Vxworks Command Cheat Sheet May 2026

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | wdCreate | Create a watchdog timer | | wdStart <wdId> <delayTicks> <func> <arg> | Start watchdog | | wdCancel <wdId> | Cancel watchdog | | wdDelete <wdId> | Delete watchdog |

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | ld <filename> | Load object module (e.g., .out file) | | unld <moduleId> | Unload module | | moduleShow | List loaded modules | | symShow [pattern] | Show global symbols | | symFind <name> | Find symbol address |

VxWorks is a real-time operating system (RTOS) used extensively in embedded systems. Interacting with it often requires the use of its target shell, which supports a variety of commands for task management, memory manipulation, and system diagnostics. Core Shell Commands

These commands are the fundamental tools for navigating and managing the VxWorks environment.

i: Displays a list of all active tasks, including their ID, priority, and current state.

h [n]: Shows a history of the last n commands entered in the shell. If n is 0, it displays the most recent 20 commands.

lkup "string": Searches the system symbol table for functions or variables containing the specified string. This is invaluable for finding "Show" routines.

checkStack: Verifies if any tasks have exceeded their allocated stack space.

version: Displays the current VxWorks kernel version and build date. Task Management vxworks command cheat sheet

Managing execution flow is critical in an RTOS environment. Use these commands to control tasks.

sp function, [arg1], ..., [arg9]: Spawns a new task. It accepts up to 9 arguments with a default priority of 100. ts taskId: Suspends a specific task by its ID. tr taskId: Resumes a suspended task. td taskId: Deletes a task immediately.

period n, function, [arg1]: Creates a task that runs the specified function cyclically every n seconds.

repeat m, function, [arg1]: Repeats a function m times. Setting m to 0 makes it run indefinitely. Memory and Object Inspection

These commands allow developers to peek into the system's memory and object states.

d [address, [count, [width]]]: Displays memory contents starting at a specific address. You can specify the number of units and the width (1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes).

m address: Allows you to modify memory at a specific address interactively.

memShow: Provides a summary of system memory usage, including free and allocated blocks. | Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | ld

taskShow taskId: Displays detailed information about a specific task, such as its stack usage and registers.

moduleShow: Lists all loaded object modules and their base addresses. Filesystem and Navigation

Standard filesystem operations are supported within the shell for target-based storage.

ls: Lists files and directories in the current working directory.

cd "path": Changes the current directory. Note that strings must often be quoted in the VxWorks shell. pwd: Prints the current working directory. devs: Lists all initialized devices on the system.

copy "source", "dest": Copies a file from one location to another. Network Diagnostics

VxWorks includes tools for monitoring and configuring network interfaces.

ifShow: Displays information about the network interfaces, including IP addresses and packet statistics. VxWorks is a real-time operating system (RTOS) used

ping "host": Standard utility to test connectivity to another network host. routeShow: Displays the system's current routing table.

For detailed API references and advanced development, you can consult the VxWorks Kernel API Reference or the Wind River Labs documentation. [VxW] VxWorks basic command - Google Groups

VxWorks Command Cheat Sheet

VxWorks is a real-time operating system (RTOS) used in a variety of embedded systems. Here are some common VxWorks commands:

VxWorks is not Linux. You cannot grep, awk, or systemctl. But its real-time shell is one of the most powerful debugging environments in existence. You have direct, cycle-accurate control over memory, tasks, and devices.

Keep this cheat sheet at your desk. Bookmark it. When the Mars rover sends back a 0xDEADBEEF or the fighter jet displays a taskDelay loop, these commands will be your lifeline.

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | d <address> [,width] [,count] | Display memory (hex/ASCII) – e.g., d 0x1000, 4, 32 | | m <address> <value> | Modify memory byte (use mh for half-word, mw for word) | | fill <start> <end> <value> | Fill memory range with a byte value | | copy <src> <dst> <len> | Copy memory | | search <start> <end> <pattern> | Search memory for a byte pattern | | checkStack <taskId> | Check stack overflow/usage of a task |

Tip: For 32-bit aligned word display: d 0x10000, 4 – width 4 means 4 bytes per column.