TimeStorm Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I purchase Timesys’ TimeStorm IDE?

TimeStorm licenses can be purchased directly from Timesys or through one of our worldwide partners.

How is TimeStorm licensed?

TimeStorm requires a license to use and is associated with an APPDEV seat. TimeStorm licenses can be purchased for a period of 12 or 24 months and can be renewed toward the end of each subscription period.

Timesys offers two types of TimeStorm license:

  1. Node locked — A license that is tied to a particular host system based on MAC address.
  2. Floating — A license that is checked out from a central license server that typically supports a fixed number of seats. NOTE: Floating licenses are only offered to teams of 10+ developers.

NOTE: Free LinuxLink account users with an active license can generate a 30-day TimeStorm license key to unlock all the TimeStorm features / plugins for that time period.

What happens if I decide not to renew my TimeStorm license?

At the end of the TimeStorm license period, all Timesys-developed features available in TimeStorm will stop functioning. However, all Eclipse features will continue to operate normally.

Do I need a LinuxLink subscription in order to purchase/use TimeStorm IDE?

No. Timesys’ TimeStorm can be purchased/used independently from a LinuxLink subscription. Should you purchase a TimeStorm license only, please keep in mind the following:

  • You should have your own SDK and a BSP for development.
  • Any support you receive from Timesys will be for TimeStorm-related questions only.

What is the scope of support that comes with Timesys’ TimeStorm IDE?

Timesys support will address your question around the IDE operation i.e. how to add a compatible SDK to the IDE. TimeStorm support will not address questions related to BSP/SDK customization or BSP/SDK build issues in a build system. Same applies to questions around a board setup or available options for booting, security, updates etc. We recommend a LinuxLink subscription to address this category of questions.

What host operating systems are supported by TimeStorm?

The latest TimeStorm release can be installed on any major Linux distribution, however, Timesys officially supports the following:

  • Ubuntu 16.04
  • Ubuntu 14.04
  • CentOS 7.2
  • Debian 8.6
  • Fedora 25

Which SDKs can I use with TimeStorm?

TimeStorm supports the following SDKs:

  • Yocto SDK
  • Factory SDK
  • Native SDK

An SDK from another source can be used as well and can be added to TimeStorm with the SDK Manager Add-Wizard. Once added, any SDK can be used for all TimeStorm operations, as long as it contains all necessary development tools.

How does TimeStorm differ from Eclipse?

Like many other IDEs in the industry, TimeStorm leverages Eclipse and CDT projects. On top of this Eclipse framework, TimeStorm offers features designed to best support the development process of embedded systems.

Timesys has developed a number of plugins that accelerate the development of both application- and system-level software. All features provide a high degree of integration, allowing users to focus on the task at hand.

TimeStorm-specific features developed by Timesys include:

  • SDK manager
  • Target manager — support for multiple targets
  • Application/library projects
  • Linux Kernel project
  • Linux Device Driver project
  • CMake project
  • Debug configurations
    • Linux kernel, device drivers
    • All types of user space applications
  • Debugging and Profiling tools
    • Code Coverage
    • Code Profiling
    • Memory analysis
    • Tracing

Timesys has developed a series of TimeStorm videos that you can watch. You can find a list of available videos at https://linuxlink.timesys.com/ide.

For a more detailed demonstration of features or to discuss how Timesys’ TimeStorm IDE can assist in your development, please contact to request a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

Can I download and insert TimeStorm plugins in my existing Eclipse based IDE?

Timesys distributes TimeStorm as a bundle of Eclipse/CDT and Timesys plugins. While it is possible to insert plugins from your existing IDE into TimeStorm, we do not offer a separate installer for TimeStorm’s plugins.

Is TimeStorm dependent on software installed on a target board?

Yes. For seamless and successful development of code using TimeStorm, we strongly recommend that you use an SDK that closely matches the BSP that is set up on the target system. (This can be achieved by having both the BSP and SDK built together, by the same build system.
In addition, some of the advanced features in TimeStorm require that additional options be configured into your BSP. This includes:

  • OProfile based profiling
  • LTTng based tracing
  • Linux kernel debugging

For details on required options and software, please consult the TimeStorm documentation at https://linuxlink.timesys.com/ide.

NOTE: Timesys has verified the advanced features with specific hardware and software configurations. Some functionality, such as OProfile, may not be fully supported in all Linux kernel versions and on all hardware platforms supported by Timesys. For a list of currently supported boards, contact Timesys.

Which IDE does Timesys recommend for Qt software development?

Timesys recommends the use of QtCreator for any Qt software development. SDKs from LinuxLink can be easily used with QtCreator in same way as with Timesys’ TimeStorm IDE. Timesys Factory SDKs include a script, enabling them to be quickly registered with QtCreator. In addition, Yocto SDKs can be registered by using the QtCreator standard SDK setup process.

Timesys’ TimeStorm IDE can be used for the development of any modules written in C/C++ (not qmake based projects) which are then leveraged in Qt software, such as an API library for accessing specific hardware or a user-developed device driver.

Can I switch to TimeStorm if I started development with Eclipse?

Yes. You can simply open a workspace created under stock Eclipse in TimeStorm, and continue your development using our IDE.