SL2610 Build and Flash with CLI

This document provides concise, CLI-only steps to build and flash SL2610 applications.

Throughout this guide, <sdk-root> refers to the directory where you extracted or cloned the SDK.

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

CLI Flow (Build + Image Generation + Flash)

  1. Build the System Manager and bootloader (SDK build + image assets):

    cd <sdk-root>/examples/system_manager
export SRSDK_DIR=<sdk-root>
make sl2610_rdk_system_manager_defconfig BUILD=SRSDK

cd <sdk-root>
make sl2610_bootloader_rdk_defconfig BOARD=SL2610_RDK
make astrasdk

    • The first command builds the System Manager using the SDK build system.

    • The second pair builds the bootloader needed for USB boot and image packaging.

  2. Generate MCU sub-images using the SDK image generator (run from <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>):

    Before running make imagegen, ensure the bootloader is built:

    cd <sdk-root>
make sl2610_bootloader_rdk_defconfig BOARD=SL2610_RDK
make astrasdk

    cd <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>
make imagegen

    Expected outputs:

    • System Manager sub-image (for run-sm, uncompressed): <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz

    • Compressed sub-images (for eMMC packaging, includes sysmgr.subimg.gz): <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/

    • USB boot inputs (SPK/keys/bootloader): <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/usb_boot/

    If you see permission errors on Linux/macOS, run:

    cd <sdk-root>/examples
chmod +x tools/scripts/image/bin/gen*

  3. Flash with the USB boot tool (SDK USB boot utility):

    Enter USB boot mode first:

    • Press and hold USB_BOOT, then press RESET.

    • Release RESET, then release USB_BOOT.

    • There are two supported modes of flashing

      • Flash Entire eMMC Folder

      • Flash System Manager Sub-Image

    Flash Entire eMMC Folder

    cd <sdk-root>/tools/usb_boot_python_tool/USB_BOOT_TOOL
python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-sm \
  --sm <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz \
  --spk <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/usb_boot/spk.bin \
  --keys <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/usb_boot/key.bin \
  --m52bl <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/usb_boot/m52bl.bin

# For full eMMC flashing, use a Yocto-generated eMMCimg folder (see Notes).
python usb_boot_tool.py --op emmc --img-dir <path-to-eMMCimg>

    Flash System Manager Sub-Image

    python usb_boot_tool.py --op emmc-sm \
  --sm <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz \
  --sm-image <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz

WSL USB Flashing Flow (usbipd)

Use this flow when flashing from WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). It uses usbipd to forward SL2610 USB CDC interfaces from Windows into WSL.

CDC VID:PID Reference

Stage

VID

PID

Description

Initial Boot & BL Flash

0x06CB

0x019E

Device in bootloader mode (used for SPK, BL, keys upload)

After SM Flash

0xCAFE

0x4002

System Manager (SM) is running

Workflow Overview

[Device in BL mode]
       │
       ▼
 Step 1: Bind & Attach 0x06CB:0x019E  (Admin Windows Terminal)
       │
       ▼
 Step 2: Flash SPK  →  python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-spk
       │
       ▼
 Step 3: Device re-enumerates as 0x06CB:0x019E (M52BL CDC)
         Bind & Attach again
       │
       ▼
 Step 4: Flash SM   →  python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-sm --sm <path>
       │
       ▼
 Step 5: Device re-enumerates as 0xCAFE:0x4002 (SM CDC)
         Bind & Attach
       │
       ▼
 Step 6: Flash eMMC →  python usb_boot_tool.py --op emmc --img-dir <path>

Flashing steps (WSL)

  1. Identify the USB device (BL Flash CDC) in an Administrator Windows terminal:

    usbipd list

    Find VID:PID 06CB:019E and note its BUSID (for example 2-4).

  2. Bind and attach the BL CDC:

    # Admin Windows terminal
usbipd bind --busid <bus_id> --force

# Second Windows terminal (non-admin)
usbipd attach --wsl --busid <bus_id>

  3. In WSL, verify USB and flash SPK:

    lsusb | grep "06cb"
cd <sdk-root>/tools/usb_boot_python_tool/USB_BOOT_TOOL
python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-spk

  4. Re-bind and re-attach after re-enumeration (still 06CB:019E):

    # Admin Windows terminal
usbipd bind --busid <bus_id> --force

# Second Windows terminal (non-admin)
usbipd attach --wsl --busid <bus_id>

    If BUSID changed after re-enumeration, run usbipd list again and use the new value.

  5. In WSL, flash System Manager:

    python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-sm --sm <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz

  6. Bind and attach SM CDC (CAFE:4002):

    # Admin Windows terminal
usbipd list
usbipd bind --busid <new_bus_id> --force

# Second Windows terminal (non-admin)
usbipd attach --wsl --busid <new_bus_id>

  7. In WSL, flash eMMC:

    python usb_boot_tool.py --op emmc --img-dir <path-to-eMMCimg>

    Tip: If flashing does not start after running a command, unplug and replug the USB cable, then re-run usbipd list/bind/attach and retry.

Quick Reference (WSL)

# [Admin Windows terminal]
usbipd list
usbipd bind --busid <bus_id> --force

# [Second Windows terminal]
usbipd attach --wsl --busid <bus_id>

# [WSL terminal]
cd <sdk-root>/tools/usb_boot_python_tool/USB_BOOT_TOOL
python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-spk
python usb_boot_tool.py --op run-sm --sm <sdk-root>/examples/<example_type>/<app>/out/image/eMMCimg/sysmgr.subimg.gz
python usb_boot_tool.py --op emmc --img-dir <path-to-eMMCimg>

Debugging (SL2610)

This section outlines a manual, step-by-step workflow to load the bootloader and connect a debugger for the SL2610 device using OpenOCD and GDB.

Note: Debugging is not yet integrated into the VS Code extension for SL2610. Use these manual CLI steps in the meantime.

Prerequisites

  • OpenOCD installed and available in PATH

  • ARM GNU toolchain installed and available in PATH

  • SL2610 board with a J-Link connection

Notes

  • Use --op run-sm to program only the System Manager sub-image.

  • --op emmc requires an eMMCimg folder that includes emmc_part_list and emmc_image_list. These are generated by Yocto when you build the full Astra image.

  • For SM-to-eMMC flashing (--op emmc-sm), ensure emmc_image_list is present in the eMMCimg folder.

  • Yocto is only required if you need a full Linux/eMMC image; MCU image generation is handled entirely by the SDK tools above.

  • If run-sm fails because SM CDC is already running, power-cycle the board and try again.

  • usbipd bind must be run in an Administrator Windows terminal; usbipd attach can be run in a normal Windows terminal.

  • After flashing from WSL, unbind/detach USB forwarding in Windows if you want normal native Windows USB access.