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I'm using the STM32L496 and have a bootloader at 0x08000000 of flash. After that, I have two partitions for applications, one at 0x08040000 which is the main application, and one at 0x080C0000 for a "golden image" that the bootloader can use if the main application is corrupted (the idea being the main app can be re-programmed with IAP). I've been able to modify the linker and scb->vtor setting so it will build the application to boot from either partition (golden image when main app is blank).

My question is, is there a way to do this without changing the linker and vector offset manually? Let's say I have a new build that is the new "golden image", I'd like to be able to build that so I can program it to each partition.

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  • This has definitely been asked before but I can't find it. The short answer is basically no, you can't make a statically linked application that can be loaded to different addresses, and using dynamic linking in a microcontroller application is very unusual, which makes it very difficult. It is also very inefficient when running. Commented Oct 11, 2022 at 19:52
  • Seems like the best option is to use the IDE with multiple build options that use different linker files: essentially a "Release" build and "Golden Image" build that use different linkers. The vector can be adjusted with software. Commented Oct 11, 2022 at 20:32

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I think what you mean is Position Independant Code. It's possible to generate PIC code with ARM cortex GCC though I never did it myself.

It is pretty complicated: see here for example.

However as others wrote already, I don't really see the benefit to do that especially on a small STM32L4 MCU. It is inefficient and complex (so error prone).

Moreover the STM32L4 provide a functionality to do (more or less) what you need: there are two flash banks and you can swap them. It means the HW changes the aliased adress of bank2: you can link your software always to the same adress 0x0800 0000 but load it either in bank 1 or in bank 2. It is meant to ease software update.

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Thanks, absolutely answers my question. I did figure out an interesting alternate path: not adjusting the application via linker or vector, but instead using a partition of flash as storage for the "golden image", and I can just copy that to the main application partition, rather than jump to the part of flash where the golden image resides.

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