Runtime Debugging with Trace Tools

TASK.ORTI "output/OsOrti.orti"  /* Load ORTI file */
TASK.TRACE                        /* View task timeline (requires ETM) */
TASK.STACK TASK_10MS              /* Per-task stack watermark */
TASK.STATUS                       /* Current state for all tasks */
/* If stack usage > 90%: OsTaskStackSize must be increased */

/* Method 1: global variable */
VAR.WATCH NvM_OdometerData

/* Method 2: RTE implicit buffer for P-Port write */
VAR.WATCH Rte_Buf_WheelSpeed_Calculate_SpeedOut_VehicleSpeed

/* Method 3: breakpoint on Rte_Read, print *data */
Break.Set Rte_Read_SpeedIn_VehicleSpeed /Program
/* ARM: R0 = pointer to output buffer at call site */

/* Halt only when Com_SendSignal is called for signal handle 5 */
Break.Set Com_SendSignal /Program
  /* Condition: R0 (first arg on ARM = SignalId) == 5 */
  \COND (Register(R0)==0x5)

/* When breakpoint triggers:
   R0 = SignalId, R1 = pointer to signal data
   PRINT FORMAT.HEX(4, Data.Long(R:Register(R1))) */

🔬 Deep Dive — Core Concepts Expanded

This section builds on the foundational concepts covered above with additional technical depth, edge cases, and configuration nuances that separate competent engineers from experts. When working on production ECU projects, the details covered here are the ones most commonly responsible for integration delays and late-phase defects.

Key principles to reinforce:

• Configuration over coding: In AUTOSAR and automotive middleware environments, correctness is largely determined by ARXML configuration, not application code. A correctly implemented algorithm can produce wrong results due to a single misconfigured parameter.
• Traceability as a first-class concern: Every configuration decision should be traceable to a requirement, safety goal, or architecture decision. Undocumented configuration choices are a common source of regression defects when ECUs are updated.
• Cross-module dependencies: In tightly integrated automotive software stacks, changing one module's configuration often requires corresponding updates in dependent modules. Always perform a dependency impact analysis before submitting configuration changes.