Programming Raw STM32F103

Projects Programming
1

Hi there, so I have this dev board and it works great! I can program it via RX/TX/3.3V/GND with my FTDI.

In Arduino IDE I am using this json link in Preferences: http://dan.drown.org/stm32duino/package_STM32duino_index.json

By just selecting the right board I can successfully upload code to it. Now I'm wondering how I would program a standalone chip like this one
I have attached the schematic for the dev board I have (aka the Blue Pill dev board) and as far as I can tell it doesn't use anything special in terms of hardware, so it would still be a simple RX/TX connection with my FTDI to pins PA9/PA10, respectively. However, does the dev board I bought come with a pre-loaded bootloader? Would I be able to program a standalone chip exactly the same way as the dev board or would I first have to burn a bootloader first?

Thanks!

Blue Pill Dev Board STM32F103C Schematic.pdf (148 KB)

2

does the dev board I bought come with a pre-loaded bootloader?

Yes; the STM32F103 comes with a built-in bootloader. I don't even think it's eraseable.
Getting into the bootloader is somewhat complicated, IIRC; involves setting/removing a jumper during boot.

See also: GitHub - WestfW/Minimal-ARM: Minimalist ARM Cortex Microcontroller development, in assembler. (and especially the forum threads it links to.)

3

Thanks! So right away I can just program it with the Arduino IDE just like the dev board?

4

I don't know enough about the Arduino STM32 support. Don't some of them add a USB bootloader? The built-in bootloader for the 103 is Serial only, I think. And some of the boards (like the Maple Mini) have been modified to do the fancy bootstrap stuff automatically, so they can auto-upload like real Arduinos, which MIGHT interfere with using an ST tool for uploading, if you don't figure it out...

5

I am not concerned with USB programming, but using serial only (FTDI). All I had to do was move the boot jumper on the dev board and press reset before uploading the code, and it worked fine. I'm just wondering if I can do the same thing with a raw chip. I imagine I should be able to if the dev boards don't have any special bootloader (just factory default stuff).