Using C++ in Embedded Systems – Applying C++11/C++14 Training Course

Overview

This training intends to introduce C++ as the common extension of C when applying object-oriented embedded system development. Since C++ encloses C, this training takes us from C to C++ in a natural way, and looks under the hood of how C++ is implemented. This is especially valuable to comprehend when applying C++ in an embedded resource limited environment. The C++ standard has recently been undergoing a major revision, a.k.a. as C++11, and a new one is on its way, C++14. This course addresses subjects brought in with these revisions that are especially useful like high performance memory management, concurrency making use of a multicore environment, and bare-metal close to the hardware programming.

GOAL/BENEFITS

The major objective of this class is that you shall be able to use C++ in a “correct way”.

Introduce C++ as an object oriented language alternative in an embedded system context
Show the similarities ‑ and differences ‑ with the C language
Comprehend different memory management strategies – especially the move semantics introduced with C++11
Look under the hood and understand what different paradigms in C++ leads to in machine code
Use templates to achieve type safe high order abstractions for bare-metal close to the hardware programming – memory mapped I/O as well as interrupts – especially the variadic templates introduced with C++11
Provide some useful design patterns especially applicable in an embedded context
A few exercises in order to practice some concepts

AUDIENCE/PARTICIPANTS

This training is aimed C++- programmers who intend to start using C++ in an embedded system context.

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE

The course requires basic knowledge in C++ programming, corresponding to our trainings ”C++ – Level 1” and ”C++ Level 2 – Introducing C++11”.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

During the training you will practice the presented concepts in a number of exercises. We will use the open and free integrated development environment from Eclipse

Course Outline

What’s an Embedded System?
- Simple Definition
- Some Milestones
- Characteristics
- Why using C++?
Comparison with C
- C: A subset of C++ – almost
- Performance
- Added “Free” Functionality
- Why not using C++?
Classes
- Member Variables
  - Instance variables
  - Class variables
- Member Functions
  - Instance functions
  - Class functions
- Implicit Methods
  - Constructor
    - Initialization
    - Delegation
  - Destructor
  - Copy assignment operator
- Move Semantics – avoiding unnecessary deep copy
- struct in C++
- Package/Namespace
Inheritance
- Introduction
- Realization
- Performance
- Multiple Inheritance
- Virtual Inheritance
Polymorphism
- Introduction
- Virtual Function
- Virtual Destructor
- Implementation
- Runtime Type Information, RTTI
- Performance
Templates
- Introduction
- Function Template
- Class Template
  - Variadic Templates
- Code Bloat
- Implementation Strategies
- Template Meta Programming
- Template versus Inheritance?
Error Handling
- Exception Handling
- Performance Issues
- Implementation
Inline Code
- When to Use?
- Strategies
Start-up
- System Start-up
- The C Part
- The C++ Part
Standard Library
- Standard Template Library, STL
- iostream Library
- Major extensions made on STL due to C++11:
  - Move semantics
  - Variadic Templates
  - Concurrency
Memory Management
- The C++ Memory Model
  - The stdint-types
  - Atomic types and their operations
- Strategies
- Variables
- Placement new
- User Defined Memory Management
Interoperation between C and C++
- Name Mangling
- Static Initialization
- Dynamic Memory
- struct Contents
  - POD – Plain Old Data type
Design Patterns
- RAII – Resource Acquisition Is Initialization
- Memory-mapped I/O
- Interrupt
- Initialization of Static Objects

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