# PicoXTools **Repository Path**: LMLM8090/PicoXTools ## Basic Information - **Project Name**: PicoXTools - **Description**: No description available - **Primary Language**: Unknown - **License**: GPL-2.0 - **Default Branch**: main - **Homepage**: None - **GVP Project**: No ## Statistics - **Stars**: 0 - **Forks**: 1 - **Created**: 2023-12-28 - **Last Updated**: 2026-04-20 ## Categories & Tags **Categories**: Uncategorized **Tags**: None ## README ## [中文版本](./README.zh.md) # Project Background As an embedded software engineer, one of the most commonly used tools, in addition to the integrated development environment (IDE), is: 1. Debugger/Emulator: Debuggers and emulators are used to connect to the target embedded system to monitor real-time program execution and internal states. Through these tools, engineers can schedule code execution step by step, view variables, and debug hardware registers, among other things. Common debuggers include: - Segger J-Link - ST-Link - Black Magic Probe - DAP-Link 2. Serial Tools: Serial tools are used to send debugging information (such as variable values, status information, error messages, etc.) over a serial connection to a host computer. This information helps engineers understand the operational status of the embedded system and identify issues. (Serial debugging is a fundamental debugging method in embedded system development. In practical applications, more advanced debugging tools and methods, such as using a debugger to connect to the target board for hardware-level debugging or using Real-Time Transfer (RTT) and other advanced debugging techniques, may be used.) Currently, the main USB to TTL modules used are USB2TTL modules, with the main chips being: - cp210x - Mostly domestically produced CH340. # Development Scenarios For everyday development, only one debugger and one serial module are required. However, for module development and development involving multiple CPUs/multiple boards, multiple sets of debuggers and serial modules may be needed. Your USB hub provides only a limited number of ports. Challenges to address: - The need for more USB ports to connect debugging tools; therefore, an additional USB HUB may be required. - More DuPont wires to connect development boards. - Expensive debuggers (such as J-LINK) may need to be configured for multiple instances. # PicoXTools Functional Diagram ![](docs/Xfunctions.png) # Physical Appearance ![](docs/realboard.png) # Hardware Section ## J-LINK Interface Conversion Referenced internet implementation ![](docs/JtagArm20Adapter_top.png) PicoXTools can be directly inserted into the 20-pin male header of J-LINK. No additional ribbon cable connection is required; 1-to-4 functionality is achieved through a dual-pole four-throw simulated switch (SWD/cJTAG), with only one channel being active at any given moment. ## PicoXTools Itself Is an Arm Development Board: > Excellent performance, a thriving community environment, > Based on Raspberry Pi RP2040, the main features of RP2040 include: > 1. Dual-core M0+ cores capable of running at over 133MHz. > 2. Memory: It has 264KB of SRAM built-in. > 3. RP2040 supports USB connectivity and can act as both a USB host and USB device, with good portability for TinyUSB. > 4. PIO (Programmable Input/Output) can emulate various peripherals such as Ethernet MAC, VGA, HDMI, and other proprietary peripherals, similar to FPGA functionality. > 5. Excellent community support with numerous geeks developing interesting projects based on it, such as oscilloscopes and logic analyzers. ## DAP-Link Functionality > The DAP-Link (pic-probe) officially implemented by Raspberry Pi can be used to debug RP2040 itself. Combined with OpenOCD, it can debug a wider range of MCUs. > Four target devices can be selected for debugging through a dial and a dual-pole four-throw simulated switch. > When an external JLINK is inserted (determined by a high level on the second pin of JLINK's VCC), PicoXTools' four SWD/cJTAGE pins will be routed to the external JLINK instead of pic—probe. ## 4 Port USB 2.0 > PicoXTools features a 4-port USB 2.0 HUB, with two of them dedicated to the RP2040 with ch344 and the remaining two ports available for external USB devices, with a mainstream TYPE-C interface. ## 4 Independent Hardware USB to TTL Ports > While RP2040 has a USB interface that can implement USB to TTL through software, it is embarrassing not to have serial output when RP2040 goes awry as a development tool. Therefore, an independent CH344Q chip is attached to the USB-HUB, separate from the SOC. Of course, you can add additional serial interfaces using software and Pico's PIO. ## USB to I2C We can use the built-in Web Server to operate the RP2040 hardware I2C interface and debug I2C devices on the expansion board, such as temperature and humidity sensors, SS1306 OLED displays, etc. ## USB to SPI We can use the built-in Web Server to operate the RP2040 hardware SPI interface and debug SPI devices on the expansion board, such as LoRa modules. ## Independent RP2040 Reset Button ## Independent USB HUB Reset Button # Software Section ## A Small Yet Powerful CLI (Command Line Interface) with Abundant Commands Built-In - Easily extensible commands - Command completion - Command history - Integrated littlefs/Fatfs, supporting basic file system commands such as ls, cd, copy, rm, mkdir, etc. - Includes a Vi editor based on busybox, allowing you to directly edit programs and configuration files in the command line using vi. - Supports X and YModem protocol file transmission. - NDIS/ECM network card and MSC disk based on TinyUSB - Offline burning - A JIT C compiler based on AMaCC (https://github.com/jserv/amacc) and C4 (https://github.com/rswier/c4) > The generated files can be executed directly in the PicoXTools shell. - Supported scripting languages > 1. Python This one goes without saying; Python is natively supported for Pico development. > 2. Lua The scripting language with the highest degree of integration with C. > 3. C (based on AMaCC & c4) The ultimate glue language is C. > 4. Javascript JavaScript is one of the most widely used programming languages in the development community. It is a high-level, dynamic, weakly typed programming language used extensively in: >> - Front-end and back-end web development >> - Mobile applications >> - Desktop applications >> - Data visualization (e.g., D3.js) >> - Game development >> - Cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) In this context, we mainly discuss the application of JS in the embedded field. ![](docs/cli_cmds.png) ## Built-In Web Server - An xShell based on Websockets allows you to operate all PicoXTools functions through a web browser. ![](docs/web_server.png) ## Built-In C Language Compiler Supports most of the standard library and PICO's SDK, allowing for quick API verification. You can compile and execute directly on Pico. # PicoXTools PCB ![](docs/PicoXTools2.png) ## Pinout ![](docs/pinout.png) ### USB-1 Upstream interface for the HUB. ### USB2-3 USB HUB downstream ports. ### JP-1 Standard JTAG 20-pin female header # PicoXTools PCB ![](docs/docs/PicoXTools2.png) ## Pin out ![](docs/docs/pinout.png) ### USB-1 HUB uplink port. ### USB2-3 USB HUB Downlink ports. ### JP-1 Standard JTAG 20-pin female connector. ### JP-2 | CLK | SWD | GND | 3V3 | |-----|-----|-----|-----| ### JP-3 External expansion interface | 3V3 | pico-CLK | pico-swd | GPIO-26 | GPIO-26 | UART0-tx | UART0-rx | |-----|----------|----------|---------|---------|----------|----------| | GND | GPIO-5 | GPIO-4 | GPIO-11 | GPIO-10 | UART0-9 | UART0-8 | ### JP-4 4 of UART&SWD ports interface. | 3V3 | RX0 | TX0 | 3V3 | RX2 | TX2 | 3V3 | RX2 | TX2 | 3V3 | RX3 | TX3 | |-----|------|------|-----|------|------|-----|------|------|-----|------|------| | GND | CLK0 | SWD0 | GND | CLK2 | SWD2 | GND | CLK2 | SWD2 | GND | CLK3 | SWD3 | # Inspiration & links & Thanks🙏 The project did not reinvent the wheel from scratch but wholeheartedly embraced the open-source community. The open-source community has provided us with invaluable resources and tools. Thousands of open-source libraries, frameworks, and tools cover various fields, from frontend to backend, from databases to artificial intelligence. Having these open-source resources allows us to stand on the shoulders of giants and rapidly build feature-rich, efficient, and stable applications. thanks for： - [pshell](https://github.com/lurk101/pshell) - [AMaCC](https://github.com/jserv/amacc) - [C4](https://github.com/rswier/c4) - [FreeRTOS](https://github.com/FreeRTOS/FreeRTOS-Kernel) - [Mongoose](https://mongoose.ws/) # video show - Shell && vi && cc > https://ppvision.github.io/video/shell_vi_cc_demo.mp4 > ![](https://ppvision.github.io/video/shell_vi_cc_demo.mp4) # Contacting the Author - [ppvision.net@gmail.com](mailto:ppvision.net@gmail.com) QQ | Weixin :-------------------------:|:-------------------------: ![](docs/qq_group.jpg) | ![](docs/weixin_number.jpg)