Memory allocation

Overview

The ESP32 has multiple types of RAM. Internally, there’s IRAM, DRAM as well as RAM that can be used as both. It’s also possible to connect external SPI flash to the ESP32; it’s memory can be integrated into the ESP32s memory map using the flash cache.

In order to make use of all this memory, esp-idf has a capabilities-based memory allocator. Basically, if you want to have memory with certain properties (for example, DMA-capable, accessible by a certain PID, or capable of executing code), you can create an OR-mask of the required capabilities and pass that to pvPortMallocCaps. For instance, the normal malloc code internally allocates memory with `pvPortMallocCaps(size, MALLOC_CAP_8BIT)` in order to get data memory that is byte-addressable.

Because malloc uses this allocation system as well, memory allocated using pvPortMallocCaps can be freed by calling the standard `free()` function.

Internally, this allocator is split in two pieces. The allocator in the FreeRTOS directory can allocate memory from tagged regions: a tag is an integer value and every region of free memory has one of these tags. The esp32-specific code initializes these regions with specific tags, and contains the logic to select applicable tags from the capabilities given by the user. While shown in the public API, tags are used in the communication between the two parts and should not be used directly.

Special Uses

If a certain memory structure is only addressed in 32-bit units, for example an array of ints or pointers, it can be useful to allocate it with the MALLOC_CAP_32BIT flag. This also allows the allocator to give out IRAM memory; something which it can’t do for a normal malloc() call. This can help to use all the available memory in the ESP32.

API Reference - Heap Allocation

Functions

void heap_alloc_caps_init()

Initialize the capability-aware heap allocator.

For the ESP32, this is called once in the startup code.

void heap_alloc_enable_nonos_stack_tag()

Enable the memory region where the startup stacks are located for allocation.

On startup, the pro/app CPUs have a certain memory region they use as stack, so we cannot do allocations in the regions these stack frames are. When FreeRTOS is completely started, they do not use that memory anymore and allocation there can be re-enabled.

void *pvPortMallocCaps(size_t xWantedSize, uint32_t caps)

Allocate a chunk of memory which has the given capabilities.

Return
A pointer to the memory allocated on success, NULL on failure
Parameters
  • xWantedSize: Size, in bytes, of the amount of memory to allocate
  • caps: Bitwise OR of MALLOC_CAP_* flags indicating the type of memory to be returned

size_t xPortGetFreeHeapSizeCaps(uint32_t caps)

Get the total free size of all the regions that have the given capabilities.

This function takes all regions capable of having the given capabilities allocated in them and adds up the free space they have.

Return
Amount of free bytes in the regions
Parameters
  • caps: Bitwise OR of MALLOC_CAP_* flags indicating the type of memory

size_t xPortGetMinimumEverFreeHeapSizeCaps(uint32_t caps)

Get the total minimum free memory of all regions with the given capabilities.

This adds all the lowmarks of the regions capable of delivering the memory with the given capabilities

Return
Amount of free bytes in the regions
Parameters
  • caps: Bitwise OR of MALLOC_CAP_* flags indicating the type of memory

static bool esp_ptr_dma_capable(const void *ptr)

Convenience function to check if a pointer is DMA-capable.

Return
True if DMA-capable, false if not.
Parameters
  • ptr: Pointer to check

Macros

MALLOC_CAP_EXEC

Flags to indicate the capabilities of the various memory systems.

Memory must be able to run executable code

MALLOC_CAP_32BIT

Memory must allow for aligned 32-bit data accesses.

MALLOC_CAP_8BIT

Memory must allow for 8/16/…-bit data accesses.

MALLOC_CAP_DMA

Memory must be able to accessed by DMA.

MALLOC_CAP_PID2

Memory must be mapped to PID2 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_PID3

Memory must be mapped to PID3 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_PID4

Memory must be mapped to PID4 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_PID5

Memory must be mapped to PID5 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_PID6

Memory must be mapped to PID6 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_PID7

Memory must be mapped to PID7 memory space.

MALLOC_CAP_SPISRAM

Memory must be in SPI SRAM.

MALLOC_CAP_INVALID

Memory can’t be used / list end marker.

API Reference - Heap Regions

Functions

void vPortDefineHeapRegionsTagged(const HeapRegionTagged_t *const pxHeapRegions)

Initialize the heap allocator by feeding it the usable memory regions and their tags.

This takes an array of heapRegionTagged_t structs, the last entry of which is a dummy entry which has pucStartAddress set to NULL. It will initialize the heap allocator to serve memory from these ranges.

Parameters
  • pxHeapRegions: Array of region definitions

void *pvPortMallocTagged(size_t xWantedSize, BaseType_t tag)

Allocate memory from a region with a certain tag.

Like pvPortMalloc, this returns an allocated chunk of memory. This function, however, forces the allocator to allocate from a region specified by a specific tag.

Return
Pointer to allocated memory if succesful. NULL if unsuccesful.
Parameters
  • xWantedSize: Size needed, in bytes
  • tag: Tag of the memory region the allocation has to be from

void vPortFreeTagged(void *pv)

Free memory allocated with pvPortMallocTagged.

This is basically an implementation of free().

Parameters
  • pv: Pointer to region allocated by pvPortMallocTagged

size_t xPortGetMinimumEverFreeHeapSizeTagged(BaseType_t tag)

Get the lowest amount of memory free for a certain tag.

This function allows the user to see what the least amount of free memory for a certain tag is.

Return
Minimum amount of free bytes available in the runtime of the program
Parameters
  • tag: Tag of the memory region

size_t xPortGetFreeHeapSizeTagged(BaseType_t tag)

Get the amount of free bytes in a certain tagged region.

Works like xPortGetFreeHeapSize but allows the user to specify a specific tag

Return
Remaining amount of free bytes in region
Parameters
  • tag: Tag of the memory region

Structures

struct HeapRegionTagged

Structure to define a memory region.

Public Members

uint8_t *pucStartAddress

Start address of the region.

size_t xSizeInBytes

Size of the region.

BaseType_t xTag

Tag for the region.

uint32_t xExecAddr

If non-zero, indicates the region also has an alias in IRAM.

Macros

HEAPREGIONS_MAX_TAGCOUNT

Type Definitions

typedef struct HeapRegionTagged HeapRegionTagged_t

Structure to define a memory region.