OVERVIEW
Instruction Set Simulator – Develop Without Target Hardware
The TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator allows you to develop and test application code even before your hardware is available. Integrated directly into the TRACE32 PowerView software, it offers a convenient and cost-effective way to validate code functionality early in the development cycle. Available free of charge for all TRACE32 debug module owners, the simulator is also offered as a trial version for evaluation purposes.
BENEFITS
Experience Full Debugging Power – Even Without Hardware
The TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator is the ideal companion to Lauterbach’s debug and trace tools. Fully integrated into the TRACE32 PowerView environment, it delivers the same user experience as working with a physical target, maintaining a consistent workflow.
Simulate your application, generate trace-based statistics, analyze complex issues, and perform comprehensive code coverage—all without requiring target hardware. This approach accelerates development, improves team collaboration, and allows parallel progress across multiple engineers.
Extend Simulation with Custom Peripheral Models
A dedicated API enables you to integrate your own peripheral simulation models into the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator. This powerful feature allows early development and testing of device drivers for custom hardware modules—even before the physical hardware is available—accelerating the development cycle and reducing integration risks.
Develop without hardware
The TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator enables you to start software development while your target hardware prototypes are not yet available, or are still a rare resource.
Simulate and Debug Even the Most Complex Applications
For selected architectures, the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator includes built-in support for simulating advanced components such as cache, memory management units (MMU), and timers. This enables accurate execution of complex operating systems within the simulator environment. You can debug and trace the full software stack—from OS kernels to user-space processes—without needing physical hardware.
Virtualize Your Testing for Early Validation and Fewer Surprises
Perform early verification using the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator to detect issues before they escalate—saving time, effort, and costly rework in later development stages. For safety-critical applications, our certified Tool Qualification Support Kit (TQSK) offers a streamlined and reliable path to qualifying the simulator for use in compliance-driven projects.
PERIPHERAL SIMULATION MODEL
Simulate and Test Custom Peripheral Drivers with TRACE32
Lauterbach offers a dedicated TRACE32 Simulator API that allows you to create Peripheral Simulation Models (PSMs) for your own hardware modules. These models replicate the functions and registers of physical peripherals supported by the processor, enabling accurate simulation and driver testing—well before hardware is available.
By simulating custom peripherals, you can significantly extend the simulator’s capabilities. Lauterbach also provides a collection of example PSMs to help you get started quickly.
TOOL QUALIFICATION
Qualify the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator for Safety-Critical Projects
The TRACE32 Tool Qualification Support Kit (TQSK) enables you to certify the TRACE32 Instruction Set Simulator as a qualified tool for unit and integration testing in safety-related environments. Tool qualification is essential when early-stage testing must closely reflect the target environment—typically the controller or embedded system where the software will eventually run.
Using the simulator, you can execute tests, perform Processor-In-The-Loop (PIL) validation, and measure code coverage—all without requiring physical development hardware. This accelerates verification cycles and supports compliance with functional safety standards.
TQSK is available for selected processor architectures, with additional support available upon request.
SUPPORTED ARCHITECTURES
Lauterbach TRACE32 Offers Instruction Set Simulators for the Following Architectures
- 68HC12
- 78K
- ARC
- Arm® / Cortex® (include Cortex®-M)
- Beyond
- C166
- C2000
- CEVA-Teak
- Hexagon
- Intel® / x86
- M68K / ColdFire
- MicroBlaze
- MIPS
- MSP430
- Nios® II
- PowerPC
- RH850 / V850
- RISC-V
- SuperH
- TriCore™ / AURIX™
- Z80
