STM32

Project STM32
STM32 setup guide
Status	Initializing
Contact	bertrik
Last Update	2016-11-06

Introduction

This page is about inexpensive microcontroller boards containing an STM32 processor and how to get them to work.

You can find these board on AliExpress for less than E2,- if you search for "stm32f103c8t6". Yet they have nice specifications, see also http://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers/stm32f103c8.html

To name a few:

• 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor running at up to 72 MHz
• 128 kB flash memory, 20 kB SRAM
• USB and CAN controllers
• 32 kHz crystal for RTC
• dual 1 us A/D converter, DMA controller
• the usual stuff like SPI, UART, I2C

They are even Arduino compatible, see:

• Arduino for STM32
• Arduino goes STM32, a quick tutorial
• Arduino STM32 page of Roger Clark

Setting up the tool chain

This describes the steps I did to get a "blue pill" board to work on Debian Jessie.

Arduino IDE

Steps to set up the IDE:

• get and install the latest Arduino IDE from here.
• under menu Tools / Board / Board Manager, search for "zero" and install the Arduino Zero toolchain
• get the Arduino_STM32 source code, for example, run in the console:

cd ~/code
mkdir stm32
cd stm32
git clone https://github.com/rogerclarkmelbourne/Arduino_STM32

• create a symlink to the Arduino_STM32 source tree in your ~/Arduino/hardware directory, for example:

cd ~/Arduino/hardware
ln -s ~/code/stm32/Arduino_STM32 .

• restart the Arduino IDE.

stm32flash

If you're running a 64-bit Linux, it can be convenient to add support for the 32-bit stm32flash utility, run:

sudo apt-get install libc6-i386

The tool chain installation should now be ready.

Hardware

The hardware I'm using, is the "blue pill", I soldered on the headers for easy plugging with dupont-wire. You'll also need a USB-serial converter.

I hooked it up as follows:

• converter 5V -> board 5V
• converter GND -> board GND
• converter RXD -> board A9
• converter TXD -> board A10

To put the board into programming mode, set the BOOT0 jumper to the TODO position and the BOOT1 jumper to the TODO position, then push the reset button.

Unlocking/erasing the first time

You might find that the flash is protected on a new board, this means you cannot put a new program on the board. You can fix this as follows:

• go the stm32flash directory

cd ~/Arduino/hardware/Arduino_STM32/tools/linux/stm32flash

• use the stm32flash utility to disable the flash-read protection

./stm32flash /dev/ttyUSB0 -k

• use the stm32flash utility to erase the flash (not completely sure if this is needed)

./stm32flash /dev/ttyUSB0 -o

Software

To load your first application:

• make sure you have the BOOT jumpers in the right position.
• in the Arduino IDE, under menu Tools / Board, select "Generic STM32F103C Series"
• in the Arduino IDE, under menu Tools / Upload Method, select "Serial"
• use the following program to blink the on-board LED:

#define pinLED PC13

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(pinLED, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(pinLED, HIGH);
  delay(200);
  digitalWrite(pinLED, LOW);
  delay(100);
}

• ctrl-U to upload it to the board, the program will start automatically
• to make the program run after a reboot, place the BOOT0 jumper back to its original position.