18 April 2008

Express Logic Debuts Eclipse-Based BenchX IDE

Express Logic, Inc., a member of the ARM Connected Community, has launched BenchX, a comprehensive Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for embedded systems.

“With BenchX, we’re taking a huge step forward, growing beyond being solely an RTOS company,” explained William E. Lamie, president of Express Logic. “Developers have consistently asked us for development tools, and we’ve built BenchX to provide them with good quality tools at a very affordable price. Our existing development tools partners will provide their richer technology for customers needing a more powerful offering. We will continue to make their solutions available to BenchX developers through the Eclipse framework.”

Express Logic offers its Eclipse-based BenchX IDE in a complete package, ready for use in embedded development. This includes a target debug probe, for host-target connectivity, download, and run-control. BenchX also includes the GNU C/C++ compilers, configured to run in a Windows environment, without need for a Cygwin shell.

Standard Eclipse downloads do not include the GNU tools, nor do they support any hardware debug probes, making them short of what is required to be useful to an embedded developer. BenchX addresses these shortcomings, the company said.

BenchX also supports Eclipse plug-in versions of compilers from a number of companies, including ARM. Express Logic said it is also in the process of validating BenchX operation with compilation tools from its partners, and integrations will be announced as they become available.

BenchX ultimately will be available for most popular 32-bit architectures. Initially, BenchX is available ARM7, ARM9, ARM Cortex-M3/R4/A8, alongside several other processor manufacturers.

"ARM recognizes the great value that Eclipse provides to embedded developers, and Express Logic's Eclipse-based BenchX IDE is the latest example of a new tools option for developers of ARM processor-based embedded systems," said Ian Johnson, Third-Party Relations Manager, ARM. "With BenchX as a platform, developers also can add-in the high performance ARM RealView Compilation tools, RealView Profiler and RealView ICE and other tools that provide ARM technology-specific value."

BenchX is available for order now, with initial production deliveries planned for May 15, 2008.