Unable to use st-util under linux. Cortex-Debug tries to use the st-util as if it is a windows 'st-link' gdb server

[daantimmer]

Describe the bug I am using Visual Studio Code with a (linux) devcontainer on windows. We are able to bind our usb devices directly to WSL through usbipd-win. This works flawlessly for a j-link. I am now trying to create a setup for st-links instead.

I've downloaded the st-link sources and build from source to get them installed (1.8 version).

I've setup my launch configuration like:

            "servertype": "stlink",
            "serverpath": "/usr/local/bin/st-util",

But, this results in the following way that st-util is executed:

Setting GDB-Server CWD: /usr/local/bin
Launching gdb-server: /usr/local/bin/st-util -p 50000 -cp /usr/local/STMicroelectronics/STM32Cube/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin --swd --halt

Which is an incorrect, this is the help menu from st-util:

st-util --help
st-util - usage:

  -h, --help            Print this help
  -V, --version         Print the version
  -vXX, --verbose=XX    Specify a specific verbosity level (0...99)
  -v, --verbose         Specify generally verbose logging
  -p 4242, --listen_port=1234
                        Set the gdb server listen port. (default port: 4242)
  -m, --multi
                        Set gdb server to extended mode.
                        st-util will continue listening for connections after disconnect.
  -n, --no-reset, --hot-plug
                        Do not reset board on connection.
  -u, --connect-under-reset
                        Connect to the board before executing any instructions.
  -F 1800k, --freq=1M
                        Set the frequency of the SWD/JTAG interface.
  --semihosting
                        Enable semihosting support.
  --serial <serial>
                        Use a specific serial number.

There is no need to set the the cube programmer, or --swd or --halt.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. install stlink-tools in a ubuntu devcontainer
2. configure a launch command with servertype: stlink
3. configure the serverpath: to whereever st-util is installed
4. start a debug session

Expected behavior able to start debugging through st-util

Environment (please complete the following information):

• cortex-debug: 1.12.1
• os: (host) windows 10, (devcontainer) ubuntu 22.04
• gdb-multiarch: 12.1-0ubuntu1~22.04
• st-util: 1.8.0-2-g65f062f (build/installed from source)

Please include launch.json

Note: We are unlikely to look at the issue if you do not supply this

        {
            "name": "Debug stm32g474re stlink",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "executable": "${command:cmake.launchTargetPath}",
            "request": "launch",
            "type": "cortex-debug",
            "device": "STM32G474RE",
            "servertype": "stlink",
            "serverpath": "/usr/local/bin/st-util",
            "runToEntryPoint": "main",
            "svdFile": "Keil::STM32G4xx_DFP@1.5.0",
            "deviceName": "STM32G474RETx"
        }

Attach text from Debug Console

Cortex-Debug: VSCode debugger extension version 1.12.1 git(652d042). Usage info: https://github.com/Marus/cortex-debug#usage
Reading symbols from arm-none-eabi-objdump --syms -C -h -w <redacted>.elf
Reading symbols from arm-none-eabi-nm --defined-only -S -l -C -p <redacted>.elf
Launching GDB: gdb-multiarch -q --interpreter=mi2
    IMPORTANT: Set "showDevDebugOutput": "raw" in "launch.json" to see verbose GDB transactions here. Very helpful to debug issues or report problems
Setting GDB-Server CWD: /usr/local/bin
Launching gdb-server: /usr/local/bin/st-util -p 50000 -cp /usr/local/STMicroelectronics/STM32Cube/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin --swd --halt -p 50000
    Please check TERMINAL tab (gdb-server) for output from /usr/local/bin/st-util
Finished reading symbols from objdump: Time: 35 ms
ST-LINK: GDB Server Quit Unexpectedly. See gdb-server output in TERMINAL tab for more details.

Attach text from `Terminal

/usr/local/bin/st-util -p 50000 -cp /usr/local/STMicroelectronics/STM32Cube/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin --swd --halt -p 50000
/usr/local/bin/st-util: invalid option -- 'c'
Invalid port /usr/local/STMicroelectronics/STM32Cube/STM32CubeProgrammer/bin
[2024-02-12T08:26:04.070Z] SERVER CONSOLE DEBUG: onBackendConnect: gdb-server session closed
GDB server session ended. This terminal will be reused, waiting for next session to start...

Additional context Install st-link tools from source did not work when I followed the build instructions. What I did instead:

1. make a temp dir
2. git clone the st-link repo: https://github.com/stlink-org/stlink.git
3. install the required dependencies (https://github.com/stlink-org/stlink/blob/testing/doc/compiling.md)
4. this is where i diverged:
5. `make clean`
6. `make release` (this fails, but is required for step 7 as it configures the cmake project)
7. `cmake --build build/Release` (this does work)
8. `cmake --install build/Release`
9. `ldconfig`

[daantimmer]

There is a workaround:

launch st-util manually and change servertype to external:

        {
            "name": "Debug stm32g474re stlink",
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "executable": "${command:cmake.launchTargetPath}",
            "request": "launch",
            "type": "cortex-debug",
            "device": "STM32G474RE",
            "servertype": "external",
            "gdbTarget": "localhost:4242",
            "overrideLaunchCommands": [
                "monitor reset",
                "-target-download",
                "monitor reset"
            ],
            "overrideRestartCommands": [
                "monitor reset"
            ],
            "runToEntryPoint": "main",
            "svdFile": "Keil::STM32G4xx_DFP@1.5.0",
            "deviceName": "STM32G474RETx"
        }

[afezza]

If you use stutil instead of stlink as server type it will do the trick

"servertype": "stutil"

[haneefdm]

The following is wrong

            "servertype": "stlink",
            "serverpath": "/usr/local/bin/st-util",

stlink and st-util are very different gdb-servers, incompatible, supplied by different people. stlink from ST Micro is my preferred gdb-server.

[daantimmer]

Thanks for responding, and pointing me at an error on my side!. However, I can't seem to find this stlink tool. (Specifically for Linux).

The only thing that I can find is https://github.com/stlink-org/stlink, which, when installed, only installs:

• st-flash
• st-info
• st-util
• st-trace

[haneefdm]

Like I said, stlink is distributed by ST Micro and is part of their install of STMCube32 IDE.

https://www.st.com/en/development-tools/stm32cubeide.html

If you install in the default location, Cortex-Debug will find it automatically. You can also install STMicro's VSCode extension that will auto-generate the launch.json for you

https://community.st.com/t5/stm32-vscode-extension-mcus/new-stm32-vscode-extension-v2-0-0-released/td-p/657415

There are hundreds of examples on the web.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/71066091/problem-understanding-cortex-debug-configurations-in-visual-studio-code-stm32 https://forum.electro-smith.com/t/st-link-and-cortex-debugger-on-ubuntu-24-04/5260

But it all starts by installing the official ST Micro tools. You are taking a scenic route to getting this done. While we don't discourage that, we don't recommend it either.

[daantimmer]

Right, we don't depend on CubeIDE because we are in a devcontainer (you can call it scenic, we call it modern). We target multiple devices from multiple vendors and our container supports all of them with the same tools :-).

If you search for "stlink Ubuntu" you get pointed at the st-utils repository and not at CubeIDE. There is no mention of Cube whatsoever.

Regardless, thank you for the information regarding stlink and CubeIDE. That was information that I missed. Also thank you for taking time to respond and pointing me at my error/mistake in a friendly manner :-)