Altium Offers TASKING TriCore VX-toolset v2.2 Supporting Infineon Technologies; Viper Compiler Technology Continues to Ramp Up Code Performance and Execution Speed.

NUREMBERG, Germany -- Altium Limited (ASX:ALU), a leading developer of Windows-based electronics design software, announced today at embedded world 2005 Exhibition&Conference, the release of version 2.2 of its TASKING TriCore(TM) VX-toolset.

Enhanced with next generation Viper compiler technology, version 2.2 offers a vast array of new features aligned to Infineon's 32-bit TriCore microcontrollers, including latest variants TC1115 and TC1796. The TriCore VX-toolset has also been tested and qualified with Infineon's new Debug Access Server (DAS) solution, developed to replace Infineon's low-level OCDS drivers. This provides on-chip debugging functionality with the TASKING CrossView Pro debugger on TC1796 evaluation boards on Windows-XP systems.

Altium was the first to integrate support for the Motor Industry Software Reliability Association's MISRA C programming guidelines into its TASKING compilers. The new TriCore VX-toolset supports last year's MISRA-C:2004 update as an additional option, along with support of the original MISRA-C:1998 guidelines.

As with the latest TASKING toolset for Infineon's C166/XC166 family, the new TriCore VX-toolset offers increased configurability of MISRA-C:2004 compliance checking. It provides developers greater flexibility to determine whether code is required or recommended to comply with MISRA-C:2004, depending on the company's standards and project requirements.

"Version 2.2 of the new TriCore VX-toolset clearly demonstrates Altium is continuing to set new standards as a tool partner, particularly in terms of code optimization and execution speed," said Gerd Punsmann, Tool Line Manager at the Automotive, Industrial & Multi-Market business group of Infineon Technologies.

"With high performance automotive applications top of mind, Altium incorporated many additional optimization suggestions from our key accounts, including improved loop unrolling and conditional instructions, in the compiler to drive optimization performance levels even higher. We anticipate, under specific conditions, code performance improvements up to 25 per cent can be achieved."

"We are delighted this latest version of TASKING's TriCore VX-toolset supports Infineon's new products, in particular TC1115 and TC1796, which means the end user can start developing and testing code for these TriCore derivatives immediately," he said.

A fast and compact TCP/IP stack reference design has been added as a sample project to the new toolset which enables developers to test various networking functions in a TriCore based application, and is ready to run on Infineon's TC1130 TriBoard. The functionality includes HTTP and FTP servers, as well as SMTP and DHCP clients.

Feature highlights summary

--Code performance improvement of up to 25%.

--Configurable MISRA C messages and support for MISRA-C:2004.

--Support for new derivatives: TC1100, TC1115 and TC1796.

--Build speed improvements -- compiler time reduction of 55% and overall assembler improvements of around 80%.

--Extensive support for Infineon's Debug Access Server (DAS) solution.

--TCP/IP stack reference design as sample project added.

Pricing and availability

The TASKING TriCore VX-toolset is a complete, integrated embedded software development toolset consisting of the TASKING EDE, C/C++/EC++ compiler, assembler, linker / locator and CrossView Pro OCDS and simulator debugger.

The product is available for PC/Windows and SUN/Solaris platforms. Prices start at US$4,490 for the C/C++/EC++ compiler and simulator debugger package for PC/Windows.

For more product information, or for a trial version please visit www.altium.com/tasking/tricore or contact your local Altium Sales and Support Center.

About TASKING

TASKING, Altium's industry-leading range of tools for embedded software development, offers an integrated software development environment that enables developers to take advantage of the complete range of Infineon microcontrollers by providing all the capabilities needed for application development from project management, editing, and program building to compiling, optimizing, and debugging. Its software development toolsets consist of the award winning TASKING Embedded Development Environment (EDE), highly optimizing C and C++/EC++ compilers, assembler, linker/locator, and the CrossView Pro debugger.

About Altium Limited

Altium Limited (ASX:ALU) is a global developer and supplier of electronics design software for the Microsoft Windows environment. Founded in 1985, Altium released the world's first Microsoft Windows-based printed circuit board design tool in 1991 and continues to provide advanced, easy-to-use and affordable software design tools to electronics engineers, designers, and developers worldwide. Altium's products offer tailored solutions covering a range of hardware and software design processes including the Nexar, Protel, P-CAD and TASKING brands. Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia and has sales and support offices in Australia, the United States, Japan, Europe and China. More information is available at www.altium.com.

Altium, CAMtastic, CircuitStudio, Design Explorer, DXP, LiveDesign, NanoBoard, NanoTalk, Nexar, nVisage, P-CAD, Protel, Situs, TASKING, and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited or its subsidiaries. All other registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.