driving more design engineers to write code in C and C++, rather than in assembly code. Atmel Studio makes it easy for engineers to write, build and debug their C/C++ and assembly code. Atmel Studio also brings together, in seamless fashion, an editor with assisted code writing, a wizard for quickly creating new projects, a GNU C/C++ Compiler, a powerful simulator, and a front-end visualization tool for all of Atmel's Cortex-M series and AVR processor programmers and in-circuit debuggers.

Atmel Software Framework

Atmel Studio provides professional-quality development tools, and comes with Atmel Software Framework (formerly called AVR Software Framework). With Atmel Software Framework, designers get a large library of well proven and free source code — including about 1,000 project examples. Using this code, design engineers can eliminate writing most of the low-level source code for their projects, significantly reducing time to market while maintaining high-quality solutions. The software framework includes a full set of drivers for on-chip peripherals and external components, wired and wireless communication stacks, audio decoding, graphics rendering, and fixed- and floating-point math libraries.

Fully Integrated QTouch Composer

The latest version of Atmel Studio 6 is fully integrated with Atmel QTouch Composer (formerly called QTouch Studio). As such, developers no longer need to toggle between two development environments for MCU applications that include touch-enabled user interfaces. Atmel Studio simplifies the design process by seamlessly tying together the tools needed to edit code in Atmel Studio and to seamlessly integrate and tune the touch design in QTouch Composer.

In-system programming

For in-system programming and debugging, Atmel Studio connects seamlessly to a wide range of ARM and AVR debuggers and programmers, including JTAGICE3, AVR ONE! and SAM-ICE. With full debug views, engineers get a transparent view into the CPU and peripherals that supports easy code development and debugging.

• Support for 300+ Atmel AVR and SAM3, SAM4 devices
• Atmel Software Framework
  • Vast source code library including drivers, communication stacks, graphic services and touch functionality. ASF enables customers to focus on application differentiation, and accelerates design time.
  • More than 1,600 project examples with sorce code.
  • ASF Explorer for selecting and integrating ASF components into your own design.
• Atmel Gallery
  • Online apps store for development tools and embedded software from Atmel and third parties.
  • Easy and secure purchasing process from the Atmel Studio 6 platform.
• QTouch Composer
  • Seamlessly ties together the tools required to edit the code in Atmel Studio 6 and to tune the touch design, making it easier than ever to integrate capacitive touch functionality into applications.
  • The validation wizard provides an easy and intuitive way of testing system performance.
  • With the power analyzer, users can monitor power consumption of the microcontroller in real time.
  • The real-time data graph and trace graph records data generated during debugging, storing it for later playback. This allows the user to inspect recorded data sets.
• Wireless Composer 1.0
  • Provides a performance test application and contains easy-to-understand displays to configure, command, and monitor information coming from the performance test application running on the target.
• Integrated C/C++ compiler
  • Provides one seamless environment with everything the designer needs to write, build, program and debug C/C++ and assembly code.
  • Customers can choose the coding style that best fits their project and generates the most optimal code for their designs.
• Integrated editor with visual assist
  • Write code faster with visual assist code completion tools.
• New project wizard
  • Easily create a new project from scratch or from a large library of example designs.
• In-system programming and debugging
  • Provides a seamless interface to all of Atmel's in-circuit programmers and debuggers.
• Full debug views
  • Creates a transparent view into CPU and peripherals, enabling easy code development and debugging.
• Full chip simulation
  • Delivers an accurate model of CPU, interrupts and peripherals.
  • Currently available for AVR MCUs only.
• Atmel Spaces
  • Cloud-based collaborative workspace for securely sharing embedded design and track progress of projects with your peers.

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Atmel Studio connects seamlessly to all of Atmel's debuggers and programmers. With the debuggers connected, Atmel Studio can present the status of the processor, memories and all communication and analog interfaces in views that are easy to understand, giving designers fast access to critical system parameters.

The Atmel Studio simulator accurately models the AVR architecture and devices. It simulates the CPU, including all instructions, interrupts and most of the on-chip I/O modules. This simulator currently only supports AVR devices. The simulator operates within the Atmel Studio application as a debug target. This enables the user to use the normal debug commands such as Run, Break, Reset, Single Step, Set Breakpoints and Watch Variables. The I/O, memory and register views are fully functional using the simulator.

AVR Dragon Programmer and DebuggerAVR Dragon Programmer and Debugger: The ATAVRDRAGONATAVRDRAGON sets a new standard for low cost development tools for 8-bit and 32-bit AVR devices with On Chip Debug (OCD) capability. It can perform a symbolic debug on all devices with OCD with SPI, JTAG, PDI (selected devices), high voltage serial programming, parallel programming, and aWire modes, and supports debugging using SPI, JTAG, PDI interfaces.

JTAGICE 3 DebuggerJTAGICE 3 Debugger: The ATJTAGICE3ATJTAGICE3 is a mid-range in-circuit debugger and programmer for Atmel 8-bit and 32-bit AVR microcontrollers with on-chip debugging for source level symbolic debugging, NanoTrace (if supported by the device) and device programming. The programming modes it supports include SPI, JTAG, PDI, and aWire. It also supports debugging using the debugWIRE, JTAG, PDI, and interfaces. The JTAGICE3 kit also includes adapters for use with the various physical interfaces.

AVR ONE! Programmer and DebuggerAVR ONE! Programmer and Debugger: The ATAVRONEKITATAVRONEKIT is a professional development tool for all Atmel 8-bit and 32-bit AVR devices with On-Chip Debug capability. It is used for source level symbolic debugging, program trace and device programming. It supports SPI, JTAG, PDI, and aWire programming modes and debugging using debugWIRE, JTAG, PDI, and aWire interfaces. It also supports LiveDebug, which makes it possible to attach to a running target non-intrusively, and the Nexus auxiliary interface for high-speed program, data or ownership trace at up to 200MHz in either buffered or streaming mode. AVR ONE! is driven by powerful FPGA which provides high-speed data transfer between the host PC and the target AVR device, facilitating rapid program download and a most responsive debugging experience.

SAM-ICE JTAG EmulatorSAM-ICE JTAG Emulator: The AT91SAM-ICEAT91SAM-ICE is a JTAG emulator designed for Atmel SAM3, SAM7 and SAM9 ARM-based microcontrollers, including the Thumb mode. It supports download speeds up to 720K Bytes per second and maximum JTAG speeds up to 12 MHZ. It also supports Serial Wire Debug (SWD) and Serial Wire Viewer (SWV) from SAM-ICE hardware V6.

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