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Build System for EPD-nRF52 on Linux

This directory contains the build system for compiling the EPD-nRF5 firmware for nRF52 devices on Linux using ARM GCC.

Prerequisites

1. Install ARM GCC Toolchain

On Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S arm-none-eabi-gcc arm-none-eabi-binutils arm-none-eabi-newlib

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-none-eabi binutils-arm-none-eabi

Or download from ARM:

2. Install nRF Command Line Tools (for merging hex files)

On Arch/Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S nrf-command-line-tools

On Ubuntu/Debian:

Verify installation:

mergehex --version
nrfjprog --version

3. Verify ARM GCC Installation

arm-none-eabi-gcc --version

Should show version 9.x or later.

Building

Basic Build

From the build-nrf52 directory:

make

This will:

  • Compile all source files
  • Link the firmware
  • Generate _build/EPD-nRF52.hex (application only)
  • Generate _build/EPD-nRF52.bin (binary format)
  • Generate _build/EPD-nRF52.map (memory map)

Complete Firmware (with Bootloader and SoftDevice)

To create a complete firmware file that includes bootloader, softdevice, and application:

make full

This creates _build/EPD-nRF52-full.hex which can be flashed directly to a blank chip. For this bootloader flow, make full also generates:

  • _build/EPD-nRF52-settings.hex (bootloader settings page)
  • _build/EPD-nRF52-ota.zip (signed OTA package)

make full requires:

  • nrfutil available and working
  • A private signing key matching the bootloader public key

By default it expects ../tools/priv.pem. Override with:

make full KEY_FILE=/absolute/path/to/priv.pem

Other merge options:

# Softdevice + Application (no bootloader)
make sd

# MBR + Softdevice + Application (no bootloader, with MBR)
make mbr-sd

Custom Toolchain Path

If your ARM GCC toolchain is not in /usr/bin, you can override it:

make GNU_INSTALL_ROOT=/path/to/toolchain/bin

Clean Build

make clean

Help

make help

Output Files

After building, you'll find in _build/:

  • EPD-nRF52.hex - Application only (Intel HEX format)
  • EPD-nRF52.bin - Application binary format
  • EPD-nRF52.out - ELF executable
  • EPD-nRF52.map - Linker memory map

After running make full, you'll also have:

  • EPD-nRF52-full.hex - Complete firmware (Bootloader + SoftDevice + Application)
  • EPD-nRF52-sd.hex - SoftDevice + Application (if you ran make sd)
  • EPD-nRF52-mbr-sd.hex - MBR + SoftDevice + Application (if you ran make mbr-sd)

Flashing

Option 1: Flash Complete Firmware (Recommended for first time)

If you built the complete firmware with make full:

# Erase chip
nrfjprog --eraseall

# Flash complete firmware (bootloader + softdevice + application)
nrfjprog --program _build/EPD-nRF52-full.hex

# Reset
nrfjprog --reset

Option 2: Flash Components Separately

# Erase chip
nrfjprog --eraseall

# Flash softdevice (only needed once)
nrfjprog --program ../SDK/17.1.0_ddde560/components/softdevice/s112/hex/s112_nrf52_7.3.0_softdevice.hex

# Flash bootloader (only needed once)
nrfjprog --program ../tools/bootloader/bl_nrf52811_xxaa_s112.hex

# Flash application
nrfjprog --program _build/EPD-nRF52.hex

# Reset
nrfjprog --reset

Option 3: Flash Application Only (if bootloader/softdevice already installed)

# Flash application only
nrfjprog --program _build/EPD-nRF52.hex --sectorerase

# Reset
nrfjprog --reset

Using J-Link Commander

# Connect and flash complete firmware
JLinkExe -device nRF52811 -if SWD -speed 4000 -autoconnect 1
loadfile _build/EPD-nRF52-full.hex
r
g
exit

Using OpenOCD

# Flash complete firmware
openocd -f interface/jlink.cfg -f target/nrf52.cfg \
  -c "program _build/EPD-nRF52-full.hex verify reset exit"

Configuration

Target Device

The Makefile is configured for nRF52811_xxAA. To change the target:

  1. Update CFLAGS to change the NRF52811_XXAA define
  2. Update the linker script path in LDFLAGS
  3. Update the startup file in ASM_FILES

SoftDevice

Currently configured for SoftDevice S112 (v7.3.0). The linker script automatically accounts for the softdevice memory layout.

Memory Layout

  • Flash: 0x00000000 - 0x00030000 (192 KB total)

    • SoftDevice: 0x00000000 - 0x00019000 (100 KB)
    • Application: 0x00019000 - 0x00030000 (92 KB)

  • RAM: 0x20000000 - 0x20006000 (24 KB)

    • SoftDevice: 0x20000000 - 0x200022D8
    • Application: 0x200022D8 - 0x20006000

Troubleshooting

"arm-none-eabi-gcc: No such file or directory"

Install the ARM GCC toolchain (see Prerequisites).

Linker errors about missing symbols

  • Check that all source files are included in SRC_FILES
  • Verify include paths in INC_FOLDERS
  • Check that the linker script path is correct

"No rule to make target"

  • Verify that PROJECT_ROOT and SDK_ROOT paths are correct
  • Check that source files exist at the specified paths

"ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'nordicsemi'" (during make full)

Your nrfutil Python package is incomplete/broken. Reinstall it, for example:

python3 -m pip install --user --upgrade nrfutil

Build fails with undefined references

  • Ensure the softdevice hex file is flashed first
  • Check that all required SDK components are included
  • Verify compiler defines match the Keil project configuration

Project Structure

build-nrf52/
├── Makefile          # Build configuration
├── README.md         # This file
└── _build/           # Build output (generated)
    ├── EPD-nRF52.hex
    ├── EPD-nRF52.bin
    ├── EPD-nRF52.out
    └── EPD-nRF52.map

Differences from Keil Build

This Makefile uses:

  • GCC instead of ARMCC/Keil compiler
  • GCC-specific files:
    • app_error_handler_gcc.c instead of app_error_handler_keil.c
    • SEGGER_RTT_Syscalls_GCC.c instead of SEGGER_RTT_Syscalls_KEIL.c
  • GNU linker with GCC linker script format
  • Standard Make instead of Keil's build system

The output should be functionally equivalent to the Keil build.