Since I've ported +TCP, I've been chasing several issue (most caused by me and my xNetworkInterfaceOutput().)

With those behind me, I was having an issue with the ENET not transmitting some messages randomly.

I finially figured that the Ethernet buffer being passed via pxNetworkBuffer to the xNetworkInterfaceOutput() function did not meet the 8 byte alignment requirement of the ENET.

When the ENET is asked to transmit a buffer NOT 8 byte aligned it stalls and does nothing.

Tracing into the stacks source code I found the issue.

~~~ static void prvTCPReturnPacket( FreeRTOSSockett *pxSocket, NetworkBufferDescriptort *pxNetworkBuffer, uint32t ulLen, BaseTypet xReleaseAfterSend ) { TCPPackett * pxTCPPacket; IPHeadert *pxIPHeader; EthernetHeadert *pxEthernetHeader; uint32t ulFrontSpace, ulSpace; TCPWindowt *pxTCPWindow; NetworkBufferDescriptor_t xTempBuffer;

/* For sending, a pseudo network buffer will be used, as explained above. */

if( pxNetworkBuffer == NULL )
{
	pxNetworkBuffer = &xTempBuffer;

	#if( ipconfigUSE_LINKED_RX_MESSAGES != 0 )
	{
		xTempBuffer.pxNextBuffer = NULL;
	}
	#endif
	xTempBuffer.pucEthernetBuffer = pxSocket->u.xTCP.lastPacket;   ISSUE!!!!!!!
	xTempBuffer.xDataLength = sizeof pxSocket->u.xTCP.lastPacket;
	xReleaseAfterSend = pdFALSE;

}

~~~

lastPacket happens to be an array internal to the socket.

Depending on the memory location that held the socket, lastPacket may or may NOT meet my 8 byte alignment requirement.

It may case - it did not and it causes the ENET to stall.

Let me know if you disagree -- but I've traced this buffer all the way to thexNetworkInterfaceOutput() and it is root-cause.

I am using BufferAllocation_1

I hope this helps.

Not sure how to fix it myself other than to acquire a real NetworkBufferDescriptor_t and copy the contents of lastPacket into it.

Joe

Update:

Hein informed me that setting config flag: ipconfigZEROCOPYTX_DRIVER forces the stack to always use "Real" buffers.

Applied the config variable and all is fine.

Please note: there is absolutely ZERO information posted anywhere on the usage of the flag ipconfigZEROCOPYTX_DRIVER.

Hein has been a great help. All is well.

Thanks.

Joe