eCos - the Embedded Cygnus Operating System - release 1.1 README
================================================================

October 1998

This readme file details problems found in the final stages of QA testing after
the documentation was printed. These problems will be resolved in forthcoming
releases of eCos and associated tools. This readme covers both the Developer's
Kit CD and Sourceware releases of eCos.


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eCos 1.1 Known Problems
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PR17814
Problem:	Windows only problem. InstallShield incorrectly calculates the
		amount of disk free-space. It calculates available space on a
		character, not disk allocation unit basis. As the eCos
		distribution contains many small files, this can lead to
		installation being allowed to proceed when there is
		insufficient disk space available.
Workaround:	Please manually check that enough disk space exists after
		consulting the installation requirements in the documentation.

PR18003
Problem:	The Windows based eCos Configuration Tool does not support
		early versions of Internet Explorer - version 2 or earlier.
		When accessing help in the Configuration Tool, the browser
		may display errors regarding the URL that it was invoked
		with. This is due to an inability to handle URL fragments.
Workaround:	Install Internet Explorer version 3 or later, or Netscape.
		Note that Netscape cannot however provide an integrated
		browser pane within the Configuration Tool.


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GNU Compiler Tools and CygMon for eCos 1.1 Known Problems
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PR16573
Problem:	On the TX39 and MN10300, the CygMon command line "load"
		command does not function correctly.
Workaround:	Use gdb to load binaries into the target system using the GDB
		support built into CygMon. Optionally, on the TX39 we provide a
		simple srecord downloader "loaders/tx39-jmr3904/sload.bin"
		that can be used for this purpose.

PR17046
Problem:	Only applicable to the MN103002 evaluation board hardware.
		Breakpoints do not function after a watchdog exception fires.
Workaround:	No known workaround.

PR17614
Problem:	Developer's Kit release only. Mixing some operations between
		the GDBTk GUI and console window can cause problems. Operations
		that should not be mixed include all download and execution
		related commands.
Workaround:	Avoid the use the GDBTk console window where possible.

PR17831/PR18000
Problem:	The TX39 simulator does not support simulation of the external
		interrupt configuration register (located at 0xffffe000). This
		correctly leads to the "intr0" and "kintr0" eCos testcases
		failing when run under the simulator.
Workaround:	Do not access this register in the simulator.

PR17974
Problem:	The MN103002 simulator does not support simulation of the
		on-chip watchdog timer. This correctly leads to the "watchdog"
		eCos testcase failing.
Workaround:	Do not access the watchdog device in the simulator.

PR18007
Problem:	GDB cannot cope with executables whose absolute pathnames are
		longer than 128 characters. This is only a problem when gdb is
		used with hardware. The built in simulators are OK. The failure
		mode is that the application will download correctly, but then
		GDB terminates with an error.
Workaround:	Only attempt to run applications located in a path consisting
		of less than 128 characters.

PR18034
Problem:	The Windows hosted compiler must be provided with file
		extension when using the "-o" flag. If no extension is provided
		the compilation fails with an unrelated and misleading error.
Workaround:	Always specify an extension when using "-o"

PR18036
Problem:	When using the PowerPC simulator built in to GDB, GDB only
		displays the top stack frame, and it is not possible to select
		any other stack frame.
Workaround:	None.

PR18055
Problem:	TX39 GDBTk (Developer's Kit release only) does not allow you
		to remove assembler level breakpoints in the assembly window.
Workaround:	Either use the breakpoint window to disable the breakpoint, or
		use the console window to remove the breakpoints with the
		delete command.

PR18056
Problem:	GDB can occasionally run out of memory when repeatedly loading
		applications into the simulator.
Workaround:	If you experience this problem, simply exit GDB and restart.

PR18085/PR18001
Problem:	TX39 (Sourceware release only) problem connecting to simulated
		CygMon. Following the instructions in the documentation will
		not result in successful connection to a standalone simulator
		running a simulated CygMon.
Workaround:	To connect to a simulated CygMon it is necessary to run GDB
		first, setting "target remote localhost:xxxx", and then
		immediately start the standalone simulator from a different
		shell.

PR18086
Problem:	TX39 GDB deletion of assembler breakpoints within interrupt
		handlers can cause problems. This problem does not occur in the
		TX39 simulator.
Workaround:	Only ever disable interrupt handler assembler breakpoints, do
		not delete them.

PR18110
Problem:	TX39 "si" and "ni" commands can cause problems in a
		multi-threaded environment. In certain circumstances GDB can
		get confused by a thread context switch when single stepping.
		This is a rare occurance, but results in control of the target
		being lost.
Workaround:	If this occurs, hit ^C to regain control of the target.

PR18121
Problem:	No on-line GDBTk manual present (Developer's Kit only). The
		Developer's Kit comes with full printed documentation including
		a GDBTk manual. As an added bonus we have included a HTML
		version of this manual on the eCos 1.1 CD.
Workaround:	The HTML version of the GDBTk manual can be found on the CD ROM
		in the following location: "gdbtk\gdbtk.htm".

PR18122
Problem:	PowerPC GDB stub BREAK support is only partial implemented in
		this release. When a user interrupts execution, GDB doesn't
		display the context of the running thread.
Workaround:	Use the "thread" command to select the context of any other
		thread you wish to view.


End of README
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