nRF5 SDK for Mesh v3.1.0
Running examples

This page describes how to run examples included in the nRF5 SDK for Mesh package.

Just as with installing the toolchain and building the mesh stack and examples, the procedure for running examples depends on the IDE.

Once you have an example running, you can interact with it through command line with SEGGER RTT.

Note

Table of contents


Running examples using SEGGER Embedded Studio

The following procedure only works if you have built the example with SEGGER Embedded Studio.

To run the examples in a build environment based on SEGGER Embedded Studio (SES):

  1. Connect the Development Kit with the USB cable to your computer.
  2. In SES, connect to the development kit with Target -> Connect J-Link.
  3. Erase the device from the SES options menu: Target -> Erase all.
  4. Run the example with Debug -> Go. This downloads the matching SoftDevice and the compiled example and starts the debugger.
  5. When the download is complete, select Debug -> Go again to start the code execution.

If the debugging does not start, reset the J-Link: Target -> Reset J-Link.


Running examples in CMake-based build environment

After you built the example with CMake, you can run the example using either:

Both use files created by CMake to compile the project.

Running examples using custom CMake target

You can run custom CMake targets using either ninja or make. Depending on you choice, you have to use different commands:

  1. Connect a Development Kit to your computer with a USB cable.
  2. Wait until the board is detected.
  3. Flash the example by running one of the following commands from the build directory:

    • for ninja: ninja flash_<target-name>. Example:
        build $ ninja flash_light_switch_server_nrf52832_xxAA_s132_6.1.0
      
    • for make: make flash_<target-name>. Example:
        build $ make flash_light_switch_server_nrf52832_xxAA_s132_6.1.0
      
    Note
    Targets that flash examples start with "flash_". To list all the available targets, run:
    • when using ninja build tool: ninja -t targets or ninja help
    • when using make: make help

    After you issue the command to flash the example, the build system checks whether the example binaries are up-to-date. If required, it rebuilds them before flashing. It then displays a list of connected boards.

  4. From the list of connected boards, choose the board to program the SoftDevice and example firmware onto.

Running examples using nrfjprog

Running examples using nrfjprog command line tool requires you to program a SoftDevice and the example hex file to your board.

You need to know the path to SoftDevice binaries to run examples with nrfjprog. The SoftDevice binaries are located in the bin/softdevice/ folder. The example binaries are built in the corresponding example folder, in the build/ directory.

If you do not know the SoftDevice version that was used to build the mesh stack, check the name of the example binary. For example, if the example's binary name is light_switch_client_nrf52832_xxAA_s132_6.1.0.hex, the required SoftDevice binary is s132_nrf52_6.1.0_softdevice.hex.

To run an example with nrfjprog:

  1. Connect a Development Kit to your computer with a USB cable.
  2. Wait until the board is detected.
  3. Program the SoftDevice:
    1. Download the SoftDevice that you want to build mesh stack with.
    2. Run the following command: nrfjprog --program <path_to_the_example_binary_file> --chiperase. Example:
       nrf5_sdk_for_mesh$ nrfjprog --program ./bin/softdevice/s132_6.1.0/s132_nrf52_6.1.0_softdevice.hex --chiperase
      
  4. Program the example application with the following command: nrfjprog --program <path_to_the_example_binary_file> --sectorerase. Example:
     nrf5_sdk_for_mesh$ nrfjprog --program ./build/examples/light_switch/client/light_switch_client_nrf52832_xxAA_s132_6.1.0.hex --sectorerase
    
  5. Launch the example by using one of the following options:
    • power the device off and on;
    • initiate a soft-reset by using the following command: nrfjprog -r. Soft-reset is particularly useful if you want to use the debugger or RTT viewer (see the following section) and prevent disconnection of the RTT link.

Interacting with examples using SEGGER RTT

The nRF5 SDK for Mesh examples can communicate with a host computer through SEGGER RTT, and several examples require or allow you to connect RTT viewer to observe output generated in the RTT log.

The RTT viewer is available as:

Only the standalone application allows you to issue commands through RTT, for example when testing Dimming examples (experimental).

Displaying RTT output in SES

SEGGER Embedded Studio (SES) has a built-in RTT Viewer available when debugging the target code.

To see the RTT output generated when using SES, build and run the example. Once debugging starts, the RTT communication with the device will be available in the Debug Terminal window.

Displaying RTT output in standalone J-Link RTT Viewer

nRF5x Command Line Tools come with the standalone J-Link RTT Viewer tool that can be used when using both CMake or SEGGER.

To see the RTT log of single development boards in this tool, make sure you connect the nRF5 boards to the USB ports. When the boards are connected, complete the following steps for each board:

  1. Start J-Link RTT viewer. The Configuration window appears.
    Note
    You can also press the F2 button or select File > Connect to open the Configuration window.
  2. In the Configuration window, depending on the development kit board chip number you are using, make sure that either NRF52832_XXAA or NRF52840_XXAA is selected in the Specify Target Device dropdown menu.
  3. Click OK. The Emulator selection window appears.
  4. Choose the desired board by selecting its USB Identification (SEGGER ID).

After flashing the example firmware and running the example, you will see output printed in the RTT log while testing.

Refer to SEGGER J-Link documentation for more details about how to set up an RTT session using the J-Link RTT Viewer.


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