# Starting TRACE32

## Overview

This chapter describes how to start the TRACE32 software.

## TRACE32 command

Before TRACE32 can be started, the current directory must be set to
the directory containing the TRACE32 executable file (c:\t32 for
Windows).

The following table lists the commands for starting TRACE32
on the host computer:

- The command name specifies the target processor (ARM or Hexagon)
- The -c option specifies the target-specific pod configuration file
- The -s option specifies the TRACE32 startup script

**TRACE32 start command**

| **Host** | **Target** | **Command** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Windows | ARM | `t32marm.exe -c <arm_config>.cfg -s <arm_startup>.cmm` |
|  | Hexagon | `t32mqdsp6.exe -c <hexagon_config>.cfg -s <hexagon_startup>.cmm` |
| Linux | ARM | `t32marm -c <arm_config>.cfg -s <arm_startup>.cmm` |
|  | Hexagon | `t32mqdsp6 -c <hexagon_config>.cfg -s <hexagon_startup>.cmm` |

Specific file names for the pod configuration and startup script
files are not shown in the preceding table because these
file names are target-dependent.

Note

On Windows, TRACE32 can alternatively be started with the
command t32start.exe.

For more information on TRACE32 pod configuration files and startup
scripts see [TRACE32 Pod Configuration](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/trace32-pod-configuration.html#pod-config) and [Loading Hexagon Images](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/loading-hexagon-images.html#load-hexagon-images).

For more information on starting TRACE32 (including the alternate
start command) see the document training\_icd.pdf in the Lauterbach
TRACE32 documentation.

Last Published: Oct 06, 2026

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