we could put in semi hosting but that the difference between that and adding some trace points?

+

I haven't played with it much but VS gdb has a "Command" debug window where you can make manual commands and settings changes during an active debug session. for example "monitor xyz"

SoftwareSerial with ftdi cable on one or two digital pins is available now but I will try semihosting when I get a chance so hopefully that would give a terminal.

Otherwise you can use non-stopping breakpoints which can be trace messages combined with variable data but it's not as fluid or flexible as messages

There is a new release of the main plugin that might help http://www.visualmicro.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1491650979/0#0

You should also take a look at the command window when debug is running. The Gdb Console commands are executed using Debug.MIExec

The latest release caters better for the return value of commands such as Debug.MIExec help and Debug.MIExec list

The latest release also has some gdb hooks allowing you to enable some events early on. More hooks can be added if they are needed.

You can add this type of syntax to the project board.txt or the hardware platform.txt as usual:-

# Gdb override target_selected: fires after the target is selected and prior to halt
#
recipe.hooks.gdb.post_target_selected.1.pattern=monitor arm semihosting enable
recipe.hooks.gdb.post_target_selected.2.pattern=set mem inaccessible-by-default off
recipe.hooks.gdb.post_target_selected.3.pattern=monitor arm reg
recipe.hooks.gdb.post_target_selected.4.pattern=monitor arm semihosting_fileio enable 

I can see semihosting getting enabled but have not yet been able to use printf or any other mechanism that causes output to gdb. If you can get this work so that gdb produces some output for semihost messages that would be a good start.

When a gdb session completes visual micro writes logs to the project/configuration name/logs/gdb folder. The "gdb-to-vm" log will be the most useful initially to see if we can get semihosting messages coming through. The log is the raw output from gdb. In vm-to-gdb you will see your hooks being sent to gdb.

Thanks, + if you get any swo ip messages we could pick them up easily enough too.