RealView Debugger uses a board file to access information about the debugging environment and the debug targets that are available. You can use RealView Debugger with the default board file that is installed for you. This is called rvdebug.brd and is copied into your home directory, from the default settings directory \etc, when you first use RealView Debugger after installation. This means that if you damage your personal board file, you only have to delete it from your home directory and a new copy of the original default board file is placed there when you next run the debugger.

The board file defines the debug target configuration settings for the current session. For each available target, it describes the type of target, the simulator or emulator being used, and any custom connection information.

RealView Debugger must have a board file to make connections. If you work with a variety of targets and connections, you might set up, and save, several board files so that you can easily switch the debugger from one to another. You can use the default board file as a basis for making many copies, each edited for a particular purpose.

You can use a text editor to display or print the contents of a board file, and all associated configuration files, but it is recommended that you never edit these files with a text editor or word processor. Use only the Connection Properties window to make changes to a board file, or to create a new one.

These files are used to define the configuration settings for RV-msg connections, such as RealView ICE. You change the contents of one of these files when you modify the configuration of an RV-msg connection using the RVConfig dialog box.

Each interface unit is defined using a .rvc file, for example rvi_940T-_tst.rvc. However, you can specify different .rvc files to configure custom targets.

When you install RealView ICE, these XML files are created in your RVI\RVConfig directory ready for use. RealView Debugger searches for these files using the default search path, see The RealView Debugger search path for details. However, you can specify a full pathname in your board file to use a different location, for example \RVI\test_targets\rvi_920T-_tst.rvc.

JTAG (Joint Test Action Group) files are used by RealView Debugger to specify the type and order of devices on a JTAG scan chain that are available for connections such as the ARM^® Multi-ICE^® direct connect.

JTAG files for supported targets, for example arm.jtg, are created in the default settings directory \etc at installation.

Whenever RealView Debugger reads a .brd file, it also searches for any of these related files and reads them. In this way, the information held in the JTAG files becomes part of the configuration settings for this session. You can add or remove JTAG files if necessary, without having to edit the .brd file. By default, new .jtg files are stored in \etc, but you can specify a different location in your .brd file.

When you are working with RDI targets, such as Multi-ICE and Remote_A, special configuration files are generated by the RDI configuration utilities. These files make up the RealView Debugger configuration settings specific to RDI targets.

The RDI configuration files consist of:

Board/Chip definition files contain ETV information about a particular board or chip as supplied by the manufacturer, including peripheral registers and memory regions. Board/Chip definition files are also supplied as part of support plugins to enable awareness in RealView Debugger, for example RTOS.

Each board or chip is defined using a file named filename.bcd, where filename identifies the scope of the file contents, and can be:

By default, .bcd files are stored in \etc, but you can specify a different location in your board file.

In general, you do not have to edit these files. However, where changes are required, use the Connection Properties window to make the necessary changes.