Site icon Renzo Mischianti

Arduino AVR: compiled binary (.hex) from command line and GUI tool

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When Arduino compiles your sketches, it produces an output file called Hex file that is a complete structure of the micro controller with bootloader.

Arduino AVR compiled binary hex with command line and GUI tool

An important process that simplify the sharing of firmware (and It is used by the most productor) is to generate pre-compiled binary file with only the sketch part.

Add verbose output to Arduino IDE

To better understand all process we are going to enable verbose output on our Arduino IDE. You can find this options on File -> Preferences and check Show verbose output.

Arduino IDE enable show verbose ouput

This allows us to take and reuse console commands.

Generate and upload HEX file

HEX file is a hexadecimal source file typically used by programmable logic devices, such as microcontrollers in remote controls, office machines, and automobile engine control systems. It contains settings, configuration information, or other data saved in a hexadecimal format.

Now we are going to compile the sketch and upload It from the IDE, on the console appear a lot of commands, but the most important for us is the upload.py command, that upload the hex on the microcontroller.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\renzo\OneDrive\Documenti\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=2341_0043 -ide-version=10813 -build-path C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351 -warnings=all -build-cache C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_251846 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA-1.3.0.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude-6.3.0-arduino17.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc-7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\examples\01.Basics\Blink\Blink.ino
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\renzo\OneDrive\Documenti\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=2341_0043 -ide-version=10813 -build-path C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351 -warnings=all -build-cache C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_251846 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA-1.3.0.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude-6.3.0-arduino17.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc-7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\examples\01.Basics\Blink\Blink.ino
Using board 'uno' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10813 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\variants\\standard" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\sketch\\Blink.ino.cpp" -o nul -DARDUINO_LIB_DISCOVERY_PHASE
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10813 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\variants\\standard" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\sketch\\Blink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\preproc\\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp" -DARDUINO_LIB_DISCOVERY_PHASE
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\tools-builder\\ctags\\5.8-arduino11/ctags" -u --language-force=c++ -f - --c++-kinds=svpf --fields=KSTtzns --line-directives "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\preproc\\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
Compiling sketch...
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -Wall -Wextra -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -MMD -flto -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10813 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\cores\\arduino" "-IC:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\arduino\\avr\\variants\\standard" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\sketch\\Blink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\sketch\\Blink.ino.cpp.o"
Compiling libraries...
Compiling core...
Using precompiled core: C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_251846\core\core_arduino_avr_uno_0c812875ac70eb4a9b385d8fb077f54c.a
Linking everything together...
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-gcc" -Wall -Wextra -Os -g -flto -fuse-linker-plugin -Wl,--gc-sections -mmcu=atmega328p -o "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351\\sketch\\Blink.ino.cpp.o" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/..\\arduino_cache_251846\\core\\core_arduino_avr_uno_0c812875ac70eb4a9b385d8fb077f54c.a" "-LC:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351" -lm
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -j .eeprom --set-section-flags=.eeprom=alloc,load --no-change-warnings --change-section-lma .eeprom=0 "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.eep"
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-objcopy" -O ihex -R .eeprom "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.elf" "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex"
"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-size" -A "C:\\Users\\renzo\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.elf"
Sketch uses 924 bytes (2%) of program storage space. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Global variables use 9 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 2039 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -carduino -PCOM5 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex:i 

avrdude: Version 6.3-20190619
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2014 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : COM5
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200
         AVR Part                      : ATmega328P
         Chip Erase delay              : 9000 us
         PAGEL                         : PD7
         BS2                           : PC2
         RESET disposition             : dedicated
         RETRY pulse                   : SCK
         serial program mode           : yes
         parallel program mode         : yes
         Timeout                       : 200
         StabDelay                     : 100
         CmdexeDelay                   : 25
         SyncLoops                     : 32
         ByteDelay                     : 0
         PollIndex                     : 3
         PollValue                     : 0x53
         Memory Detail                 :

                                  Block Poll               Page                       Polled
           Memory Type Mode Delay Size  Indx Paged  Size   Size #Pages MinW  MaxW   ReadBack
           ----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
           eeprom        65    20     4    0 no       1024    4      0  3600  3600 0xff 0xff
           flash         65     6   128    0 yes     32768  128    256  4500  4500 0xff 0xff
           lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           calibration    0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
           signature      0     0     0    0 no          3    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00

         Programmer Type : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 3
         Firmware Version: 4.4
         Vtarget         : 0.3 V
         Varef           : 0.3 V
         Oscillator      : 28.800 kHz
         SCK period      : 3.3 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.00s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e950f (probably m328p)
avrdude: reading input file "C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (924 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.16s

avrdude: 924 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex:
avrdude: input file C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex contains 924 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.13s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 924 bytes of flash verified

avrdude done.  Thank you.


In this output you can find the folder of HEX file

C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex

and you can steal the command to upload the HEX file

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avrdude -CC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/etc/avrdude.conf -v -patmega328p -carduino -PCOM5 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:C:\Users\renzo\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_887351/Blink.ino.hex:i 

Avrdude

AVRDUDE (AVR Downloader Uploader) is a program for downloading and uploading the on-chip memories of Atmel’s AVR microcontrollers. It can program the Flash and EEPROM, and where supported by the serial programming protocol, it can program fuse and lock bits. AVRDUDE also supplies a direct instruction mode allowing one to issue any programming instruction to the AVR chip regardless of whether AVRDUDE implements that specific feature of a particular chip. (cit.)

This is distribuite with Arduino IDE and It’s the default instrument to upload code on Atmel board.

Download

But you can download It separately, for MacOS for Windows and for Linux (with default packet manager).

avrdude.conf

To use avrdude in the simplest way need an avrdude.conf where It can find the specs of avery microcontroller, selected with the parameter of the call.

Next we need to know

Generate HEX file

Naturally you don’t need to examine the console to get this file, you can generate It by click on Sketch -> Export compiled Binary. Then by click on Sketch -> Show Sketch Folder you can look what happened.

esp8266 esp32 Arduino Export compiled binary IDE menu

Here you can find 3 file (Here the example for Blink.ino sketch):

As you can understand the first is the precompiled without bootloader (only sketch with libraries), the second is the precompiled with the bootloader.

So the command you can use for upload is posted at the top.

Command line flash

Remember to download avrdude, I already posted the download link for MacOS for Windows, with Linux you can use packet manager.

And for Windows remember to check the flag Add Directories to PATH.

WinAVR add directory to path

Alternately you can add to path the avrdude of your Arduino IDE, you can grab the path from the previous output console.

C:\Users\renzo>avrdude -v -patmega328p -carduino -PCOM5 -b115200 -D -Uflash:w:D:\tmp\testBlink\Blink\Blink.ino.standard.hex:i

avrdude: Version 5.10, compiled on Jan 19 2010 at 10:45:23
         Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/
         Copyright (c) 2007-2009 Joerg Wunsch

         System wide configuration file is "C:\WinAVR-20100110\bin\avrdude.conf"

         Using Port                    : COM5
         Using Programmer              : arduino
         Overriding Baud Rate          : 115200
         AVR Part                      : ATMEGA328P
         Chip Erase delay              : 9000 us
         PAGEL                         : PD7
         BS2                           : PC2
         RESET disposition             : dedicated
         RETRY pulse                   : SCK
         serial program mode           : yes
         parallel program mode         : yes
         Timeout                       : 200
         StabDelay                     : 100
         CmdexeDelay                   : 25
         SyncLoops                     : 32
         ByteDelay                     : 0
         PollIndex                     : 3
         PollValue                     : 0x53
         Memory Detail                 :

                                  Block Poll               Page                       Polled
           Memory Type Mode Delay Size  Indx Paged  Size   Size #Pages MinW  MaxW   ReadBack
           ----------- ---- ----- ----- ---- ------ ------ ---- ------ ----- ----- ---------
           eeprom        65     5     4    0 no       1024    4      0  3600  3600 0xff 0xff
           flash         65     6   128    0 yes     32768  128    256  4500  4500 0xff 0xff
           lfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           hfuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           efuse          0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           lock           0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0  4500  4500 0x00 0x00
           calibration    0     0     0    0 no          1    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00
           signature      0     0     0    0 no          3    0      0     0     0 0x00 0x00

         Programmer Type : Arduino
         Description     : Arduino
         Hardware Version: 3
         Firmware Version: 4.4
         Vtarget         : 0.3 V
         Varef           : 0.3 V
         Oscillator      : 28.800 kHz
         SCK period      : 3.3 us

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e950f
avrdude: safemode: lfuse reads as 0
avrdude: safemode: hfuse reads as 0
avrdude: safemode: efuse reads as 0
avrdude: reading input file "D:\tmp\testBlink\Blink\Blink.ino.standard.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (924 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 0.19s

avrdude: 924 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against D:\tmp\testBlink\Blink\Blink.ino.standard.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file D:\tmp\testBlink\Blink\Blink.ino.standard.hex:
avrdude: input file D:\tmp\testBlink\Blink\Blink.ino.standard.hex contains 924 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.15s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 924 bytes of flash verified

avrdude: safemode: lfuse reads as 0
avrdude: safemode: hfuse reads as 0
avrdude: safemode: efuse reads as 0
avrdude: safemode: Fuses OK

avrdude done.  Thank you.

As explained before we are going to set the chip, speed, port and the file, and avrdude do the work.

Flash with GUI tool

Exist a very simple GUI tool for windows to do the same operation the avrdudeGUI, and you can download It from here.

It is necessary to copy the same parameter in the graphical interface, the programmer and the port:

Arduino UNO avrdudeGUI set programmer and port

and the chip and HEX file.

Arduino UNO avrdude gui set device firmware and flash

Thanks


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