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Adding files to STM32CubeMX project

Additional settings for project generation

STM32CubeMX allows users to specify additional project settings through the .extSettings file. These settings will be applied for the specified project upon CubeMX code generation from. The .extSettings file must be placed in the same project folder and at the same level as the .ioc file.

Entries and syntax

  • ProjectFiles Use the fields in the ProjectFiles section to specify additional include directories. Syntax:

    HeaderPath = <include directory 1 path>;< include directory 2 path >
  • Groups Use the fields in the Groups section where to create new groups of files and/or add files to a group. Syntax:

    <Group name> = <file pathname1>;< file pathname2>
  • Others Use the fields in the Others section where to enable HAL modules and/or specify preprocessor define statements. Syntax:

    Define = <define1_name>;<define2_name>

Examples

The following example specifies additional settings for a STM32H735G-DK project:

.extSettings file for STM32H735G-DK
[ProjectFiles]
HeaderPath=../Drivers/BSP/Components/Common;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK
[Groups]
Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK=../Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ospi.c;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ts.c;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_bus.c
Drivers/BSP/Components=../Drivers/BSP/Components/s70kl1281/s70kl1281.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/mx25lm51245g/mx25lm51245g.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336/ft5336.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336/ft5336_reg.c
Application/User/TouchGFX/target=../TouchGFX/target/CortexMMCUInstrumentation.cpp
[Others]
Define=USE_STM32H735G_DK
HALModule=I2C

The following example specifies additional settings for a STM32H747I-DK project:

Tip
In case of Mult-Core configurations users must specify which Core the files or settings should be added for.
.extSettings file for STM32H747I-DISCO
[CortexM7:ProjectFiles]
HeaderPath=../Drivers/BSP/Components/Common;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery
[CortexM7:Groups]
Application/User/CM7/TouchGFX/target=../CM7/TouchGFX/target/STM32H7Instrumentation.cpp
Drivers/BSP/Components=../Drivers/BSP/Components/otm8009a/otm8009a.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/otm8009a/otm8009a_reg.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/ft6x06/ft6x06.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/ft6x06/ft6x06_reg.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/mt25tl01g/mt25tl01g.c;../Drivers/BSP/Components/is42s32800j/is42s32800j.c
Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery=../Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery/stm32h747i_discovery_bus.c;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery/stm32h747i_discovery_qspi.c;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery/stm32h747i_discovery_sdram.c;../Drivers/BSP/STM32H747I-Discovery/stm32h747i_discovery_ts.c;
[CortexM7:Others]
Define=USE_STM32H747I_DISCO
HALModule=I2C

Impact on generated project

Upon project generation from CubeMX, the presence of this .extSettings file triggers the update of:

  • The IDE project .project file in STM32CubeIDE folder
Update of the project `.project` file (STM32CubeIDE IDE)
        <link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336/ft5336.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336_reg.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/Components/ft5336/ft5336_reg.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/Components/mx25lm51245g.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/Components/mx25lm51245g/mx25lm51245g.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/Components/s70kl1281.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/Components/s70kl1281/s70kl1281.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_bus.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_bus.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ospi.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ospi.c</locationURI>
</link>
<link>
<name>Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ts.c</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/Drivers/BSP/STM32H735G-DK/stm32h735g_discovery_ts.c</locationURI>
</link>
...
<link>
<name>Application/User/TouchGFX/target/CortexMMCUInstrumentation.cpp</name>
<type>1</type>
<locationURI>$%7BPARENT-1-PROJECT_LOC%7D/TouchGFX/target/CortexMMCUInstrumentation.cpp</locationURI>
</link>
  • The stm32h7xx_hal_conf.h file in the project Inc (include) folder due to the presence of the I2C module in the .extsettings file.
Update of stm32h7xx_hal_conf.h file to enable selected HAL modules (I2C)
/* #define HAL_PSSI_MODULE_ENABLED */
/* #define HAL_DTS_MODULE_ENABLED */
#define HAL_GPIO_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_DMA_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_MDMA_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_RCC_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_FLASH_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_EXTI_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_PWR_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_I2C_MODULE_ENABLED
#define HAL_CORTEX_MODULE_ENABLED
/* #define HAL_HSEM_MODULE_ENABLED */
  • The project view within STM32CubeIDE user interface as shown in the below figures.

    New BSP Drivers groups and files added to the project groups

New MCU Instrumentation groups and files added to the project groups

Note
Files referenced by the .extSettings file must be manually added by the user into the STM32CubeMX project's folder.

For the above STM32H735G-DK example the file CortexMMCUInstrumentation.cpp should be present inside its indicated location /TouchGFX/target/CortexMMCUInstrumentation.cpp

Further reading