TASKING Pin Mapper Wizard

The Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard enhances design collaboration between the TASKING VX-toolset for ARM® and Altium NEXUS. In today’s complex processor devices, the pin functionality and internal connectivity are configured by internal processor registers, as defined in the embedded design phase. In order to create a complete product design, that unique processor configuration needs to be represented in a schematic document of a PCB design project.

The Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard facilitates data synchronization from the tool’s own Pin Mapper to a schematic document. The resulting schematic document will reflect the device pin configurations that have been assigned in the TASKING VX-toolset for ARM’s Pin Mapper, as saved in its Pin Configuration file (*.pincfg).

The Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard provides a direct data path from an embedded software project based on an ARM processor in the TASKING VX-toolset for ARM and its PCB project representation. The transferred design data includes identifying information, such as the processor chips, pin assignments to peripherals, electrical pin attributes, and symbolic names.

The Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard  defines the VX-toolset’s Pin Mapper file (*.pincfg) to extract this information, then places an appropriately configured component on a new or existing schematic document. The component itself is sourced from a suitable Integrated Library.

Using the Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard

The Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard is accessed by selecting Tools » Tasking Pin Mapper from the main menus in a schematic document. 

The dialog can only be accessed if the Tasking Pin Mapper provider extension is installed as part of your Altium NEXUS installation. The extension can be found on the Purchased tab of the Extensions & Updates page, located by clicking the  drop-down then choosing Extensions and Updates. 

Hover over the icon, then click  to download the extension. Altium NEXUS must be restarted to complete the installation. 

Select Pin Mapper File

Once the opening dialog is dismissed, the source pin configuration file (*.pincfg) from the VX-Toolset’s Pin Mapper can be selected. Use the  button to locate and load the desired tasking Pin Mapper file.

Select Component

The Select Component page will populate with available options for the processor device.

If the Tasking pin mapper file has specified an explicit processor type, the system will attempt to locate it in the libraries. Alternatively, if the pin file defines a processor family, the Tasking Pin Mapper Wizard dialog will list all compatible types from the library.

The processor list will be blank if a compatible processor library is not loaded or available. Use the  button to locate and install a suitable Integrated library.

To select a different processor, use the  option to open the Browse Libraries dialog. Select the desired library from the Libraries drop-down menu and choose a suitable processor component from the list.

In the case where an explicit processor has been defined in the Pin Mapper file or has been selected from a library using the Other component function, the dialog list will show a single entry for the processor component.

Configure Schematic Options

The Configure the Sheet page defines the properties and behavior of the generated processor schematic.

Since the source pin mapper file defines both the pin functionality and external connections, its representative schematic needs to be configured to present that information in a way that is compatible with the target PCB design project.

The schematic sheet configuration includes the following settings:

• Sheet file name – The proposed schematic file name. Use  to define or locate an alternative schematic file. 
• Component Designator – The designator for the selected processor component. Edit as required.
• Units – Select the appropriate units for the schematic document.
• Connect Power Pins via Power Ports – Automatically connect the design's Power pins to standard Power Ports.
  
• Unused I/O pins – Configure how unassigned processor I/O pins will be presented on the schematic.
  • Ignore – Do not configure unused processor I/O pins.
    
  • Add No ERC Directive – Prevent Electrical Rule Checks on unused I/O pins by placing No ERC directive objects.
    
  • Tie to individual ports – Connect corresponding ports to unused I/O pins.
    
  • Tie to Single port – Assign unused I/O pins to one port object.
    

PCB Project Schematic

The dialog is followed by a final Place confirmation screen that provides a summary of the selected settings. Once this is dismissed with the  button, the new processor schematic document is added to the current project and opened in the schematic editor.