How to use “attribute” in STM32CubeIDE
Preface
The purpose of ‘attribute__’ is to store variables or arrays at a specified address. In practical applications, program version information is usually fixed at a specific flash address. Here, I needed to assist in modifying the Hex burning file to recognize version information. However, after attempting to use STM32CubeIDE, I found it didn’t work, while KEIL was functioning normally. I searched online for solutions, but none worked, and errors kept occurring. Eventually, I found the correct usage method.
Modify the LD file
Here, because STM32CubeIDE handles the Flash LD file differently from KEIL, adjustments are necessary if you want to use the ‘attribute’ feature.
The first step is to declare the specific block you need to use in the main MEMORY section.
/* Memories definition */
MEMORY
{
RAM (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 96K
FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x8000000, LENGTH = 512K
Version (rx) : ORIGIN =0x0806B000, LENGTH = 1K
}
The second step is to add within the /* Sections */ section.
Continue with the modifications below in the LD file. Pay special attention here.
.VERSION :
{
KEEP(*(.MCU_version))
} >Version
“VERSION: is the name of the array defined before the main function.
KEEP(*(.MCU_version)) is the name within the section() defined before the main function.
What comes after the angle brackets in ‘Version’ is added in the preceding LD file.
With these steps, compilation should proceed without errors.
In main.c, use the following (declare it outside the main loop).”
unsigned int Version[2] __attribute__((section(".MCU_version"))) = {0x051E0817,0x00020101};
The resulting image below shows an additional setting position and value at the bottom.
Complete appendix of the LD file
/*
******************************************************************************
**
** @file : LinkerScript.ld
**
** @author : Auto-generated by STM32CubeIDE
**
** Abstract : Linker script for NUCLEO-F401RE Board embedding STM32F401RETx Device from stm32f4 series
** 512KBytes FLASH
** 96KBytes RAM
**
** Set heap size, stack size and stack location according
** to application requirements.
**
** Set memory bank area and size if external memory is used
**
** Target : STMicroelectronics STM32
**
** Distribution: The file is distributed as is, without any warranty
** of any kind.
**
******************************************************************************
** @attention
**
** Copyright (c) 2023 STMicroelectronics.
** All rights reserved.
**
** This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file
** in the root directory of this software component.
** If no LICENSE file comes with this software, it is provided AS-IS.
**
******************************************************************************
*/
/* Entry Point */
ENTRY(Reset_Handler)
/* Highest address of the user mode stack */
_estack = ORIGIN(RAM) + LENGTH(RAM); /* end of "RAM" Ram type memory */
_Min_Heap_Size = 0x200; /* required amount of heap */
_Min_Stack_Size = 0x400; /* required amount of stack */
/* Memories definition */
MEMORY
{
RAM (xrw) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 96K
FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x8000000, LENGTH = 512K
Version (rx) : ORIGIN =0x0806B000, LENGTH = 1K
}
/* Sections */
SECTIONS
{
/* The startup code into "FLASH" Rom type memory */
.isr_vector :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
KEEP(*(.isr_vector)) /* Startup code */
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
/* The program code and other data into "FLASH" Rom type memory */
.text :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
*(.text) /* .text sections (code) */
*(.text*) /* .text* sections (code) */
*(.glue_7) /* glue arm to thumb code */
*(.glue_7t) /* glue thumb to arm code */
*(.eh_frame)
KEEP (*(.init))
KEEP (*(.fini))
. = ALIGN(4);
_etext = .; /* define a global symbols at end of code */
} >FLASH
/* Constant data into "FLASH" Rom type memory */
.rodata :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
*(.rodata) /* .rodata sections (constants, strings, etc.) */
*(.rodata*) /* .rodata* sections (constants, strings, etc.) */
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.ARM.extab : {
. = ALIGN(4);
*(.ARM.extab* .gnu.linkonce.armextab.*)
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.ARM : {
. = ALIGN(4);
__exidx_start = .;
*(.ARM.exidx*)
__exidx_end = .;
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.preinit_array :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__preinit_array_start = .);
KEEP (*(.preinit_array*))
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__preinit_array_end = .);
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.init_array :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__init_array_start = .);
KEEP (*(SORT(.init_array.*)))
KEEP (*(.init_array*))
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__init_array_end = .);
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.fini_array :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__fini_array_start = .);
KEEP (*(SORT(.fini_array.*)))
KEEP (*(.fini_array*))
PROVIDE_HIDDEN (__fini_array_end = .);
. = ALIGN(4);
} >FLASH
.VERSION :
{
KEEP(*(.MCU_version))
} >Version
/* Used by the startup to initialize data */
_sidata = LOADADDR(.data);
/* Initialized data sections into "RAM" Ram type memory */
.data :
{
. = ALIGN(4);
_sdata = .; /* create a global symbol at data start */
*(.data) /* .data sections */
*(.data*) /* .data* sections */
*(.RamFunc) /* .RamFunc sections */
*(.RamFunc*) /* .RamFunc* sections */
. = ALIGN(4);
_edata = .; /* define a global symbol at data end */
} >RAM AT> FLASH
/* Uninitialized data section into "RAM" Ram type memory */
. = ALIGN(4);
.bss :
{
/* This is used by the startup in order to initialize the .bss section */
_sbss = .; /* define a global symbol at bss start */
__bss_start__ = _sbss;
*(.bss)
*(.bss*)
*(COMMON)
. = ALIGN(4);
_ebss = .; /* define a global symbol at bss end */
__bss_end__ = _ebss;
} >RAM
/* User_heap_stack section, used to check that there is enough "RAM" Ram type memory left */
._user_heap_stack :
{
. = ALIGN(8);
PROVIDE ( end = . );
PROVIDE ( _end = . );
. = . + _Min_Heap_Size;
. = . + _Min_Stack_Size;
. = ALIGN(8);
} >RAM
/* Remove information from the compiler libraries */
/DISCARD/ :
{
libc.a ( * )
libm.a ( * )
libgcc.a ( * )
}
.ARM.attributes 0 : { *(.ARM.attributes) }
}