The Spark Core Firmware
This firmware depends on two other libraries: the Spark Common Library and the Spark Communication Library
1. Download and Install Dependencies
- GCC for ARM Cortex processors
- Make
- Device Firmware Upgrade Utilities
- Zatig (for windows users only)
- Git
1. GCC for ARM Cortex processors
The Spark Core uses an ARM Cortex M3 CPU based microcontroller. All of the code is built around the GNU GCC toolchain offered and maintained by ARM.
Download and install the latest version from: https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded
2. Make
In order to turn your source code into binaries, you will need a tool called make. Windows users need to explicitly install make on their machines. Make sure you can use it from the terminal window.
Download and install the latest version from: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/make.htm
3. Device Firmware Upgrade Utilities
Install dfu-util. Mac users can install dfu-util with Homebrew, Linux users may find it in their package manager, and everyone can get it from http://dfu-util.gnumonks.org/index.html
4. Zatig
In order for the Core to show up on the dfu list, you need to replace the USB driver with a utility called Zadig. Here is a tutorial on using it. This is only required for Windows users.
5. Git
Download and install Git: http://git-scm.com/
2. Download and Build Repositories
The entire Spark Core firmware is organized into three repositories. The main firmware is located under core-firmware, while the supporting libraries are subdivided in to core-common-lib and core-communication-lib.
How do we download these repositories?
You can access all of the repositories via any git interface or download it directly from the website.
Make sure all of the following repositories are downloaded into the same folder. For example (if all of the repositories are downloaded in a folder called Spark):
D:\Spark\core-firmware
D:\Spark\core-common-lib
D:\Spark\core-communication-lib
Method 1: Through the git command line interface.
Open up a terminal window, navigate to your destination directory and type the following commands:
(Make sure you have git installed on your machine!)
git clone https://github.com/spark/core-firmware.gitgit clone https://github.com/spark/core-common-lib.gitgit clone https://github.com/spark/core-communication-lib.git
Meathod 2: Download the zipped files directly from the Sparkās GitHub website
How do we build these repositories?
Make sure you have downloaded and installed all the required dependencies as mentioned previously.
Open up a terminal window, navigate to the build folder under core-firmware and type:
make clean all
This will build your main application and both the dependencies.
For example: D:\Spark\core-firmware\build [master]> make clean all
Navigating the code base
All of the repositories are sub divided into functional folders:
-
/srcholds all the source code files -
/incholds all the header files -
/buildholds the make file and is also the destination for the compiled.binand.hexfiles.
3. Edit and Rebuild
Now that you have your hands on the entire Spark Core firmware, its time to start hacking!
What to edit and what not to edit?
The main user code sits in the application.cpp file under core-firmware/src/ folder. Unless you know what you are doing, refrain yourself from making changes to any other files.
After you are done editing the files, you can rebuild the repository by running the make clean all command. If you have made changes to the other two repositories or have updated them, make sure to run make clean all command to rebuild all of them.
4. Flash It!
Its now time to transfer your code to the Spark Core! You can always do this using the Over The Air update feature or, if you like wires, do it over the USB.
Make sure you have dfu-util installed and available through the command line
Steps:
-
Put you Core into the DFU mode by holding down the MODE button on the Core and then tapping on the RESET button once. Release the MODE button after you start to see the RGB LED flashing in yellow. This process is also described in greater detail here.
-
Open up a terminal window on your computer and type this command to find out if the Core indeed being detected correctly.
dfu-util -l
you should get the following in return:Found DFU: [1d50:607f] devnum=0, cfg=1, intf=0, alt=0, name="@Internal Flash /0x08000000/20*001Ka,108*001Kg" Found DFU: [1d50:607f] devnum=0, cfg=1, intf=0, alt=1, name="@SPI Flash : SST25x/0x00000000/512*04Kg"(Windows users will need to use the Zatig utility to replace the USB driver as described earlier)
-
Now, navigate to the build folder in your core-firmware repository and use the following command to transfer the .bin file into the Core.
dfu-util -d 1d50:607f -a 0 -s 0x08005000:leave -D core-firmware.bin
For example, this is how my terminal looks like:
D:\Spark\core-firmware\build [master]> dfu-util -d 1d50:607f -a 0 -s 0x08005000:leave -D core-firmware.bin
Upon successful transfer, the Core will automatically reset and start the running the program.
**Still having troubles?** Post your questions here!
### CREDITS AND ATTRIBUTIONS
The Spark application team: Zachary Crockett, Satish Nair, Zach Supalla, David Middlecamp and Mohit Bhoite.
The core-firmware uses the GNU GCC toolchain for ARM Cortex-M processors, ARM's CMSIS libraries, TI's CC3000 host driver libraries, STM32 standard peripheral libraries and Arduino's implementation of Wiring.
### LICENSE
Unless stated elsewhere, file headers or otherwise, all files herein are licensed under an LGPLv3 license. For more information, please read the LICENSE file.
### CONTRIBUTE
Want to contribute to the Spark Core project? Follow [this link]() to find out how.
### VERSION HISTORY
Latest Version: v1.0.0
I put the binaries in my PATH and they work. Just had to install the Zatig WinUSB driver for the CORE DFU device that pops up with you put the 
Core into DFU mode (Flashing Yellow). Built the master branch and Iāve got Tinker loaded as expected.
