HOFOLDING, Germany, May 2, 2002 - Lauterbach Inc, Europe's leading manufacturer of microprocessor development tools, has announced that it now offers kernel awareness for the QNX realtime operating system (RTOS) v6.x from QNX Software Systems Ltd. As a result, Lauterbach's TRACE32 Debugger can now visualize QNX OS resources (such as process tables) and allows debugging of boot code, interrupts, drivers, and application processes. By adding a tracing module, the user can also perform realtime performance analysis at the threads level. TRACE32 customers receive the QNX awareness at no extra cost.

The TRACE32 product line consists of several hardware debuggers, including JTAG debuggers, tracing-enabled JTAG debuggers, and full-blown in-circuit emulators. The tools all share the same user interface. For processors incorporating an MMU, the debuggers provide full MMU support. The flexibility of the software allows easy integration of RTOS awareness.

Unlike traditional Unix or Linux implementations, QNX is a true RTOS, making it perfectly suited for time-critical applications. QNX also makes full use of the virtual memory management of the processor (MMU), allowing optimum reliability. Besides running on embedded targets, the QNX RTOS can also run as the host operating system on the programmer's development workstation. Software can, as a result, be debugged and tested directly on the development workstation - no need to wait for target hardware. Developers can also use the new eclipse-based QNX IDE, which provides both self-hosted and cross development for various target platforms.

For time- and resource-critical applications, hardware-based debugging is required. Unlike conventional software debuggers, a hardware debugger (e.g. using JTAG) can debug the boot sequence right from the first instruction, as well as drivers and processes, all in real time. To make this possible in a system using virtual memory management, the debugger has to know deeply how the OS administrates and changes the MMU of the processor.

Lauterbach Datentechnik now offers its "QNX RTOS awareness" for the TRACE32 Debugger, which is first available for the SH-4 architecture - other architectures will follow. The developer can look at currently running processes and threads; for example, the QNX "pidin" system information command is simulated. Better yet, TRACE32 can provide this functionality on minimal QNX systems, even those without pidin and/or user interfaces. Using the highly sophisticated MMU support of the TRACE32 debugger, the developer can access at any time the whole virtual and physical address range; that means the developer can debug bootstrap code, interrupts, drivers, and applications.

If the application is based on an SH-4 with tracing capability (e.g. 7751), TRACE32 selectively records processor cycles. Using these records, thread switches can be examined and graphically displayed. Thread run times and function run times are evaluated automatically for performance analysis. Statistic tables give an accurate information about the system load.

The TRACE32 debugger for QNX doesn't require any changes to the application, nor does it need kernel-like patches, hooks, or additional instrumentation in the code. It's the philosophy of TRACE32 to work on exactly the same application as on the final product. This is the only way to guarantee, 100 percent, that the original application is tested and will run correctly.

Lauterbach Contacts
US East Office
Lauterbach, Inc.
Mr. Udo Zoettler
Suite 320
4, Mount Royal Avenue
Marlborough, MA 01752
Tel. 001-508-303-6812
FAX 001-508-303-6813
EMAIL: info_us@lauterbach.com
WWW: http://www.lauterbach.com

Headquarters
Lauterbach Datentechnik GmbH
Fichtenstr. 27
D-85649 Hofolding
Tel.: 08104/8943-0
Fax: 08104/8943-30
Email: info@lauterbach.com
WWW: www.lauterbach.com

US West Office
Lauterbach, Inc.
Mr. Jerry Flake
13256 S.W. Hillshire Drive
Tigard, OR 97223
Tel. 001-503-524-2222
FAX 001-503-524-2223
EMAIL: jerry.flake@lauterbach.com

UK Office
Lauterbach Ltd.
Mr. Barry Lock
11 Basepoint Enterprise Centre
Stroudley Rd.
RG24 8UP Basingstoke, Hants
Tel. 0044-1256-333-690
Fax 0044-1256-333-661
EMAIL barry.lock@lauterbach.co.uk

QNX Contacts
Tel: 1 800 676-0566 (NA only)
+1 613 591-0931
+33 1 64 61 81 61
+49 (0) 511 940910
+81 3 3511-6450
+886 (2) 3765-1518
+44 (0) 1223 204800
Fax: +1 613 591-3579
Email: info@qnx.com
Web: www.qnx.com

Editorial Contacts (QNX)
Paul Leroux
QNX Software Systems
Tel: +1 613 591-0931
Email: paull@qnx.com

Vivek Ramgopal/ Bill Keeler
Schwartz Communications
Tel: +1 781 684-0770
Email: qnx@schwartz-pr.com

European Contact (QNX)
Matthias Stumpf
QNX Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 511 940910
Email: mstumpf@qnx.de