MSP-EXP430G2

LaunchPad Workshop

Meet the LaunchPad

Lab 1 : Blink LaunchPad LEDs

By Adrian Fernandez

Meet the LaunchPad

MSP430 MCU Value Line LaunchPad only $4.30

A look inside the box
Complete LaunchPad kit includes:
LaunchPad development board
Mini-USB cable
2x MSP430 Value Line MCUs
MSP430G2211
MSP430G2231
10-pin PCB connectors/headers
Free downloadable, code-limited IDEs
Code Composer Studio
IAR Embedded Workbench
QuickStart Guide
2x LaunchPad stickers
Watch unboxing

Watch pre-loaded demo

http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=RVHGjgkFPlU

http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=U0mGoRtYbyg

Watch videos on Youtube! !

(internet connection required)

MSP430 MCU Value Line LaunchPad only $4.30

LaunchPad board
Get started in minutes

Up to 20-pin DIP
socketed target board
Drop-in any MSP430
Value Line device
Pre-programmed
MSP430 Value Line
MCU included

MSP430
Value Line

Easily evaluate &

program devices

Integrated Flash
emulation tool
USB-powered (cable incl.)
Program any MSP430 Value
Line device, eZ430 target
board, or Spy Bi-Wire
enabled MSP430 device

Rapid Prototyping
Access to all MSP430
Value Line pins
Easy interface for external
components/daughter
boards
2 Programmable
pushbuttons & LEDs

Lab 1 : Blink LaunchPads LEDs

Understand pin outs of LaunchPad

Learn where to find free IDEs and design resources
Develop code to blink LaunchPads red and green
on-board LEDs

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Understanding LaunchPad pinouts

On-board features of LaunchPad are
pinned in the following fashion:

LED1 (red) = P1.0

LED2 (green) = P1.6
Switch1 = P1.3
Switch2 = Reset
Timer UART Transmit = P1.1
Timer UART Receive = P1.2

Now we understand LaunchPads pin out!

In order to blink the Red and Green LEDs, we have to set Ports 1.0 and 1.6
as outputs, and toggle them in our projects code.

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 1 Download and Install CCS

1. Go to www.ti.com/launchpadwiki - #1 source for all content related to
LaunchPad
2. If not already on your PC, download and install CCS ver 4 to your PC
from the LaunchPad wiki
3. Once installed, open CCS version 4
4. When opened, you will be prompted to create a new Workspace
This can be named anything you want! In our example, we named
ours LaunchPadWork
5. Then press OK

6. This will create a new workspace for our first LaunchPad project!

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 2 Set up CCS project

1. Once our workspace is generated, we will create
a new project

File ! New ! CCS Project

2. Next, we need to name the project well call it

LaunchPadLED. Then, click Next

3. In the next window, well be asked to Slect a type

of project. Since we are programming an MSP430
Value Line device, we choose MSP430 from the
drop down list. Then, click Next

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 2 Set up CCS project continued

4. In the next window, we wont need any additional
project settings, so we can just click Next
5. Now, we need to select which Device Variant we
are going to program. For this simple LED blinking
example, any MSP430 Value Line device can be
used. In this case, this example was developed
using the MSP430G2231 device.
6. Once the appropriate device variant is highlighted,
we can click Finish
7. Now that the project settings are configured, we
need to add a new source file by right clicking our
active project and clicking New ! Source File.

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 3 Find MSP430 code examples

8. We will name this new source file main.c then
click Finish At this point, a blank window will
be created. This is where our code will go.
9. Great! Our project area is all set up!
10. Next, we will learn where to find MSP430 Value
Line related code examples.
11. We need to go back to www.ti.com/launchpadwiki
12. In the wiki, we will find a link to Download all
MSP430G2xx code examples. Click it to
download a .zip file with all Value Line code
snippets.

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 4 Import code example to project

13. Within this zip file, we will find assembly and C
code examples well use C for this lab. Within
the C folder are various code examples for getting
started with MSP430 Value Line devices.

Each .c or assembly file within the zip has a description

and simple block diagram to explain its specific
functionality.

14. We will use msp430x20x3_1.c in for this example.

We can double click it to open the .c file. This
code example uses a software toggle to blink port
1.0 (which is tied to LED1, LaunchPads red LED)
15. Now, we can copy and paste this code into our
empty main.c that we created in CCS!

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 5 Modify code example

16. Since the code example only toggles P1.0, only LED1 (red) will blink if
we leave the code as is. Thus, we need to modify it to also toggle P1.6
as well.
17. To do this, we first need to set P1.6 as an output port. To do this, we
need to set the direction bit of P1.6 as 1 This is done by adding the
highlighted line of code shown above.

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 6 Modify code example continued

18. Now that Port 1.6 is set as an output, we can now toggle it in software,
which will cause it to blink. This is done by toggling the port within a for
loop, which will turn it off and on periodically. Similar to P1.0, P1.6 will
be toggled using exclusive-OR logic. The highlighted line below
accomplishes this.

19. Also, notice that this for loop will loop forever. The frequency of
blinking is controlled by the variable i, which causes a delay using a
do-while loop The larger the number, the longer the delay between
toggles. We can experiment with different values to see its effects.

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Step 7 Download code to LaunchPad

20. Great! We have made all the changes needed to blink both LEDs on
the LaunchPad board. We can now download this code to the
MSP430 Value Line device plugged into LaunchPads DIP target
socket. First, make sure LaunchPad is plugged in to your PC!
21. Next, we can click this Debug button, which will check the code and
load it into the MSP430 device.

22. When the code successfully loads, we will enter the Debug view of
CCS. We can execute the code by clicking the green Run arrow. At
this point, our red and green LEDs on the LaunchPad board should
start blinking!
23. Congratulations! You just completed your first LaunchPad project!

MSP430 Ultra-Low Power MCUs

Great! Now what???

Now that you understand the pinouts of LaunchPad, discovered where to
find code examples, and successfully created your very first LaunchPad
project, you are well on your way to becoming an MSP430 master!
Continue to explore www.ti.com/launchpadwiki to find more code
examples, projects, and other resources! This page is updated frequently,
and includes an active online community!
Please feel free to contribute your own project ideas to the wiki pages as
well!
Thank you, and happy coding from the MSP430 team in Dallas, TX "

MSP-EXP430G2
LaunchPad Workshop
Thank you!