Enabling C++ exceptions on ARM bare-metal bootloader - c++

Question

For learning purpose, I am trying to get full C++ support on an ARM MCU (STM32F407ZE). I am struggling at getting exceptions working, consequently carrying this question:
How to get C++ exceptions on a bare-metal ARM bootloader?
To extend a bit the question:
I understand that an exception, like exiting a function require unwinding the stack. The fact that exiting a function works out of the box, but the exception handling does not, make me to think that the compiler is adding the unwinding of functions-exit but can not do it for exceptions.
So the sub-question 1 is: Is this premise correct? Do I really need to implement/integrate an unwinding library for exception handling?
In my superficial understanding of unwinding, there is a frame in the stack and the unwinding "just" need to call the destructor on each object of it, and finally jump to the given catch.
Sub-question 2 is: How does the unwinding library perform this task? What is the strategy used? (to the extends appropriate for a SO answer)
In my searches, I found many explanations of WHAT is the unwinding, but very few of how to get it working. The closest is:
GCC arm-none-eabi (Codesourcery) and C++ Exceptions
The project
1) The first step and yet with some difficulties, was to get the MCU powered and communicating through JTAG.
This is just contextual information, please do not tag the question off-topic just because of this picture. Jump to step 2 instead.
I know there are testing boards available, but this is a learning project to get a better understanding on all the "magic" behind the scene. So I got a chip socket, a bread-board and setup the minimal power-up circuitry:
Note: JTAG is performed through the GPIO of a raspberry-pi.
Note2: I am using OpenOCD to communicate with the chip.
2) Second step, was to make a minimal software to blink the yellow led.
Using arm-none-eabi-g++ as a compiler and linker, the c++ code was straightforward, but my understanding of the linker script is still somewhat blurry.
3) Enable exceptions handling (not yet working).
For this goal, following informations where useful:
https://wiki.osdev.org/C++_Exception_Support
https://itanium-cxx-abi.github.io/cxx-abi/exceptions.pdf
https://itanium-cxx-abi.github.io/cxx-abi/abi-eh.html
However, it seems quite too much complexity for a simple exception handling, and before to start implementing/integrating an unwinding library, I would like to be sure I am going in the correct direction.
I would like to avoid earing in 2 weeks: "Ohh, by the way, you just need to add this "-xx" option to the compiler and it works"
main.cpp
auto reset_handler() noexcept ->void;
auto main() -> int;
int global_variable_test=50;
extern "C"
{
#include "stm32f4xx.h"
#include "stm32f4xx_rcc.h"
#include "stm32f4xx_gpio.h"
void assert_failed(uint8_t* file, uint32_t line){}
void hardFaultHandler( unsigned int * hardFaultArgs);
// vector table
#define SRAM_SIZE 128*1024
#define SRAM_END (SRAM_BASE + SRAM_SIZE)
unsigned long *vector_table[] __attribute__((section(".vector_table"))) =
{
(unsigned long *)SRAM_END, // initial stack pointer
(unsigned long *)reset_handler, // main as Reset_Handler
};
}
auto reset_handler() noexcept -> void
{
// Setup execution
// Call the main function
int ret = main();
// never finish
while(true);
}
class A
{
public:
int b;
auto cppFunc()-> void
{
throw (int)4;
}
};
auto main() -> int
{
// Initializing led GPIO
RCC_AHB1PeriphClockCmd(RCC_AHB1Periph_GPIOG, ENABLE);
GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitDef;
GPIO_InitDef.GPIO_Pin = GPIO_Pin_13 | GPIO_Pin_14;
GPIO_InitDef.GPIO_OType = GPIO_OType_PP;
GPIO_InitDef.GPIO_Mode = GPIO_Mode_OUT;
GPIO_InitDef.GPIO_PuPd = GPIO_PuPd_NOPULL;
GPIO_InitDef.GPIO_Speed = GPIO_Speed_100MHz;
GPIO_Init(GPIOG, &GPIO_InitDef);
// Testing normal blinking
int loopNum = 500000;
for (int i=0; i<5; ++i)
{
loopNum = 100000;
GPIO_SetBits(GPIOG, GPIO_Pin_13 | GPIO_Pin_14);
for (int i = 0; i < loopNum; i++) continue; //active waiting!
loopNum = 800000;
GPIO_ResetBits(GPIOG, GPIO_Pin_13 | GPIO_Pin_14);
for (int i=0; i<loopNum; i++) continue; //active waiting!
}
// Try exceptions handling
try
{
A a;
a.cppFunc();
}
catch(...){}
return 0;
}
Makefile
CPP_C = arm-none-eabi-g++
C_C = arm-none-eabi-g++
LD = arm-none-eabi-g++
COPY = arm-none-eabi-objcopy
LKR_SCRIPT = -Tstm32_minimal.ld
INCLUDE = -I. -I./stm32f4xx/CMSIS/Device/ST/STM32F4xx/Include -I./stm32f4xx/CMSIS/Include -I./stm32f4xx/STM32F4xx_StdPeriph_Driver/inc -I./stm32f4xx/Utilities/STM32_EVAL/STM3240_41_G_EVAL -I./stm32f4xx/Utilities/STM32_EVAL/Common
C_FLAGS = -c -fexceptions -fno-common -O0 -g -mcpu=cortex-m4 -mthumb -DSTM32F40XX -DUSE_FULL_ASSERT -DUSE_STDPERIPH_DRIVER $(INCLUDE)
CPP_FLAGS = -std=c++11 -c $(C_FLAGS)
LFLAGS = -specs=nosys.specs -nostartfiles -nostdlib $(LKR_SCRIPT)
CPFLAGS = -Obinary
all: main.bin
main.o: main.cpp
$(CPP_C) $(CPP_FLAGS) -o main.o main.cpp
stm32f4xx_gpio.o: stm32f4xx_gpio.c
$(C_C) $(C_FLAGS) -o stm32f4xx_gpio.o stm32f4xx_gpio.c
stm32f4xx_rcc.o: stm32f4xx_rcc.c
$(C_C) $(C_FLAGS) -o stm32f4xx_rcc.o stm32f4xx_rcc.c
main.elf: main.o stm32f4xx_gpio.o stm32f4xx_rcc.o
$(LD) $(LFLAGS) -o main.elf main.o stm32f4xx_gpio.o stm32f4xx_rcc.o
main.bin: main.elf
$(COPY) $(CPFLAGS) main.elf main.bin
clean:
rm -rf *.o *.elf *.bin
write:
./write_bin.sh main.elf
Linker script: stm32_minimal.ld
/* memory layout for an STM32F407 */
MEMORY
{
FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x08000000, LENGTH = 512K
SRAM (rwx) : ORIGIN = 0x20000000, LENGTH = 128K
}
/* output sections */
SECTIONS
{
/* program code into FLASH */
.text :
{
*(.vector_table) /* Vector table */
*(.text) /* Program code */
*(.data)
/**(.eh_frame)*/
} >FLASH
.ARM.exidx : /* Required for unwinding the stack? */
{
__exidx_start = .;
* (.ARM.exidx* .gnu.linkonce.armexidx.*)
__exidx_end = .;
} > FLASH
PROVIDE ( end = . );
}