Code Confidencebuild 3.0.0.201402161939

Chapter 5. Exception Handling

Table of Contents
HAL Startup
Vectors and VSRs
Default Synchronous Exception Handling
Default Interrupt Handling

Most of the HAL consists of simple macros or functions that are called via the interfaces described in the previous section. These just perform whatever operation is required by accessing the hardware and then return. The exception to this is the handling of exceptions: either synchronous hardware traps or asynchronous device interrupts. Here control is passed first to the HAL, which then passed it on to eCos or the application. After eCos has finished with it, control is then passed back to the HAL for it to tidy up the CPU state and resume processing from the point at which the exception occurred.

The HAL exceptions handling code is usually found in the file vectors.S in the architecture HAL. Since the reset entry point is usually implemented as one of these it also deals with system startup.

The exact implementation of this code is under the control of the HAL implementer. So long as it interacts correctly with the interfaces defined previously it may take any form. However, all current implementation follow the same pattern, and there should be a very good reason to break with this. The rest of this section describes these operate.

Exception handling normally deals with the following broad areas of functionality:

HAL Startup

Execution normally begins at the reset vector with the machine in a minimal startup state. From here the HAL needs to get the machine running, set up the execution environment for the application, and finally invoke its entry point.

The following is a list of the jobs that need to be done in approximately the order in which they should be accomplished. Many of these will not be needed in some configurations.