VxWorks 7 SDK Application Developer Guide

About

The role of the Application Developer is to create Downloadable Kernel Modules (DKMs), Real-Time Processes (RTPs), and libraries for specific VxWorks Source Code Builds (VSB) and VxWorks Image Projects (VIP). The Software Development Kit (SDK) provides developers with the tools necessary to compile, debug, and test applications and libraries.

• RTP (Real-Time Process) – An executable application that runs in user space. RTPs operate in an isolated environment, enhancing robustness. They generate .vxe files that can be loaded from the file system (RomFS, NFS, SD card) or directly loaded via the WRDBG debugger.
• DKM (Downloadable Kernel Module) – A kernel-mode application with full system and hardware access. DKMs generate .out files that can be statically linked to the kernel, dynamically loaded from the file system, or loaded via WRDBG.

Note: During debugging, RTP applications must use the .vxe extension, while DKM applications must use the .out extension.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.6+

• Linux

sudo apt-get install python3 &amp;&amp; python3 -m pip install -U pip

• WindowsDownload Python and select Add Python to PATH during installation.

• The generated SDK provided by the platform developer.

SDK Directory Structure

An example layout of a generated SDK:

WRSDK_VXWORKS-7_&lt;VIP_NAME&gt;_&lt;VSB_ARCH&gt;_&lt;HOST_TYPE&gt;_&lt;TIMESTAMP&gt;
├── bsps # BSP images and boot files
│   └── &lt;BSP_NAME&gt;
│       ├── boot/vxWorks
│       ├── uboot/uVxWorks, vxWorks.bin
│       └── readme/readme.md
├── toolkit # Developer tools and cross-compilers
│   ├── wind_sdk_env.linux / wind_sdk_env.bat
│   ├── host_tools
│   ├── wrdbg_tools
│   ├── sdk_tools/qemu
│   ├── bin
│   ├── compilers
│   ├── include
│   └── license
├── artifacts # Optional: Artifacts for rebuilding VSB/VIP
│   ├── &lt;VIP_PROFILE&gt;.cdf
│   └── vsb.config
├── examples # Buildable code examples
└── docs # VxWorks API and BSP documentation
    └── resources/vxworks-7

Application Development

Command Line

Command Line Prerequisites

Before building applications:

1. Ensure that the [#Prerequisites] are met.
2. Navigate to the SDK base directory.
3. Load the SDK environment to update PATH and environment variables:

• Linux
```
source toolkit/wind_sdk_env.linux
```
• Windows
```
toolkit\wind_sdk_env.bat
```

Compiling Applications

Application compilation follows a typical C/C++ workflow (Make, CMake).examples/makefiles contains example Makefiles.

Compiling RTPs

• Using Makefile
```
make
```

• Not using MakefileLinux:

$CC rtp.c -o rtp.vxe -static

Windows:

%CC% rtp.c -o rtp.vxe -static

Compiling DKMs

• Using Makefile
```
make
```

• Not using MakefileLinux:

$CC -dkm dkm.c -o dkm.out

Windows:

%CC% -dkm dkm.c -o dkm.out

Compiling CMake RTPs

1. Copy Preload.cmake and vxsdk_toolchain.cmake from examples/cmakefiles.
2. Create CMakeLists.txt.

3. Run:

cmake -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=vxsdk_toolchain.cmake .
make

Running Applications

Running RTPs

wrdbg
file &lt;PATH_TO_RTP_APP&gt;
run

Example:

file ~/SDK/examples/hello_world/RTP/hello_world.vxe

Running DKMs

wrdbg
module load &lt;PATH_TO_DKM_APP&gt;

Check with the following command:

lkup "startHelloWorld"

Debugging Applications

Debugging RTPs

wrdbg
file ~/SDK/examples/hello_world/RTP/hello_world.vxe

See the WRDBG Reference Guide.

Debugging DKMs

wrdbg
module load ~/SDK/examples/hello_world/DKM/hello_world.out
task create startHelloWorld

Visual Studio Code Extension

VSCode Prerequisites

• Ensure that the [#Prerequisites] are met.
• Complete VSCode setup.

Creating VSCode Applications

• RTP/DKM: Right-click in Explorer → New VxWorks Real Time Process or New VxWorks Downloadable Kernel Module.
• CMake RTPs: Right-click in Explorer → New VxWorks CMake Project.

Compiling VSCode Applications

• RTPs/DKMs: Right-click on the project → Build Project.
• CMake RTPs: Right-click on the project → Build CMake Project.

Debugging VSCode Applications

• RTPs: Select Launch RTP in the debugger and run.
• DKMs: Select Launch DKM and run. Execution stops initially at main().

VSCode Docker Support

• Requires Linux SDK. On Windows, use WSL + Linux SDK.
• Install Remote – Containers (Windows users also need to install Remote – WSL).
• Reopen the SDK folder in container mode.

Starting VxWorks Target

• Option 1: Hardware – Refer to the BSP-specific README.
• Option 2: QEMU – If included, use the provided simulation support.

QEMU Usage

startqemu.py --smp 2 --m 512 -b

Or run from the SDK tools:

python toolkit/sdk_tools/qemu/startqemu.py

Connecting to VxWorks Target

wrdbg
target connect vxworks7:TCP:&lt;TARGET_IP&gt;:1534 -kernel &lt;PATH_TO_VXWORKS_IMAGE&gt;