Actel has announced availability of SoftConsole version 2.2, its free development environment for embedded design.

This new version includes enhanced capabilities for debug and the downloading of programs, including a new flash loader, and support for the Microsoft Vista operating system.

For use with the company’s IGLOO low-power FPGAs and Fusion mixed-signal FPGAs, SoftConsole is a single programming environment that enables software engineers to write and debug C and C++ programs targeted at Actel's portfolio of embedded processors, including ARM® Cortex-M1 and Core8051s.

SoftConsole version 2.2 is based on open-source tools, including the CodeSourcery ARM7 and Cortex-M1 GNU C Compilers (GCC) and GNU Debugger (GDB), Eclipse IDE, and 8051 Small Device C Compiler (SDCC). This complete, comprehensive, and free development environment works with its Libero Integrated Design Environment, development kits, and FlashPro3 programmer.

More information: www.actel.com