Embedded C++ Advanced: Object-Oriented Programming for Microcontrollers with C++/EC++ - Face-to-Face Training

Embedded C++ Advanced: Object-Oriented Programming for Microcontrollers with C++/EC++ - Face-to-Face Training

Content

C++ for Embedded Applications

• History
• Specific quality requirements on embedded software
• Recommendations and rules (coding guidelines)
• C++ compiler basics
• Outlook: C++ idioms and clean code development
• Practical tip with important references

Summary - Basic C++ Constructs and Efficiency Considerations

• Class and object
• Class elements
• Modifiers for data, functions and objects
• Class function pointer using a state machine implementation as an example
• Class relations (association, aggregation, composition and inheritance)
• Virtual functions and interfaces (implementation and access)
• Extended C++ constructs

Namespaces and Efficiency Considerations

• Using (nested) namespaces in program code
• Namespace alias, anonymous namespace, Koenig lookup, inline namespace
• Applying the software architecture to program code
• C++ standard namespace std
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Integrating namespaces in existing program code based on the architecture

Single Inheritance, Multiple Inheritance and Efficiency Considerations

• Programming single inheritance and multiple inheritance (with interfaces)
• Issues related to multiple inheritance, solutions
• Virtual inheritance
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Using and programming multiple inheritance, virtually as an option

Exception Handling and Efficiency Considerations

• Exception handling - definition and programming
• Exception classes and hierarchies
• User exceptions
• C++ system exceptions
• Nested exception handling
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Integrating exception handling in the existing application

Memory Management and Efficiency Considerations

• Memory segments (BSS, stack, heap) for objects, comparison
• Dynamic memory management with new and delete, with and without exception handling
• Operator overload of new and delete
• Pool allocation pattern
• Placement new
• Identifying risks and avoiding pitfalls
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Creating and deleting an object dynamically on the heap

Runtime Type Identification (RTTI) and Efficiency Considerations

• RTTI - definition and programming
• type_info class
• Consequences in use
• Relation to exception handling and new style casts
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Using RTTI for class identification at runtime

Type Conversion with New Style Casts and Efficiency Considerations

• Static, dynamic, const and reinterpret cast
• The right choice for use
• Relation to RTTI and exception handling
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software

Templates and Efficiency Considerations

• Template functions
• Template class and object
• Template parameters and alias
• Inheritance and interfaces with template classes
• Practical tips: Static versus dynamic polymorphism
• CRTP (curiously recurring template pattern)
• Template specialization and (implicit versus explicit) instantiation
• Type traits and concepts
• Variadic template functions and classes
• Perfect forward
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Programming a template class for use in the observer pattern context of the application

Smart Pointer, Recommended Use and Efficiency Considerations

• Smart pointers - specifics and variants
• Programming own smart pointers
• C++ smart pointers
• Lambda functions
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software

C++ Standard Library: Containers, Iterators and Algorithms, Recommended Use and Efficiency Considerations

• Basic concept
• Containers, iterators, adapters, algorithms
• Specific container types and their differentiation
• Containers for sequential, sorting and specific applications
• Function objects (functors)
• Lambda functions
• Allocator class
• Assembler, memory and runtime analysis and optimization
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Using a container class in the observer pattern context of the application

Callback

• Embedded software architecture guidelines
• Embedded software quality features
• Software layer pattern: embedded software layer architecture
• Synchronous and asynchronous software architecture
• Unidirectional and bidirectional communication
• Callback structure with and without operating system resources

Hardware Drivers and Interrupts in C++

• Object-oriented concepts and programming of standard peripheral drivers
• Object-oriented concepts and programming of interrupt handler
• Register bank access
• Callback structures in an interrupt context
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software
• Exercise: Integrating a hardware driver and an interrupt service in the application

Select C++ Library Objects

• std::string and std::string_view
• iosteam and iomanip
• std::stringstream
• std::function, std::optional, std::variant and std::any
• Application examples and recommendations for using these features in embedded software

Practical Exercises in the Workshop

• You will use the STM32CubeIDE development environment along with the STM32 NUCLEO-F746ZG evaluation board, based on an Arm Cortex®-M3 microcontroller throughout the exercise (watch application).

MicroConsult Plus:

• Participants can download their exercises and the solutions developed by MicroConsult for this workshop.
• You get all C++ examples in electronic format and can easily adjust them to your development environment.
• You get a checklist with scalable recommendations for using C++ in embedded software.
• You get a tool and software component overview for developing embedded software.
• You get helpful notation overviews for UML and SysML.