Let’s Get Started!

This handout will walk you through the steps to create your first program on the Texas Instruments
MSP430FR6989 Microcontroller Launchpad.

Note, we go through a lot of details in these lab manuals, and at times, some students have thought we
included too many steps. However, it is our intent to err on the side of caution and provide as much
support for our students as possible. Thanks for understanding.

1. Open the Launchpad development kit box and the plastic bag that contains the Launchpad board.

2. Connect the Launchpad development board to the PC with the enclosed USB cable.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 1 of 34

Valparaiso University
3. The board is divided into two parts. The top part (the side with the USB connector) is responsible
for communicating with the PC make getting your program onto our MSP430FR6989
microcontroller.

The bottom part contains the MSP430FR6989 that we will be using in this class. In addition, the
bottom part has the LCD screen, push-buttons, and a number of metal pins that can be used to
connect the microcontroller to the outside world. Each of these will be discussed in more detail
later in the course.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 2 of 34

Valparaiso University
4. The power LED (LED102) should be on after you connect the board to the PC. The bottom two-
thirds are for the microcontroller, two push-buttons, a couple LEDs, and holes for connecting
your board to the rest of the world. Note, there might be slight differences in the printing on the
board. As the board goes through revisions, the printing is occasionally changed.

Note, the font type for LED102. Periodically, you will see words and phrases using a similar
format throughout our documentation. This will be your sign that this is either an important
reference from the Texas Instruments documentation or hardware / software tools.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 3 of 34

Valparaiso University
5. If you have not done so already, follow this link to download the Code Composer Studio
(CCS) program.

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Download_CCS#Code_Composer_Studio_Version_6_Downloads

6. Note, we have had many questions from students about which version of Code Composer
Studio to use. The version that we use on our campus and in all of our classes is version 6.1.0.

Many Udemy students have reported problems with newer versions of Code Composer
Studio. Therefore, we strongly recommend downloading and using only version 6.1.0 for this
class. We will be unable to help with any questions not related to version 6.1.0.

Scroll down the page a little and you will see a link to download CCS version 6.1.0. We will be
using the Windows version of the program. Go ahead and click the Windows button.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 4 of 34

Valparaiso University
7. At this time, you will need to either create your Texas Instruments account or, if you have an
account, enter your email address and myTI password.

8. After logging in, you will need to complete the U.S. Government export approval form. Enter
your information, and click Submit at the bottom of the form.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 5 of 34

Valparaiso University
9. After a few moments, you will be taken to the download page. Click Download to start the
process.

10. When complete, you will have a 7.3MB file entitled ccs_setup_win32.exe. Go ahead and
open the file.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 6 of 34

Valparaiso University
11. Next, you will need to accept the terms of the license agreement and click Next.

12. You will be asked to specify the location for installation. Browse to your preferred location or
accept the default and click Next.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 7 of 34

Valparaiso University
13. You will then be asked to select which microcontrollers and microprocessors you would like to
use with CCS. For now, just select the MSP Ultra Lower Power MCUs as shown below
and click Next.

14. The next window asks you to Select Debug Probes. Select the options shown below and
click Next.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 8 of 34

Valparaiso University
15. Ok, we are almost done. The last window asks if you want to install any Texas Instrument apps
for CCS. Do not select any of these options and click Finish to begin the installation.

16. Windows will show you the progress of the download. Note, the download and installation may
take a couple minutes.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 9 of 34

Valparaiso University
17. When the installation is complete, you will have the option of immediately launching Code
Composer Studio.

18. In the future, you can open CCS from the start menu.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 10 of 34

Valparaiso University
19. Note, there is also an off-line installer option for Code Composer Studio.

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Download_CCS

20. When CCS opens, you will first be greeted by a splash screen.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 11 of 34

Valparaiso University
21. You will then be asked to select a Workspace. Click Browse to specify a folder where you
would like to store your CCS projects.

Note, make sure you do NOT check the Use this as the default… option.

When you are ready, click OK to continue.

22. When opened, the CCS program may have a Getting Started window open like this. If it
does, go ahead and close the tab.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 12 of 34

Valparaiso University
23. When the Getting Started tab is closed, CCS will look like this. This is the default
configuration that you will be using for almost all of your code creation.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 13 of 34

Valparaiso University
24. Under File, select New, then select CCS Project.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 14 of 34

Valparaiso University
25. This will open the New CCS Project window. It is REALLY important to make sure you get
the next several steps right, so please be careful.

For Target, select MSP430FRxxx Family from the pull-down menu.

a) In the box to the right of Target, select MSP430FR6989 from the pull-down menu.
(Note, it is very close to the bottom of the list. This is the microcontroller in the
MSP430FRxxx Family that we will be using in this class.
b) For Connection, you should accept the default, TI MSP430 USB1 [Default].
c) For Project name, enter Blink.
d) Under Project name, check the Use Default Location box.
e) Use the default Compiler version.
f) Finally, toward the bottom of the window, under Project Templates and examples,
select the Empty Project (with main.c).
After double-checking everything, click Finish when you are ready to go on.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 15 of 34

Valparaiso University
26. After a few seconds, the new project will be added to the Project Explorer window and the
“empty” main.c file is also shown.

27. If you the main.c tab does not open automatically, you can open it anytime you want. First, if the
Blink folder is collapsed like this, click on the small icon in front of its name.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 16 of 34

Valparaiso University
28. This will expand the Blink folder to and show its various components. Go ahead and double-
click on the main.c file to open the tab.

29. Make sure your CCS window looks like this before proceeding to the next step. If not, please go
back and double-check your work.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 17 of 34

Valparaiso University
30. For this handout, the program we will be using is shown below. We will take a look at the various
lines of the program in the following steps. These will be covered in a lot more detail later in the
course, but for now, our quick explanation should help.

Please note that the C programming language and CCS tools are case dependent. Therefore,
words like long will need to be lower case, and using LONG will generate an error.

// This program will blink a red LED

#include <msp430.h> // Allows us to use "short-cut" names

// to make our code easier to read

#define RED 0x0001 // Specifies the red LED light for us

#define RED_OFF 0x00FE // Used to turn the red LED off

#define ENABLE_RED 0xFFFE // Used to enable microcontroller's pins

#define DEVELOPMENT 0x5A80 // Used to disable some of the security

// features while we are still learning

main() // All C programs have a main function

{
WDTCTL = DEVELOPMENT; // Disables some security features

PM5CTL0 = ENABLE_RED; // Enables the pins to the outside world

P1DIR = RED; // Make a pin an output

long x = 0; // Will be used to slow down blinking

while(1) // Continuously repeat everything below

{
for(x=0 ; x < 30000 ; x=x+1); // Count from 0 to 30,000 for a delay

P1OUT = RED; // Turn red LED light on

for(x=0 ; x < 30000 ; x=x+1); // Count from 0 to 30,000 for a delay

P1OUT = RED_OFF; // Turn off the red LED light

}

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 18 of 34

Valparaiso University
31. The first line is a comment that briefly describes what your program will do. To designate a
comment, use two backslash characters. CCS will recognize the comment and color it green to
make it easier to tell apart from the rest of your code.
// This program will blink a red LED

32. The #include <msp430.h> command is used to tell CCS you want to use, or include, another
file when your program is ready. The msp430.h file contains various names of parts of the
microcontroller (that is, registers like P1DIR and P1OUT) which can be used to make your
program more readable.

Lines like this are not part of the actual program and are often called “preprocessor statements”.
They are used strictly by the user to specify to CCS how the program should be used.

33. The next lines are the #define statements. These allow you to associate numerical values with
names that you can use later inside of your program. Again, this will make your code easier to
read.

34. The next line signifies the beginning of your actual program. Every C program has a main()
function. When you run your program, the microcontroller will first look for main() and
perform everything contained inside of its curly braces { } .

main()

35. In the next line, our program puts the microcontroller into a development or “practice” mode by
disabling a security system called the watchdog timer. Essentially, the watchdog timer can be
used to restart your program if something goes wrong. This is very important in some more
critical programs, but not in simple ones like this.

We will learn more about watchdog timers later, but for now, it simplifies our program to disable
it.

Notice also that semicolon (;) at the end of the instruction. You will quickly learn that the C
programming language needs to see these semicolons appropriately or your program will not
work.

WDTCTL = DEVELOPMENT;

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 19 of 34

Valparaiso University
36. The next line of the program is used to enable the microcontroller pins to connect to the outside
world. As we go through this course, you may find it amusing to see how many different features
of a microcontroller have to be enabled or disabled. However, today’s microcontrollers have
many, many different features that you could use. By requiring a user to enable the features you
want to use, it makes it easier to avoid some mistakes.

For now, just remember that including this line of code in our program allows us to connect the
microcontroller to the “outside” world, or in this case, the red LED light.

PM5CTL0 = ENABLE_RED;

37. The next instruction tells the microcontroller to use its pin connected to the red LED light as an
output that it can turn on and off.

P1DIR = RED;

38. The next line creates a variable called x. This variable will be used to implement a delay so the
red LED light will turn on and off slowly enough that you can see it.

Later in the class, we will introduce the term long and explain how similar terms can be used to
designate how much memory a variable uses in a microcontroller. For now, just recognize that x
can hold values up to about 2,000,000,000.

long x = 0;

39. The next line of the program starts an execution loop.

while(1)

Loops will be discussed in more detail in a later section, but for now know that this loop will keep
executing the instructions inside of its curly braces { } indefinitely. Without this loop, the
program would only turn the red LED light on and off one time.

40. Next we have our first delay implemented with another loop called a for loop.

for(x=0 ; x < 30000 ; x=x+1);

For loops will also be discussed in more detail in a later section. For our purposes, it creates a
delay in our program (set by the 30,000 number). Later in this handout, you can play with
increasing/decreasing the length of the delay by changing this number. (But, do not do it yet!)

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 20 of 34

Valparaiso University
41. The next instruction turns on the red LED light.

P1OUT = RED;

42. We then implement a second delay with another for loop.

for(x=0 ; x < 30000 ; x=x+1);

43. After the second delay, we turn the red LED light off.

P1OUT = RED_OFF;

44. At this point in the program, the while loop returns us back to the previous delay statement to turn
the red LED light on and then off again indefinitely.

45. Now that we have looked at the program in more detail, let’s get it running on your
microcontroller. In CCS, highlight the program presently displayed in the main.c tab. After
highlighting it, hit the [Backspace] key to delete it. CCS should then look like this:

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 21 of 34

Valparaiso University
46. Highlight and Copy the original, complete program listing from above and Paste it into the
main.c tab.

Your window will probably look like this. Adobe Acrobat and CCS do not always play nicely
together, so for many users, the indentation will not copy.

To fix this situation, select/highlight the program:

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 22 of 34

Valparaiso University
 With the program highlighted, press Ctrl-I (for indent.)

This looks a little better, but we still recommend you going in and adding spaces to make your
program easier to read.

This is not an issue for when you create your own programs, just when you copy them over from
Acrobat.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 23 of 34

Valparaiso University
47. Look carefully at the main.c tab. Do you see the asterisk (*) in front of its name? This asterisk
will appear whenever you have unsaved changes in your program.

48. To Save your changes, you can select Save from the File menu.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 24 of 34

Valparaiso University
49. Or, you can simply click one of the Save shortcut buttons. The first saves only the file
(main.c) that is presently opened. The second saves any and all files related to your project
(some really big programs may be spread across dozens of files). If you hover your mouse over
the Save icons, their names will appear.

For most of this class, we will only be using a single main.c file, so you can use either short-
cut.

50. After saving your program, you need to Build your project by clicking the hammer icon on the
top of your screen. (Get it? You can build things with a hammer?)

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 25 of 34

Valparaiso University
51. After you click Build, CCS translates your text main.c file into the 0’s and 1’s that your
microcontroller can understand.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 26 of 34

Valparaiso University
52. The Build results will be shown in the Console and Problems windows.at the bottom of the
CCS window.

If there are any errors, you may have accidentally changed some of the instructions in the
program. Go back and correct the errors. If CCS reports and warnings, you can disregard them
at this time.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 27 of 34

Valparaiso University
53. Once you successfully Build your program, you are ready to load it onto the microcontroller.
To put your program onto the microcontroller, click the Debug button

54. Sometimes when you click the Debug button, you’ll get an error like this.

If this occurs, make sure your Launchpad is plugged in properly and click Retry.

If the error persists try unplugging and then replugging your Launchpad USB cable and then
rebuilding your program.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 28 of 34

Valparaiso University
55. You may see the next window pop up. It is notifying you of a new feature in CCS that can help
you use best practices for ultra-low power applications.

For now, check the Do not show this message again box and click Proceed.

56. The CCS Debug interface (or Debugger) will begin loading.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 29 of 34

Valparaiso University
57. When it is loaded, you should see the CCS Debug interface. Previously we have been in the
CCS Edit interface.

As you might expect, you create and edit your programs from the CCS Edit interface, and you
run your programs from the CCS Debug interface.

58. The Console panel at the bottom will tell you how big your program is. In this example, the
program was 300 + 16 = 316 bytes long.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 30 of 34

Valparaiso University
59. To start your program running, click the Resume (play) short-cut button on the toolbar.

60. Your red LED light should now be blinking! Congratulations, you have completed your first
microcontroller program.

61. Let’s leave the CCS Debugger and go back to the Editor. To do this, click on the
Terminate short-cut button.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 31 of 34

Valparaiso University
62. This closes the Debugger and opens the Editor.

63. However, if you look at your Launchpad, you will see that the red LED is still blinking.

Terminate refers to terminating (ending) the Debugger. Your program will continue to run
on the Launchpad.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 32 of 34

Valparaiso University
64. Try changing the 30000 values in the for loops to implement different delay lengths. Try
changing both values to 10000. (Note, do not use 10,000 or 10.000 in CCS. Just 10000.)

65. Save and Build your program. When complete, launch the Debugger.

66. Click Resume to start your new program. Notice that the red LED is blinking faster (3 times
faster).

67. After trying out the 10000 value, you can Terminate the Debugger and try different values
with the Editor. Just remember to Save and Build your program after you make any
changes before launching the Debugger.

68. This concludes our Let’s Get Started handout. Congratulations!

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 33 of 34

Valparaiso University
 All tutorials and software examples included herewith are intended solely for
educational purposes. The material is provided in an “as is” condition. Any
express or implied warranties, including, but not limited to the implied warranties
of merchantability and fitness for particular purposes are disclaimed.

The software examples are self-contained low-level programs that typically

demonstrate a single peripheral function or device feature in a highly concise
manner. Therefore, the code may rely on the device's power-on default register
values and settings such as the clock configuration and care must be taken when
combining code from several examples to avoid potential side effects.
Additionally, the tutorials and software examples should not be considered for use
in life support devices or systems or mission critical devices or systems.

In no event shall the owner or contributors to the tutorials and software be liable
for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages
(including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of
use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory
of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or
otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this software, even if advised of
the possibility of such damage.

Copyright © 2012-2015 Page 34 of 34

Valparaiso University