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ZeroCool2023 , 11-26-2024, 04:34 AM

Hello, nice to greet everyone. It's not long since I finished following the tutorial "How to Make Custom Esp32 Board in Altium Designer." Now I want to do the same, but using an STM32, is it possible to program and view via UART using FT231 for an STM32? or what do I need to be able to achieve that only with a type c cable. Greetings to all!

QDrives , 11-26-2024, 04:13 PM

With "program", do you mean programming the (first) software into the MCU?
And with "...be able to achieve that only with a type c cable", do you mean just connect a single cable and not do anything else?
If both are yes, then the answer is NO.

ZeroCool2023 , 11-27-2024, 12:31 AM

Hello, thank you very much for answering, That's right, I would like to be able to program the MCU and communicate via UART from the USB C port, what would I need then?

QDrives , 11-27-2024, 01:03 AM

USB C has nothing to do special. Just USB. The C is only the connector.
For programming, you also need to set the boot pin right before releasing from reset.
If you create your own bootloader, you can have just a single connection. But that, first requires you program your bootloader.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 01:53 PM

STM32 has actually DFU bootloader built in from factory so it is possible to program over USB directly. But I would forget that at first if you start.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 01:56 PM

Just buy ST Link programmer and you can program and debug properly. This way you can watch register values etc. If you want UART output then you need UART to USB converter. But STLink V3 has it built in as well. So pretty much all you need is STLink V3.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 01:57 PM

Also there are million of tutorials in youtube and internet in general about STM32. So quick google would help you much more.

QDrives , 11-27-2024, 02:25 PM

No, the STM32 does not have a "bootloader", regardless of what ST names it.
Yes, you can program directly using USB, but you need more than just connect USB. The boot pin must be correct.
When you set the boot pin for programming, it does not automatically start the application, hence it is not a bootloader.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 02:48 PM

Yes you need to change boot pins. STM says in AN3156 "USB DFU protocol used in STM32 microcontroller bootloader".

QDrives , 11-27-2024, 03:19 PM

If it does not automatically start the application code, it is NOT a bootloader.
ST has marketing people that do not know many definitions, including that of bootloader.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 04:16 PM

I doubt marketing people are writing application notes or datasheets. Ok, I don't really care about the definititon you can argue about it with ST, but indeed i would call bootloader that starts automatically. I'm not into that nit picking myself. Everyone calls it DFU bootloader and that's how you can search from google.

Mini , 11-27-2024, 04:18 PM

To OP just buy programmer. STM32 programmers are dirt cheap and you get full debugging capabilites.

QDrives , 11-27-2024, 07:58 PM

Yes, I do case about definitions.
War is not peace, slavery is not freedom and a banana is not straight.
Let us not start doing new speak like 1984, no matter what the people at ST do.