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Hi all What is an emulator exactly ? how is it used with KEIL compilers or any other embedded compiler ?
Thanks Elico
An emulator is almost like a simulator. But you use real hardware, instead of just simulating the hardware inside a PC.
So the emulator allows you to look at the internal state of registers, stack, variables, peripherial devices, while still wiggling real hardware pins, and interfacing with actual keypads, LEDs, ...
Today, an emulator is normally just a standard microcontroller - the same you will use for final release - but you connect using JTAG or similar to interface special debug cells inside the core to extract data or change state of the processor.
So, it doesn't relate to Keil or other compilers. But to the Keil - or other - debuggers. Allowing you to much better see what happens when you run real code on real hardware.
An emulator is almost like a simulator a simulator is a poor substitute for an emulator.
Today, an emulator is normally just a standard microcontroller in the '51 worls an emulator is a thingy you plug in instead of your chip. It behaves like the chip while letting you see what Per describes above. However some of the more advanced modern derivatives notably SILabs (I know none other) have the emulation circuitry built in.
Erik
Funnily enough, the same question just came up on the TI forum - here's my answer:
e2e.ti.com/.../800284.aspx
Thanks Clear and to the point answer.
Elico