[csolution] output node in `cbuild-run.yml` incorrect and misleading terminal output in case of dual core solution

[ReinhardKeil]

Describe the bug

When this project DualCore.zip is build the first time:

• core0.bin file is missing.
• cbuild-run.yml file is specifying load: image+symbols also for type bin and hex where no symbols exist
• output is misleading.

cbuild-run.yml contains.

output:
    - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.axf
      info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
      type: elf
      load: image+symbols
      pname: cm33_core0
    - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.hex
      info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
      type: hex
      load: image+symbols
      pname: cm33_core0
    - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.bin
      info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
      type: bin
      load: image+symbols
      pname: cm33_core0
    - file: out/core1/MCXN947/Debug/core1_image.axf
      info: generate by core1.Debug+MCXN947
      type: elf
      load: symbols
      pname: cm33_core1
    - file: out/core1/MCXN947/Debug/core1_image.hex
      info: generate by core1.Debug+MCXN947
      type: hex
      load: image
      pname: cm33_core1
    - file: out/core1/MCXN947/Debug/core1_image.bin
      info: generate by core1.Debug+MCXN947
      type: bin
      load: none
      pname: cm33_core1

The output makes you believe that core0 is build twice. The message in the middle is easily overlooked.

Execute: cbuild c:\Test\Jul2\DC\DualCore\DualCore.csolution.yml --active MCXN947 --packs
+--------------------------------------------
(1/2) Building context: "core0.Debug+MCXN947"
Using AC6 V6.24.0 compiler, from: 'c:/Users/reikei01/.vcpkg/artifacts/2139c4c6/compilers.arm.armclang/6.24.0/bin/'
Building CMake target 'core1.Debug+MCXN947'
[1/13] Building C object CMakeFiles/Group_Board.dir/C_/Test/Jul2/DC/DualCore/cm33_core1/main.o
:
[13/13] Linking C executable C:\Test\Jul2\DC\DualCore\out\core1\MCXN947\Debug\core1_image.axf
Program Size: Code=2366 RO-data=834 RW-data=8 ZI-data=2068  

Building CMake target 'core0.Debug+MCXN947'
[1/42] Building C object CMakeFiles/Group_ConfigTools_board.dir/C_/Test/Jul2/DC/DualCore/cm33_core0/MCUXpressoConfig/board/clock_config.o
:

Removing settings in csolution.yml and cproject.yml fixes the issues

solution:
  target-types:
    - type: MCXN947
      board: FRDM-MCXN947
      device: NXP::MCXN947VDF
      target-set:
        - set:
          debugger:
            name: CMSIS-DAP
            start-pname: cm33_core0
          images:
            - project-context: core0.Debug
#             load: image+symbols
            - project-context: core1.Debug

core0.cproject.yml

  output:
    type:
      - elf
#     - bin
      - hex
      - map

Environment (please complete the following information):

• CMSIS-Toolbox 2.10

[brondani]

core0.bin file is missing.

Is it possible that you do not see the core0.bin because in this case it is not a file but a directory?

From https://developer.arm.com/documentation/dui0805/l/fromelf-Command-line-Options/--bin :

Considerations when using --bin
If you convert an ELF image containing multiple load regions to a binary format, fromelf creates an output directory named destination and generates one binary output file for each load region in the input image. fromelf places the output files in the destination directory.

---

cbuild-run.yml file is specifying load: image+symbols also for type bin and hex where no symbols exist

If the load is specified without specifying the type, it is applied for all generated types.
For instance if the goal is to customize the load for type: elf while leaving default loads for other types, the type: elf must be specified:

images:
  - project-context: core0.Debug
    load: image+symbols
    type: elf

will result in the following output:

output:
  - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.axf
    info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
    type: elf
    load: image+symbols
    pname: cm33_core0
  - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.hex
    info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
    type: hex
    load: image
    pname: cm33_core0
  - file: out/core0/MCXN947/Debug/core0.bin
    info: generate by core0.Debug+MCXN947
    type: bin
    load: none
    pname: cm33_core0

---

output is misleading.

Since the introduction of interdependent context handling and later also executes handling, CMake is in charge of evaluating dependencies and triggering the several CMake targets in the correct order.

Note the difference between (x/x) Building context: ... messages which correspond to the contexts order in cbuild-set or target-set, and the Building CMake target ... messages which are related to the CMake targets being triggered by the CMake dependency evaluation.

(1/2) Building context: "core0.Debug+MCXN947"
...
Building CMake target 'core1.Debug+MCXN947'
...
Building CMake target 'core0.Debug+MCXN947'
...
+--------------------------------------------
(2/2) Building context: "core1.Debug+MCXN947"
...
Building CMake target 'core1.Debug+MCXN947'
...
+------------------------------------------------------------
Build summary: 2 succeeded, 0 failed - Time Elapsed: 00:00:11
+============================================================

[ReinhardKeil]

for projects, with load+symbols should behave like this:

• only for the ELF/AXF file the load+symbols is applied
• for AC6 there is an exception when HEX file is also generated, the HEX file gets load, the AXF file symbols

[brondani]

@ReinhardKeil As agreed now the specified project-context load is handled exclusively for the generated elf type and specifying project-context type is not allowed anymore (PR #2171)
Please review and update the documentation accordingly.