Set Up CMake with VS Code for STM32CubeMX ARM Cortex-M Development

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of setting up CMake with Visual Studio Code (VS Code) for ARM Cortex-M development using the STM32CubeMX toolchain. This setup will work on both Windows and Linux operating systems, enabling you to efficiently develop and manage embedded applications for STM32 microcontrollers.

Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of C/C++ programming.
• VS Code installed on your machine.
• CMake version 3.10 or higher installed.
• STM32CubeMX installed.
• GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain installed.
• Git (optional, but recommended for version control).

Parts/Tools

• Computer with Windows or Linux OS.
• VS Code.
• ARM Cortex-M microcontroller development board.
• USB programmer or debugger (such as ST-Link).

Steps

1. Install Required Software:
   1. Download and install Visual Studio Code.
   2. Download and install CMake.
   3. Download and install STM32CubeMX.
   4. Download and install the GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain.
2. Set Up STM32CubeMX Project:
   1. Open STM32CubeMX and create a new project.
   2. Select your target STM32 microcontroller.
   3. Configure peripherals as needed for your application.
   4. Go to “Project Settings” and set the toolchain to “Makefile”.
   5. Click “Project” > “Generate Code” to create the project files.
3. Open the Project in VS Code:
   1. Launch VS Code.
   2. Select “File” > “Open Folder…” and choose the folder where STM32CubeMX generated your project.
4. Create a CMakeLists.txt File:

   In the root of your project folder, create a new file named CMakeLists.txt and add the following content:

   cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
   
   project(MySTM32Project C CXX)
   
   set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
   set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 11)
   
   include_directories(
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/Drivers/STM32F4xx_HAL_Driver/Inc
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/Core/Inc
   )
   
   file(GLOB SOURCES
       "Core/*.c"
       "Drivers/STM32F4xx_HAL_Driver/Src/*.c"
   )
   
   add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} ${SOURCES})

5. Configure VS Code for CMake:
   1. Install the “CMake Tools” extension from the VS Code marketplace.
   2. Open the command palette (Ctrl + Shift + P) and type “CMake: Configure”.
   3. Select the appropriate kit (e.g., GCC for ARM). This may require configuring the CMake settings if your toolchain is not detected.
6. Build the Project:
   1. Open the command palette and type “CMake: Build”.
   2. Ensure that the build is successful and check for any errors in the terminal.
7. Upload to the Microcontroller:

   To upload your program to the microcontroller, you can use a terminal command or an extension. For ST-Link, use:

   st-flash write build/MySTM32Project.bin 0x8000000

Troubleshooting

• If CMake cannot find your toolchain, ensure that the path to the toolchain binaries is added to your system’s PATH environment variable.
• If you encounter build errors, check your CMakeLists.txt file for any missing source files or incorrect paths.
• For upload issues, confirm that the debugger/programmer is properly connected and configured in STM32CubeMX.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should now have a functional development environment for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers using CMake and VS Code. This setup allows for efficient project management and streamlined development processes. Happy coding!