11.6 Software Debugging in the Target – Hardware-Based Methods

11.6.1 Introduction

Most of the tools described in this section were originally designed to tackle hardware problems in microprocessors. Similar items had previously been developed for minis and mainframes, but they were not widely applied by computer users. The real-time microcomputer market is entirely different. Here, equipment and system manufacturers predominate, not computer companies. Many, many users, operating in diverse fields, need to get microprocessor systems running correctly and delivered on time. And to do this, they need to have the right tools for the job.

With time, there has been a convergence of hardware and software test methods. As microprocessor software became more complex, many hardware-based tools were adapted for use as software analyzers. Some problems just could not be resolved without using hardware aids. And the difficulties were compounded by the almost exclusive use of assembly...