6. Frequently Asked Questions

6.1. What is the GUI Composer?

The GUI Composer is what we call the application that you interact with to create your application. The names Designer and GUI Composer are often used interchangeably.

6.2. What is the GC Runtime?

GC Runtime is a desktop PC application package that includes components necessary to run your GUI Composer application on desktop PC. These include components such as Node Webkit, TI Cloud Agent and Debug Probes software (necessary to access your HW device).

6.3. Do I need to know HTML, CSS or Javascript to use GUI Composer?

Simple and intermediate applications do not require any HTML, CSS, or Javascript knowledge. If your target system is using one of the supported protocols then Javascript is not necessary. However, if your target device software (aka firmware) is sending custom data then a bit of Javascript will be necessary to parse the data. GUI Composer also provides Javascript files with commented out example code to get you started.

6.4. Is GUI Composer Designer tool available offline?

GUI Composer Designer is only available online at dev.ti.com/gc. There is a GUI Composer Runtime package that is available to run apps on the desktop. You may need to install TI Cloud Agent, which adds a browser extension and local driver files that let Chrome communicate with the LaunchPad.

6.5. Which target communication method is simplest to get started?

If your target device supports non-intrusive memory access through a Debug Probe (C200 MSP432, CC26xx, CC13xx, CC32xx), then XDS is the simplest method as it does not require target firmware changes or special data handling. GUI elements (widgets) are connected to global variables. GUI Composer will access global variables using the information in symbol file (i.e. .out file generated with CCS dev tools) and Debug Probe to access memory and update widgets.

6.6. What target devices are supported?

GUI Composer supports the same set of devices as TI Cloud Tools IDE.

Click here for the list of Supported Devices

6.7. I’m having trouble connecting to the target device over USB

Please try the following:

• Ensure your connection to the Internet or your Network connection

• Reload your application’s web page using your browser’s refresh button.

• Update your browser to the latest version. GUI Composer is supported on Chrome, Firefox and

• Check that your Launchpad has all the jumpers correctly installed, especially the Tx and Rx serial port jumpers:

  • For the MSP430G2, please see Guide to the MSP430 LaunchPad (MSP-EXP430G2)

  • For the MSP430F5529, please see Guide to the MSP430F5529 Based LaunchPad (MSP-EXP430F5529LP)

  • For the MSP430FR5969, please see Guide to the MSP430F5969 LaunchPad (MSP-EXP430FR5969)

  • For the CC3200, please see Guide to the CC3200 SimpleLink WiFi (CC3200-LAUNCHXL)

  • For the MSP432P401R, please see Guide to MSP432P40 LaunchPad (MSP-EXP432P401R)

  • If your board is not found here, consult the Energia Pin Maps page.

• Close any other browser windows that are running your application.

• Close any browser windows that are running a Resource Explorer example project or demo.

• Close any applications such as mspdebug or Energia that are connected to your Launchpad.

• Unplug any TI devices or emulators that are connected to your computer other than the target device your application is trying to communicate with.

• If you are using CCS Cloud, disconnect from the target device

If you are still having trouble connecting, please see the http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/TI_Cloud_Agent#Troubleshooting TI Cloud Agent wiki page or consult the E2E - TI’s Engineer to Engineer support page.

6.8. What is MQTT?

MQTT is a lightweight protocol used by Internet of Things devices.

see mqtt.org for more information.

6.9. How can I create a view for CCS Desktop?

Create an a GUI Composer application as outlined in one of the tutorials and export your application as a CCS Desktop view .

See Deploy Options for more information.

6.10. Are there any YouTube video tutorials for GUI Composer?

We provide video tutorials on our Youtube channel here: GUI Composer YouTube Videos

6.11. How do I update my old CCStudio GUI Composer v1 application?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to migrate GCv1 applications to GCv2.

6.12. How do I bind to a variable in my target application?

Select an widget that you would like to connect, then in properties viewer select a widget property that you would like to change based on variable change. In most cases, you will want to select a value property /(this is what a widget will display/). Click on the bind icon and enter the variable name. The exact name depends on transport/protocol chosen. For more information, please see Interacting with Target Device.

6.13. What does binding mean?

Binding click is a connection between widgets property (e.g. a textbox.value and a named object representing target variable. This named object may be a global variable in your target program when using XDS transport or a field in JSON object if using USB-UART transport with JSON protocol.

6.14. Which target devices support XDS communication?

XDS target communication option is enabled by HW which allows non-intrusive memory access. GUI Composer will convert global symbols to memory locations and non-intrusively make those memory accesses and update user widgets. At this point, Cortex based MCUs support this mode of operation and C2000 devices.

MSP430 does not have necessary HW support to enable non-intrusive memory access. However, it does support similar option through USB-UART transport mode with monitor protocol. Please see Monitor Configuration for information on how to use monitor with UART. Due to lack of HW support this option does have an impact on execution of the target program.

6.15. Have an issue?

Communicating with the GUI Composer team

You can communicate with us through the E2E - TI’s Engineer to Engineer CCS support page.