CodeWarrior C & C++

The Freescale CodeWarrior IDE integrates compilers and debuggers for the Freescale ( was Motorola) range of CPU families. 

Freescale have drastically reduced the cost of their compilers and have re-packaged them so that now when you buy the CodeWarrior Suite you get not one compiler - but copies of ALL their compilers.  If you want a Floating Licence you can have it for the same cost as a Dongle locked licence.  You can even hire your Compiler by the year.

Select this link for more details of how you can benefit from these unusual Licensing conditions.

CodeWarrior Features:

The CodeWarrior compilers runs under windows in their own common integrated development environment (IDE) that includes Project management, Make, Linkage  and control of debugging hardware. Integrating debugging into the same environment significantly speeds up the development process.

Flexible project support  -  It will create and manage anything from single file assembly projects to complex C projects with multiple files.
               Manages dependencies
               The same project can be used to create different versions such as debug and release.

Build system with optimizing C as well as C++/cC++/EC++ compilers *   ( cC++ is compact C++ )

Macro Assembler (absolute, relocatable, mixed and in-line)

Linker removes unused code

Graphical, source-level debugger

Flash programming support

* There is a full chip simulator for some chips (see individual CPU literature), an integrated data visualization tool, code coverage, profile analysis* and trace tools* which provide clear, meaningful insight into the program’s run-time behaviour.

UNIS Device Initialization tool to generate CPU and peripheral initialization code *

OSEC debugging interface to RTOS task information *

The compiler has more than 60 advanced optimization strategies specifically designed to boost performance and reduce code size.

PPC version also supports  - position independent code/data (PIC/PID) and Small Data Area (SDA) modes
                             hardware and memory diagnostic tests
                             Eventpoints that can perform a debug task when specific conditions are true or a line of code is executed

Many BDM/JTAG hardware interfaces can provide the link between the CodeWarrior debugging software and the target hardware in particular the Abatron and P&Es Cyclone Pro and Max units as well as P&E USB Multilink hardware interfaces

Support is provided for 12 months by Freescales email, web and phone support services.

   * Pro Version, only for some chips see individual CPU specific literature

C++ The Future?

C++'s proponents claim many advantages for this language and certainly, for some 16 and 32 bit applications, these make it attractive. However, even it's staunchest advocates admit to "features that may have undesirable side-effects when used in real-time embedded projects" like indeterminate garbage collection to name only one. A lot of work is going into embedded subsets of C++ that will reduce the code bloat and control execution time overheads without losing C++'s primary advantages.   The Freescale C++ compiler allows the user great control over the compiler. It can be set either for full ANSI C++ (excluding exception handling - the largest source of additional code) or to the emerging EC++ standard or for Compact C++ in which the individual features may be selectively enabled or disabled to control the subset in use. In typical applications code sizes have been measured as: Assembler (1), C (1.2), Compact C++ (1.5), EC++ (1.7) and Full C++ (6). To a first approximation execution speeds follow the same ratios.