add how to GDB section

beginner/apps/.vscode/launch.json

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{
+    "version": "0.2.0",
+    "configurations": [
+      {
+        "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
+        // TODO to debug a different program the app name ("hello") needs to be changed
+        "executable": "./target/thumbv7em-none-eabihf/debug/hello", 
+        "name": "Debug Microcontroller (launch)",
+        "request": "launch",
+        "preLaunchTask": "rust: cargo build",
+        "type": "cortex-debug",
+        "runToMain": true,
+        "configFiles": [
+          "interface/jlink.cfg",
+        ],
+        "servertype": "openocd",
+        "openOCDLaunchCommands": [
+          "transport select swd",
+          "source [find target/nrf52.cfg]"
+        ],
+        // commands only supported in OpenOCD 0.11.0; also due to how the `rtt-target` crate works
+        // these commands need to run _after_ the target executes the `rtt_init` macro so running
+        // these commands when the device is halted on `main` will fail
+        // "postLaunchCommands": [
+        //   // FIXME(?) to work with a newer version (>0.3.7) of the cortex-debug extension the
+        //   // escaped backslashes (`\\`) may need to be removed
+        //   "monitor rtt setup 0x20000000 262144 \\\"SEGGER RTT\\\"",
+        //   "monitor rtt start",
+        //   "monitor rtt server start 8765 0",
+        // ],
+      }
+    ]
+}

embedded-workshop-book/src/SUMMARY.md

@@ -66,3 +66,5 @@
     - [`dongle-flash` is not working](./troubleshoot-dongle-flash.md)
     - [Dongle USB functionality is not working](./troubleshoot-usb-dongle.md)
     - [`cargo run` errors](./troubleshoot-cargo-run-error.md)
+- [Appendix](./appendix.md)
+  - [Using GDB](./gdb.md)

embedded-workshop-book/src/appendix.md

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Appendix
+
+Additional information

embedded-workshop-book/src/gdb.md

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Using GDB
+
+To debug embedded Rust applications with GDB we currently recommend using tooling like OpenOCD,
+JLinkGDBServer or pyOCD
+
+Although `cargo-embed` v0.10 (and v0.10 of `probe-rs`, the library that powers `cargo-embed`)
+support spawning a GDB server it has some limitations
+- stepping through the code (e.g. GDB's `step` and `next` commands) is imprecise or doesn't work in
+  some cases
+- it's not possible to have a GDB server and RTT channels running at the same time (this limitation
+  is likely to be removed in v0.11)
+
+The rest of this section covers how to debug an embedded application within VS code using OpenOCD as
+the GDB server.
+
+## Dependencies
+
+1. You'll need to install OpenOCD. Installation instructions vary depending on your OS.
+
+2. Install the cortex-debug extension in VS code. Head to the extensions marketplace and search for
+   "cortex-debug". Latest version at the time of writing is 0.3.7 and the author of the extension is
+   "marus25"
+
+## Preparation
+
+For the best debugging experience, the `dev` (development) compilation profile should be set to its
+default settings. Modify `beginner/apps/Cargo.toml` to revert the `dev` profile to its default.
+
+``` diff
+ panic-log = { path = "../../common/panic-log" }
+
+ # optimize code in both profiles
+-[profile.dev]
+-codegen-units = 1
+-debug = 1
+-debug-assertions = true # !
+-incremental = false
+-lto = "fat"
+-opt-level = 'z' # !
+-overflow-checks = false
+
+ [profile.release]
+```
+
+## How to
+
+1. In VS code, from the top menu pick "File" > "Open folder". Then open the `beginner/apps` folder.
+
+2. Within this folder, open the `src/bin/hello.rs` file.
+
+3. From the top menu, pick "Run" > "Start Debugging".
+
+You are now in a GDB session. Switch to the "Run" view (4th icon from the top on the left sidebar)
+and you'll see debug information like the call stack, local variables, breakpoints and CPU registers
+on the left side. On the bottom panel, you can switch to the "Debug console" to issue commands to
+the GDB server. Near the top of the GUI you'll find a row of buttons to navigate through the program
+(step, continue, etc.). Breakpoints can be added by clicking to the left of line numbers in the file
+view.
+
+![GDB session within VS code using the cortex-debug extension](code-gdb.png)
+
+## Debugging a different program
+
+To debug a different program within the `beginner/apps` folder you'll need to modify the
+`beginner/apps/.vscode/launch.json` file as follows:
+
+``` diff
+ {
+     "version": "0.2.0",
+     "configurations": [
+       {
+         "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
+-        // TODO to debug a different program the app name ("hello") needs to be changed
+-        "executable": "./target/thumbv7em-none-eabihf/debug/hello",
++        "executable": "./target/thumbv7em-none-eabihf/debug/blinky",
+         "name": "Debug Microcontroller (launch)",
+```
+
+Change the name of the program from `hello` to whichever program you wish to debug.