License question on TI CCS

[ez24]

From Wiki:

Starting with release 4.x, CCS can be used for free in several scenarios that include development boards, software device simulators and even the use of a standalone emulator named XDS100.[13] Also, it can be used with a codesize limitation of 16kB on MSP430 devices. This release also introduced the floating license, which can be installed on a server and be used across a company's or university's Intranet at almost the cost of a full license.

A full license for CCS releases 5.x and 6.x has an SRP of US$495.00 and the microcontroller-only license ceased to exist.[14]

Does this mean that when you use a development board from TI like this one:  MSP-EXP432P401R
there are no size limits?  ie the size limit applies only to boards the user makes?

codesize limitation of 16kB

I have no feeling what this means.  About how many lines of codes would this be?  What kind of projects would be over 16k ?

thanks

[julianhigginson]

Does this mean that when you use a development board from TI like this one:  MSP-EXP432P401R
there are no size limits?  ie the size limit applies only to boards the user makes?

There's another thread in here where they have linked a bunch of current deals from TI where you can buy an eval board and get a free nodelocked license.

If you buy the current deal where the MSP-EXP432P401R board comes with a full node locked license, then yes you'll have the full license. AFAIK, if you don't have the full license you just use CCS in demo mode (30 day full power) and then code limited.

That said - if you are happy to use GCC for compiling to MSP432, I think the code limit doesn't apply? AFAIK it's just for the TI MSP432 compiler... (I THINK. It's all a bit complex given the different processors and toolchains supported by CCS)

codesize limitation of 16kB

I have no feeling what this means.  About how many lines of codes would this be?  What kind of projects would be over 16k ?

thanks

16k will let you do some simple things and have some fun trying stuff out, but once you want to make something a bit complex and add in some large libraries (ethernet stack, maybe?) for supporting advanced features you'll have a problem. At the end of the day 16k is a very small program size for a cortex M4. I'm not sure it's possible to buy any cortex M4 from any vendor with flash that small.

[ez24]

TI have a number of offers for a Dev-board (Launchpad) and a FULL license copy of Code Composer Studio. like this one for US$12.99

Actually I am going to get all three (once I figure out what a MAC address is) because I do not know which one to get

https://store.ti.com/Search.aspx?k=ccs-promo&pt=-1

So I will have 3 licenses but considering my past life, I expect someday to loose all three so I was wondering where I will be then.  I am really curious what 16k of code means in lines of code.  I expect I will never have 16k but I still would like to know.

I will get the 3 boards once I figure out which Booster Packs to get  (not easy to do).  I want to get their stepper board and senshub

http://www.ti.com/tool/boostxl-uln2003

http://www.ti.com/tool/boostxl-senshub

All boards by 43oh.com are out of stock and they have some interesting ones.  Any Booster Pack suggestion:

http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/tools-software/launchpads/boosterpacks/select/select.page

thanks