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C++ Interfacing Questions

  • How we can write Linux C++ application program to interface with USRP?

Here it how we can do it:

1) The gnuradio project provides a complete USRP interface library. When compiling the interface program, these library must be linked with our code by using G++ library command (-lusrp).

2) To show the used procedure, suppose we have written a C++ USRP interface program called usrp_test_c++.cpp. To compile this program, we use the following command:

 $ g++ usrp_test_c++.cpp -o testusrp -lusrp

where g++ is the GNU C++ compiler, usrp_test_c++.cpp is our c++ source file, testusrp is our output file, -lusrp is the USRP C++ library.

Note: The following USRP two header files should be in the same compilation directory: fpga_regs_common.h, fpga_regs_standard.h

3) To run the output file from Linux command line:

 ./testusrp

  • Is there a simple C++ USRP interfacing demonstration program?

Below is the list for such program

 // Simple C++ USRP interfacing demonstration program
 //
 //
 // This program was derived and modified from test_usrp_standard_rx.cc 
 
 /* -*- c++ -*- */
 /*
  * Copyright 2003,2006,2007,2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
  * 
  * This file is part of GNU Radio
  * 
  * GNU Radio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
  * the Free Software Foundation; either version 3, or (at your option)
  * any later version.
  * 
  * GNU Radio is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
  * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
  * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
  * GNU General Public License for more details.
  * 
  * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  * along with GNU Radio; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to
  * the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street,
  * Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
  */
 
 
 #include "usrp_standard.h"           
 
 // Dummy Function to process USRP data
 void process_data(int *buffer)
 {
 /*
 Each buffer element, for example buffer[0] contains 4 bytes 
 2 bytes For (I) and 2 bytes for (Q). 
 */
 }
 
 #define SAMPELS_PER_READ 	(512) 		// Must be a multiple of 128
 
 /*
 SAMPELS_PER_READ :Each sample is consists of 4 bytes (2 bytes for I and 
 2 bytes for Q. Since the reading length from USRP should be multiple of 512 
 bytes see "usrp_basic.h", then we have to read multiple of 128 samples each 
 time (4 bytes * 128 sample = 512 bytes)  
 */

 int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   bool	  loopback_p = false;
   bool   counting_p = false;
   bool	  width_8_p = false;
   int	  which_board = 0;
   int	  decim = 8;			// 32 MB/sec
   double center_freq = 0;
   int	  fusb_block_size = 0;
   int	  fusb_nblocks = 0;
   int    nchannels = 1;
   int    gain = 0;
   int    mode = 0;
   int    noverruns = 0;
   bool   overrun;
   int    total_reads = 10000;
   int    i;
   int    buf[SAMPELS_PER_READ];
   int    bufsize = SAMPELS_PER_READ*4; // Should be multiple of 512 Bytes
 
 
  if (loopback_p)    mode |= usrp_standard_rx::FPGA_MODE_LOOPBACK;
   
  if (counting_p)    mode |= usrp_standard_rx::FPGA_MODE_COUNTING;
 
 
 
   usrp_standard_rx *urx =  usrp_standard_rx::make (which_board, decim, 1, -1, mode,
 			    fusb_block_size, fusb_nblocks);
 
   if (urx == 0)
 	{
 	fprintf (stderr, "Error: usrp_standard_rx::make\n");
   	exit (1);
 	}
 
   if (width_8_p)
 {
     int width = 8;
     int shift = 8;
     bool want_q = true;
     if (!urx->set_format(usrp_standard_rx::make_format(width, shift, want_q)))
       {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Error: urx->set_format\n");
   	exit (1);
       }
   }
 
   // Set DDC center frequency
   urx->set_rx_freq (0, center_freq);
 
 // Set Number of channels
   urx->set_nchannels(1);
 
 // Set ADC PGA gain
   urx->set_pga(0,gain);
 
 // Set FPGA Mux
   urx->set_mux(0x32103210); // Board A only
 
 // Set DDC decimation rate
   urx->set_decim_rate(decim);
  
 // Set DDC phase 
   urx->set_ddc_phase(0,0);
 
   urx->start();		// Start data transfer
 
   printf("USRP Transfer Started\n");
 
 	// Do USRP Samples Reading 
 	for (i = 0; i < total_reads; i++)
 	{
 		urx->read(&buf, bufsize, &overrun); 
 			
 		if (overrun)
 			{
 			printf ("USRP Rx Overrun\n");
 			noverruns++;
     			}
 
 		// Do whatever you want with the data
 		process_data(&buf[0]);
 		
 	}
 
 
   urx->stop();  // Stop data transfer
   printf("USRP Transfer Stoped\n");
   delete urx;
   return 0;
 }
 

  • Currently, all USRP daughterboards control is handled from Python. Where I can find the C++ drivers for these boards?

The gnuradio team is developing an all C++ daughterboards drivers [I don’t know if they finished it]. There are some gnuradio users that developed their own C++ drivers but they did not publish it yet [I Think They Should].

The only published C++ driver is for DBSRX daughterboard by Gregory W Heckler.

  • Where can I obtain Gregory DBSRX driver ? How to use the driver ?

The DBSRX C++ driver can be obtained from GPS-SDR code repo. We can use:

 $ g++ db_dbs_rx.cpp usrp_sdr.cpp -o testdriver -lm  -lusrp -lpthread 

Note: The following files should be in the same compilation directory: db-dbs_rx.cpp, db_dbs_rx.h, fpga_regs_common.h, fpga_regs_standard.h.

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