Read the article to learn how to work with STM32 timers including examples on STM32CubeIDE.
Introduction
Many microcontrollers implement timers in hardware. These timers can be built into the microcontroller’s core or implemented as a peripheral. An STM32 timer is a versatile peripheral used in different timing-related applications. These applications include general-purpose counter events, pulse generation, time measurement, and pulse-width generation. Advanced timer features, motor control, power conversion, and advanced timer algorithm applications are also available. The scope of this article focuses on using BluePill’s general-purpose timers on STM32CubeIDE, although you may see similar features of this kind of timer from other STM32 microcontrollers. Here, you’ll find many STM32 timer example codes.
The General Purpose Timer Peripheral
A BluePill’s general purpose timer is a 16-bit up-down auto-reloaded timer. It has a 16-bit prescaler and includes interrupt, DMA generation, quadrature encoder, and hall effect circuitry. Additionally, it has four independent channels. These channels can be an input capture, an output compare, a PWM generator, or a one-pulse mode output. There is also a trigger input to control specific timer operations.
There are a total of 4 timers on the BluePIll. Timer 1 is an advanced control timer, while timers 2 to 4 are general-purpose timers.
How to Use the General Purpose Timer
The fastest way to set up and configure the timers is through STM32CubeMX’s graphical interface. You can access STM32CubeMX through STM32Cube IDE. With this, you get a full-featured integrated development environment with a graphical configurator, file editor, compiler, and debugger. STM32Cube IDE was previously discussed in this blog. For the example timer use cases, it’s important to look back at that blog as it continues from there.
Use Case: As a Timer Update Event (non interrupt based).
Here is a crude example of using basic timer update events on an STM32 device. Here, the Low-Level timer functions are used to make the example clearer. The timer is activated by enabling its clock source to be the internal clock. The prescaler value is set to 10000 while the counter period is set to 7200. The timer should overflow after 1 second since the system clock is 72 MHz. The video demo below illustrates the setup using STM32CubeMX.
You can add USER CODE parts in main once the source code is generated. You’ll see that you must enable the counter first through LL_TIM_EnableCounter(TIM2) before entering the main loop. After that, you can immediately check the flag timer flag. If the timer flags, it means almost one second has gone by. An LED is toggled to see this. After this event, clear the timer flag so it can be detected again to repeat the same process.
int main(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
/* USER CODE END 1 */
/* MCU Configuration--------------------------------------------------------*/
/* Reset of all peripherals, Initializes the Flash interface and the Systick. */
HAL_Init();
/* USER CODE BEGIN Init */
/* USER CODE END Init */
/* Configure the system clock */
SystemClock_Config();
/* USER CODE BEGIN SysInit */
/* USER CODE END SysInit */
/* Initialize all configured peripherals */
MX_GPIO_Init();
MX_TIM2_Init();
/* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
// enable start_up timer
LL_TIM_EnableCounter(TIM2);
/* USER CODE END 2 */
/* Infinite loop */
/* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE END WHILE */
/* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
if(LL_TIM_IsActiveFlag_UPDATE(TIM2))
{
// Toggle LED and Clear Timer Flag
HAL_GPIO_TogglePin(LED_GPIO_Port, LED_Pin);
LL_TIM_ClearFlag_UPDATE(TIM2);
}
}
/* USER CODE END 3 */
}
Use Case: As a Timer Update Event (interrupt based).
Below, HAL_TIMER functions, and a Timer interrupt is used for this use case. With this setup, you don’t need to poll the internal timer flag consistently. You simply wait for the timer interrupt to happen. However, an external volatile timer flag variable is set here to make the code look structured. Like the previous example, you can poll this flag to know when to toggle the LED. Alternatively, you can put the LED toggle code inside the interrupt handler routine to avoid polling for a timer flag variable.
Below is the modified main.c and stm32f1xx_it.c.
Insert Code Here/* USER CODE BEGIN Header */
/**
******************************************************************************
* @file : main.c
* @brief : Main program body
******************************************************************************
* @attention
*
* Copyright (c) 2023 STMicroelectronics.
* All rights reserved.
*
* This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file
* in the root directory of this software component.
* If no LICENSE file comes with this software, it is provided AS-IS.
*
******************************************************************************
*/
/* USER CODE END Header */
/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "main.h"
/* Private includes ----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
/* USER CODE END Includes */
/* Private typedef -----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PTD */
/* USER CODE END PTD */
/* Private define ------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PD */
/* USER CODE END PD */
/* Private macro -------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PM */
/* USER CODE END PM */
/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
TIM_HandleTypeDef htim2;
/* USER CODE BEGIN PV */
extern int volatile timer_flag;
/* USER CODE END PV */
/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
void SystemClock_Config(void);
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void);
static void MX_TIM2_Init(void);
/* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
/* USER CODE END PFP */
/* Private user code ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN 0 */
/* USER CODE END 0 */
/**
* @brief The application entry point.
* @retval int
*/
int main(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
/* USER CODE END 1 */
/* MCU Configuration--------------------------------------------------------*/
/* Reset of all peripherals, Initializes the Flash interface and the Systick. */
HAL_Init();
/* USER CODE BEGIN Init */
/* USER CODE END Init */
/* Configure the system clock */
SystemClock_Config();
/* USER CODE BEGIN SysInit */
/* USER CODE END SysInit */
/* Initialize all configured peripherals */
MX_GPIO_Init();
MX_TIM2_Init();
/* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
HAL_TIM_Base_Start_IT(&htim2);
/* USER CODE END 2 */
/* Infinite loop */
/* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
while (1)
{
if(timer_flag)
{
timer_flag = 0;
HAL_GPIO_TogglePin(LED_GPIO_Port, LED_Pin);
}
/* USER CODE END WHILE */
/* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
}
/* USER CODE END 3 */
}
/**
* @brief System Clock Configuration
* @retval None
*/
void SystemClock_Config(void)
{
RCC_OscInitTypeDef RCC_OscInitStruct = {0};
RCC_ClkInitTypeDef RCC_ClkInitStruct = {0};
/** Initializes the RCC Oscillators according to the specified parameters
* in the RCC_OscInitTypeDef structure.
*/
RCC_OscInitStruct.OscillatorType = RCC_OSCILLATORTYPE_HSE;
RCC_OscInitStruct.HSEState = RCC_HSE_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.HSEPredivValue = RCC_HSE_PREDIV_DIV1;
RCC_OscInitStruct.HSIState = RCC_HSI_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLState = RCC_PLL_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLSource = RCC_PLLSOURCE_HSE;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLMUL = RCC_PLL_MUL9;
if (HAL_RCC_OscConfig(&RCC_OscInitStruct) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
/** Initializes the CPU, AHB and APB buses clocks
*/
RCC_ClkInitStruct.ClockType = RCC_CLOCKTYPE_HCLK|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_SYSCLK
|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK1|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK2;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.SYSCLKSource = RCC_SYSCLKSOURCE_PLLCLK;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.AHBCLKDivider = RCC_SYSCLK_DIV1;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB1CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV2;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB2CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV1;
if (HAL_RCC_ClockConfig(&RCC_ClkInitStruct, FLASH_LATENCY_2) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
}
/**
* @brief TIM2 Initialization Function
* @param None
* @retval None
*/
static void MX_TIM2_Init(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN TIM2_Init 0 */
/* USER CODE END TIM2_Init 0 */
TIM_ClockConfigTypeDef sClockSourceConfig = {0};
TIM_MasterConfigTypeDef sMasterConfig = {0};
/* USER CODE BEGIN TIM2_Init 1 */
/* USER CODE END TIM2_Init 1 */
htim2.Instance = TIM2;
htim2.Init.Prescaler = 10000;
htim2.Init.CounterMode = TIM_COUNTERMODE_UP;
htim2.Init.Period = 7200;
htim2.Init.ClockDivision = TIM_CLOCKDIVISION_DIV1;
htim2.Init.AutoReloadPreload = TIM_AUTORELOAD_PRELOAD_DISABLE;
if (HAL_TIM_Base_Init(&htim2) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
sClockSourceConfig.ClockSource = TIM_CLOCKSOURCE_INTERNAL;
if (HAL_TIM_ConfigClockSource(&htim2, &sClockSourceConfig) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
sMasterConfig.MasterOutputTrigger = TIM_TRGO_RESET;
sMasterConfig.MasterSlaveMode = TIM_MASTERSLAVEMODE_DISABLE;
if (HAL_TIMEx_MasterConfigSynchronization(&htim2, &sMasterConfig) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
/* USER CODE BEGIN TIM2_Init 2 */
/* USER CODE END TIM2_Init 2 */
}
/**
* @brief GPIO Initialization Function
* @param None
* @retval None
*/
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void)
{
GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStruct = {0};
/* USER CODE BEGIN MX_GPIO_Init_1 */
/* USER CODE END MX_GPIO_Init_1 */
/* GPIO Ports Clock Enable */
__HAL_RCC_GPIOC_CLK_ENABLE();
__HAL_RCC_GPIOD_CLK_ENABLE();
/*Configure GPIO pin Output Level */
HAL_GPIO_WritePin(LED_GPIO_Port, LED_Pin, GPIO_PIN_RESET);
/*Configure GPIO pin : LED_Pin */
GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = LED_Pin;
GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_PP;
GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_LOW;
HAL_GPIO_Init(LED_GPIO_Port, &GPIO_InitStruct);
/* USER CODE BEGIN MX_GPIO_Init_2 */
/* USER CODE END MX_GPIO_Init_2 */
}
/* USER CODE BEGIN 4 */
/* USER CODE END 4 */
/**
* @brief This function is executed in case of error occurrence.
* @retval None
*/
void Error_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN Error_Handler_Debug */
/* User can add his own implementation to report the HAL error return state */
__disable_irq();
while (1)
{
}
/* USER CODE END Error_Handler_Debug */
}
#ifdef USE_FULL_ASSERT
/**
* @brief Reports the name of the source file and the source line number
* where the assert_param error has occurred.
* @param file: pointer to the source file name
* @param line: assert_param error line source number
* @retval None
*/
void assert_failed(uint8_t *file, uint32_t line)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN 6 */
/* User can add his own implementation to report the file name and line number,
ex: printf("Wrong parameters value: file %s on line %d\r\n", file, line) */
/* USER CODE END 6 */
}
#endif /* USE_FULL_ASSERT */
/* USER CODE BEGIN Header */
/**
******************************************************************************
* @file stm32f1xx_it.c
* @brief Interrupt Service Routines.
******************************************************************************
* @attention
*
* Copyright (c) 2023 STMicroelectronics.
* All rights reserved.
*
* This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file
* in the root directory of this software component.
* If no LICENSE file comes with this software, it is provided AS-IS.
*
******************************************************************************
*/
/* USER CODE END Header */
/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "main.h"
#include "stm32f1xx_it.h"
/* Private includes ----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
/* USER CODE END Includes */
/* Private typedef -----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN TD */
/* USER CODE END TD */
/* Private define ------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PD */
/* USER CODE END PD */
/* Private macro -------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PM */
/* USER CODE END PM */
/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PV */
int volatile timer_flag;
/* USER CODE END PV */
/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
/* USER CODE END PFP */
/* Private user code ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN 0 */
/* USER CODE END 0 */
/* External variables --------------------------------------------------------*/
extern TIM_HandleTypeDef htim2;
/* USER CODE BEGIN EV */
/* USER CODE END EV */
/******************************************************************************/
/* Cortex-M3 Processor Interruption and Exception Handlers */
/******************************************************************************/
/**
* @brief This function handles Non maskable interrupt.
*/
void NMI_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN NonMaskableInt_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END NonMaskableInt_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE BEGIN NonMaskableInt_IRQn 1 */
while (1)
{
}
/* USER CODE END NonMaskableInt_IRQn 1 */
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Hard fault interrupt.
*/
void HardFault_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN HardFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END HardFault_IRQn 0 */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN W1_HardFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END W1_HardFault_IRQn 0 */
}
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Memory management fault.
*/
void MemManage_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN MemoryManagement_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END MemoryManagement_IRQn 0 */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN W1_MemoryManagement_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END W1_MemoryManagement_IRQn 0 */
}
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Prefetch fault, memory access fault.
*/
void BusFault_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN BusFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END BusFault_IRQn 0 */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN W1_BusFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END W1_BusFault_IRQn 0 */
}
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Undefined instruction or illegal state.
*/
void UsageFault_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN UsageFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END UsageFault_IRQn 0 */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN W1_UsageFault_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END W1_UsageFault_IRQn 0 */
}
}
/**
* @brief This function handles System service call via SWI instruction.
*/
void SVC_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN SVCall_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END SVCall_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE BEGIN SVCall_IRQn 1 */
/* USER CODE END SVCall_IRQn 1 */
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Debug monitor.
*/
void DebugMon_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN DebugMonitor_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END DebugMonitor_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE BEGIN DebugMonitor_IRQn 1 */
/* USER CODE END DebugMonitor_IRQn 1 */
}
/**
* @brief This function handles Pendable request for system service.
*/
void PendSV_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN PendSV_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END PendSV_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE BEGIN PendSV_IRQn 1 */
/* USER CODE END PendSV_IRQn 1 */
}
/**
* @brief This function handles System tick timer.
*/
void SysTick_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN SysTick_IRQn 0 */
/* USER CODE END SysTick_IRQn 0 */
HAL_IncTick();
/* USER CODE BEGIN SysTick_IRQn 1 */
/* USER CODE END SysTick_IRQn 1 */
}
/******************************************************************************/
/* STM32F1xx Peripheral Interrupt Handlers */
/* Add here the Interrupt Handlers for the used peripherals. */
/* For the available peripheral interrupt handler names, */
/* please refer to the startup file (startup_stm32f1xx.s). */
/******************************************************************************/
/**
* @brief This function handles TIM2 global interrupt.
*/
void TIM2_IRQHandler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN TIM2_IRQn 0 */
timer_flag = 1;
/* USER CODE END TIM2_IRQn 0 */
HAL_TIM_IRQHandler(&htim2);
/* USER CODE BEGIN TIM2_IRQn 1 */
/* USER CODE END TIM2_IRQn 1 */
}
/* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
/* USER CODE END 1 */
The next series of blogs will continue on different STM32 timer-related topics…
