Getting started with the STMicroelectronics STM32L4 Discovery Kit IoT Node

Important

This reference integration is hosted on the Amazon-FreeRTOS repository which is deprecated. We recommend that you start here when you create a new project. If you already have an existing FreeRTOS project based on the now deprecated Amazon-FreeRTOS repository, see the Amazon-FreeRTOS Github Repository Migration Guide.

This tutorial provides instructions for getting started with the STMicroelectronics STM32L4 Discovery Kit IoT Node. If you do not already have the STMicroelectronics STM32L4 Discovery Kit IoT Node, visit the AWS Partner Device Catalog to purchase one from our partner.

Make sure you have installed the latest Wi-Fi firmware. To download the latest Wi-Fi firmware, see STM32L4 Discovery kit IoT node, low-power wireless, Bluetooth Low Energy, NFC, SubGHz, Wi-Fi. Under Binary Resources, choose Inventek ISM 43362 Wi-Fi module firmware update (read the readme file for instructions) .

Before you begin, you must configure AWS IoT, your FreeRTOS download, and Wi-Fi to connect your device to the AWS Cloud. See First steps for instructions . In this tutorial, the path to the FreeRTOS download directory is referred to as freertos.

Overview

This tutorial contains instructions for the following getting started steps:

1. Installing software on the host machine for developing and debugging embedded applications for your microcontroller board.

2. Cross compiling a FreeRTOS demo application to a binary image.

3. Loading the application binary image to your board, and then running the application.

Set up your development environment

Install System Workbench for STM32

1. Browse to OpenSTM32.org.

2. Register on the OpenSTM32 webpage. You need to sign in to download System Workbench.

3. Browse to the System Workbench for STM32 installer to download and install System Workbench.

If you experience issues during installation, see the FAQs on the System Workbench website.

Build and run the FreeRTOS demo project

Import the FreeRTOS demo into the STM32 System Workbench

1. Open the STM32 System Workbench and enter a name for a new workspace.

2. From the File menu, choose Import. Expand General, choose Existing Projects into Workspace, and then choose Next.

3. In Select Root Directory, enter projects/st/stm32l475_discovery/ac6/aws_demos.

4. The project aws_demos should be selected by default.

5. Choose Finish to import the project into STM32 System Workbench.

6. From the Project menu, choose Build All. Confirm the project compiles without any errors.

Monitoring MQTT messages on the cloud

Before you run the FreeRTOS demo project, you can set up the MQTT client in the AWS IoT console to monitor the messages that your device sends to the AWS Cloud.

To subscribe to the MQTT topic with the AWS IoT MQTT client

1. Sign in to the AWS IoT console.

2. In the navigation pane, choose Test, then choose MQTT test client to open the MQTT client.

3. In Subscription topic, enter your-thing-name/example/topic, and then choose Subscribe to topic.

When the demo project successfully runs on your device you see "Hello World!" sent multiple times to the topic that you subscribed to.

Run the FreeRTOS demo project

1. Use a USB cable to connect your STMicroelectronics STM32L4 Discovery Kit IoT Node to your computer. (Check the manufacturer's documentation that came with your board for the correct USB port to use.)

2. From Project Explorer, right-click aws_demos, choose Debug As, and then choose Ac6 STM32 C/C++ Application.

   If a debug error occurs the first time a debug session is launched, follow these steps:

   1. In STM32 System Workbench, from the Run menu, choose Debug Configurations.

   2. Choose aws_demos Debug. (You might need to expand Ac6 STM32 Debugging.)

   3. Choose the Debugger tab.

   4. In Configuration Script, choose Show Generator Options.

   5. In Mode Setup, set Reset Mode to Software System Reset. Choose Apply, and then choose Debug.

3. When the debugger stops at the breakpoint in main(), from the Run menu, choose Resume.

Using CMake with FreeRTOS

If you prefer not to use an IDE for FreeRTOS development, you can alternatively use CMake to build and run the demo applications or applications that you have developed using third-party code editors and debugging tools.

First create a folder to contain the generated build files (build-folder).

Use the following command to generate build files:

cmake -DVENDOR=st -DBOARD=stm32l475_discovery -DCOMPILER=arm-gcc -S freertos -B build-folder

If arm-none-eabi-gcc is not in your shell path, you also need to set the AFR_TOOLCHAIN_PATH CMake variable. For example:

-D AFR_TOOLCHAIN_PATH=/home/user/opt/gcc-arm-none-eabi/bin

For more information about using CMake with FreeRTOS, see Using CMake with FreeRTOS.

Troubleshooting

If you see the following in the UART output from the demo application, you need to update the Wi-Fi module’s firmware:

[Tmr Svc] WiFi firmware version is: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[Tmr Svc] [WARN] WiFi firmware needs to be updated.

To download the latest Wi-Fi firmware, see STM32L4 Discovery kit IoT node, low-power wireless, Bluetooth Low Energy, NFC, SubGHz, Wi-Fi. In Binary Resources, choose the download link for Inventek ISM 43362 Wi-Fi module firmware update.

For general troubleshooting information about Getting Started with FreeRTOS, see Troubleshooting getting started.