Detailed Explanation

Setting up the development environment involves a series of organized steps. First, you need to install the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which is software that helps you write and manage your code. For ARM microcontrollers, you can choose either Keil MDK-ARM or STM32CubeIDE.

Once the IDE is installed, the next step is to create a new project, which serves as the workspace for your coding efforts. In Keil, you create a project by navigating through the menu to initiate a new file specific to your board. In STM32CubeIDE, the process is quite similar but provides a graphical interface for making selections that will set up the project structure. It's essential to add the source file where you'll write your code, so make sure it's added correctly.

After writing the program code, you also need to configure some project options, such as selecting the right microcontroller and setting up debugging options to ensure everything compiles correctly. The clock configuration sets the speed at which the microcontroller operates and is critical for timing-sensitive applications. This systematic approach ensures that your development process is efficient and effective.

Detailed Explanation

The next step in the procedure is to build the project. Building the project compiles your code into an executable format that the microcontroller can understand. In Keil MDK-ARM, this is done by selecting the Build option, while in STM32CubeIDE, you can click the hammer icon. This compilation process checks your code for any errors or warnings that need to be addressed before proceeding.

Once your project is successfully built, connecting your ARM development board to your computer is crucial. The USB cable enables communication between your development environment and the hardware, allowing you to program the microcontroller.

Finally, after setting up the board, you transfer the compiled code onto the microcontroller. In Keil, this is done by selecting the Flash option, while in STM32CubeIDE, you would execute the Run or Debug command. This step loads the .hex file into the microcontroller's Flash memory, making your program ready for execution.

Detailed Explanation

Debugging is a critical part of the development process that allows you to observe and control the execution of your program. To begin a debug session, you initiate it from the IDE, which establishes a connection with your microcontroller. Once debugging has started, you have various execution control options: you can run the full code continuously, or utilize step functions to navigate through your code line by line to see how it operates incrementally.

A live view of the system provides important insights into how your program interacts with the hardware. You can access windows showing CPU register status, memory contents, and peripheral registers, which reflects the state of various components in the microcontroller. This visibility helps diagnose issues by allowing you to check if variables hold the expected values during execution.

Setting breakpoints lets you create specific checkpoints in your code where execution will halt. This pause enables you to inspect critical variables and registers at that point, making it easier to pinpoint errors or unexpected behavior.

Detailed Explanation

Observation is a crucial step where you check if the microcontroller behaves as expected after loading your program. By monitoring the on-board LEDs, you can directly see if the program logic for actions like blinking is functioning correctly. Additionally, testing pushbutton inputs allows you to validate that user interactions with the microcontroller lead to appropriate responses, such as turning an LED on or off.

For functionality reliant on timer delays, timing the LED's toggling helps verify if the delays programmed are accurate. Using an oscilloscope provides precision measurements for timer outputs, allowing you to evaluate frequency and duty cycles accurately, confirming that your timer implementation meets its specifications.