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Compile & Flash

TrinovaQ Studio provides an integrated build pipeline for compiling embedded firmware and deploying it to target hardware. The workflow supports C and Rust projects, enforces hardware-specific memory constraints, and produces build evidence suitable for tool validation in safety-critical contexts.

Supported Targets​

Select your target hardware before compiling. The target affects compiler flags, hardware constraints, and memory limit checking.

TargetArchitectureRAMFlash
Arduino UnoAVR (8-bit)2 KB32 KB
STM32 F103ARM Cortex-M3 (32-bit)20 KB128 KB
ESP32Xtensa dual-core (32-bit)512 KB4 MB

To select a target:

  1. Open the Dashboard panel
  2. Use the Target dropdown to select your hardware
  3. The selected target is saved in your project configuration

Selecting the Language​

TrinovaQ Studio automatically detects C (.c) or Rust (.rs) files and selects the appropriate compiler:

LanguageCompilerNotes
CGCC (bundled)MISRA-compatible toolchain included
Rustrustc (system)Requires separate Rust/rustup installation

Compiling​

Triggering a Build​

MethodAction
Keyboard shortcutCtrl+B
MenuBuild → Compile
TerminalType compile

Build Output​

During and after the build, the Output tab in the bottom panel displays:

  • Compiler invocation details
  • Warning and error messages with file/line references
  • Build success or failure status

Memory Metrics​

After a successful build, the Dashboard updates with:

  • RAM Usage: Estimated RAM consumption as a percentage of the target's limit
  • Flash Usage: Binary size as a percentage of the target's Flash capacity

If either metric exceeds the target's hardware limit, the build is flagged with a hardware constraint violation.

Example output for Arduino Uno (2 KB RAM / 32 KB Flash):

Build successful.
RAM Usage:   1.2 KB / 2.0 KB  (60%)
Flash Usage: 8.4 KB / 32.0 KB (26%)
Target: Arduino Uno ✓

Build Evidence & Provenance​

TrinovaQ Studio automatically records a build manifest for every successful compilation. This manifest captures:

  • GCC or rustc version used
  • Compiler flags applied
  • Source file list
  • Build timestamp
  • Output binary hash (SHA-256)

This information serves as tool validation evidence required under ISO 26262 Part 8 (Tool Confidence Level, TCL) and supports audit traceability. Build manifests are accessible from the Reports view.

Flashing to Hardware​

After a successful build, you can deploy the binary to a connected hardware target via the USB serial interface.

Prerequisites​

  • The target board is connected via USB
  • The correct serial port (COM port) is selected
  • The correct baud rate is selected

Flash Workflow​

  1. Connect your board to a USB port
  2. In the Hardware section, select the COM port from the dropdown (use Refresh if the port doesn't appear)
  3. Select the appropriate Baud Rate (commonly 115200)
  4. Click Flash in the Dashboard
  5. A progress indicator shows flashing status in real time
  6. Upon completion, a success or error message is shown

Supported Flash Methods​

TargetFlash Method
Arduino Unoavrdude via USB serial (arduino programmer)
STM32 F103OpenOCD via ST-Link debug adapter
ESP32Not yet supported
note

Flashing the STM32 F103 requires an ST-Link debug adapter connected to the target board's SWD/JTAG header — UART bootloader is not used.

Binary Integrity​

Before flashing, the binary is validated for integrity. Only binaries produced by the current build session are accepted for flashing.

The following sequence represents the recommended build and deploy cycle:

┌──────────────┐
│  Write Code  │
└──────┬───────┘
       │
       ▼
┌──────────────┐
│  Save File   │  Ctrl+S
└──────┬───────┘
       │
       ▼
┌──────────────┐
│ Scan Quality │  Ctrl+Shift+I
└──────┬───────┘
       │ Review issues / create deviations
       ▼
┌──────────────┐
│   Compile    │  Ctrl+B
└──────┬───────┘
       │ Check RAM/Flash metrics
       ▼
┌──────────────┐
│    Flash     │  Connect board → Flash
└──────┬───────┘
       │
       ▼
┌──────────────┐
│ Serial Mon.  │  Monitor output
└──────────────┘

Troubleshooting Build Issues​

SymptomLikely CauseResolution
GCC not foundToolchain detection failedCheck Settings → Tool Paths
rustc not foundRust not installedInstall from rustup.rs
RAM or Flash limit exceededBinary too large for targetOptimize code size or choose a different target
Permission denied on binaryPrevious build still runningWait briefly and retry; Studio uses unique build filenames automatically
Flash fails with port errorWrong COM port selectedReconnect board, click Refresh, reselect port