Defining peripheral registers with C structures
In embedded systems development, defining hardware registers using C structures is a fundamental technique that enhances code readability and maintainability. In this section, we will explore how to use C structures to represent peripherals and their registers, drawing on practical examples and analogies to simplify the concept.
In previous chapters, we configured a General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pin (PA5) to turn on an LED by manually defining the address of each required register. We learned how to find the correct addresses from documentation, define registers, and define register bits. This method, while effective, can become cumbersome as projects grow in complexity.
To streamline this process, we can use C structures to represent peripherals and their registers. This approach groups related registers into a cohesive unit to match the hardware architecture and memory map of our microcontroller, making the code more intuitive...
