What is really good with Keil and IAR are their compilers. So in this configuration Eclipse is the ‘Front-End’, while IAR or Keil is the ‘back end’ to compile and download the sources. So this requires to run and switch between two different IDE’s: workable, but not ideal. The good thing is that this works with Keil and IAR (see “ IAR ARM v6.7 comes with improved Processor Expert Support” and “ Keil“), but requires yet again another IDE (the Processor Expert Driver Suite). Eclipse Processor Expert with non-Eclipse IDE’sįor the Freescale devices I’m using Processor Expert a lot. While I see the benefit of non-Eclipse IDE’s (fewer options, ‘simpler’), they are limiting my options, or I need the ‘learn’ different user interfaces.

As you see: many (too many?) tool chains. For other ARM devices I use the free versions of IAR (Embedded Workbench) and Keil (µVision). For non-Freescale ARM devices I have started using the Eclipse based ThunderBench from Emprog. For Freescale microcontroller this is mostly Eclipse Kepler or CodeWarrior (an Eclipse based IDE provided by Freescale). I’m using Eclipse tool chains for most of my projects. Not sure how long they will be able to keep up that, given the fast pace the Eclipse technology is progressing. Two of the big players in the ARM world of non-Eclipse providers are Keil and IAR: they are using their own proprietary IDE technology. Yes, there are still vendors out there which have not jumped on the Eclipse bandwagon. Especially in the ARM world, many tool chain vendors are providing Eclipse based IDE’s, just see my recent post on ThunderBench. But I believe that the future of IDE’s is Eclipse, at least until there is an even better alternative :-). Sure, there are alternatives to Eclipse, and Eclipse does not fit everyone needs. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, then you know: I’m one of the many Eclipse lovers of this world :-). Using IAR Compiler and Debugger in Eclipse

How to get license for iar