Index: App/Common.h
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Common.h	(.../Common.h)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ App/Common.h	(.../Common.h)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -21,8 +21,10 @@
 
 // ********** build switches **********
 
-#define RM46_EVAL_BOARD_TARGET      1
-#define SIMULATE_UI                 1
+#ifndef _VECTORCAST_
+    #define RM46_EVAL_BOARD_TARGET      1
+    #define SIMULATE_UI                 1
+#endif
 
 // ********** public definitions **********
 
@@ -66,7 +68,15 @@
 // **** VectorCAST Definitions ****
 
 #ifdef _VECTORCAST_
-#define _enable_IRQ()
+
+    #define _enable_IRQ()
+    #define _disable_IRQ()
+    #define _enable_FIQ()
+#pragma WEAK(can1LowLevelInterrupt)
+    void can1LowLevelInterrupt(void) {}
+#pragma WEAK(can1HighLevelInterrupt)
+    void can1HighLevelInterrupt(void) {}
+
 #endif
 
 #endif
Index: App/Drivers/CPLD.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Drivers/CPLD.c	(.../CPLD.c)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ App/Drivers/CPLD.c	(.../CPLD.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -102,11 +102,6 @@
     CLR_GREEN();
     CLR_RED();
     CLR_BLUE();
-
-    // initialize the associated s/w modules
-    initAlarmLamp();
-    initButtons();
-    initWatchdogMgmt();
 }
 
 /*************************************************************************
Index: App/Drivers/CPLD.h
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Drivers/CPLD.h	(.../CPLD.h)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ App/Drivers/CPLD.h	(.../CPLD.h)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
  *  @date 20-Sep-2019
  *  @author S. Nash
  *
- *  @brief header file for CPLD driver .
+ *  @brief header file for CPLD driver.
  *
  **************************************************************************/
 
Index: App/Services/CommBuffers.c
===================================================================
diff -u -ra87b6b9e253c6c0fcc84bca6f5de71959ce18bcc -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Services/CommBuffers.c	(.../CommBuffers.c)	(revision a87b6b9e253c6c0fcc84bca6f5de71959ce18bcc)
+++ App/Services/CommBuffers.c	(.../CommBuffers.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
     for ( b = 0; b < NUM_OF_COMM_BUFFERS; b++ )
     {
         activeDoubleBuffer[b] = 0;
-        for ( d = 0; d < 2; d++ )
+        for ( d = 0; d < DOUBLE_BUFFERS; d++ )
         {
             commBufferByteCount[b][d] = 0;
             for ( i = 0; i < COMM_BUFFER_LENGTH; i++ )
Index: App/Services/Timers.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r9aec79f151c686b730888c98f70f53ad958fe9b5 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Services/Timers.c	(.../Timers.c)	(revision 9aec79f151c686b730888c98f70f53ad958fe9b5)
+++ App/Services/Timers.c	(.../Timers.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
  *
  **************************************************************************/
 
-#include "Common.h"
 #include "Timers.h"
 
 // ********** private definitions **********
Index: App/Services/WatchdogMgmt.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Services/WatchdogMgmt.c	(.../WatchdogMgmt.c)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ App/Services/WatchdogMgmt.c	(.../WatchdogMgmt.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 void initWatchdogMgmt( void )
 {
     watchdogExpired = FALSE;
-    lastWatchdogPetTime = getMSTimerCount();
+    lastWatchdogPetTime = 0;
     watchdogSelfTestState = WATCHDOG_SELF_TEST_STATE_START;
     watchdogSelfTestTimerCount = 0;
     resetWDTaskCheckIns();
Index: App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c
===================================================================
diff -u -ra87b6b9e253c6c0fcc84bca6f5de71959ce18bcc -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c	(.../TaskGeneral.c)	(revision a87b6b9e253c6c0fcc84bca6f5de71959ce18bcc)
+++ App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c	(.../TaskGeneral.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -43,6 +43,18 @@
  *************************************************************************/
 void taskGeneral( void )
 {
+    // check in with watchdog manager
+    checkInWithWatchdogMgmt( TASK_GENERAL );  // do this first to keep timing consistent with watchdog management
+
+    // manage data received from other sub-systems
+    execSystemCommRx();
+
+    // run operation mode state machine
+    execOperationModes();
+
+    // control alarm lamp
+    execAlarmLamp();
+
 #ifdef RM46_EVAL_BOARD_TARGET
     if ( getUserButtonState() == PIN_SIGNAL_LOW )
     {
@@ -59,18 +71,6 @@
     }
 #endif
 
-    // check in with watchdog manager
-    checkInWithWatchdogMgmt( TASK_GENERAL );  // do this first to keep timing consistent with watchdog management
-
-    // manage data received from other sub-systems
-    execSystemCommRx();
-
-    // run operation mode state machine
-    execOperationModes();
-
-    // control alarm lamp
-    execAlarmLamp();
-
     // manage data to be transmitted to other sub-systems
     execSystemCommTx();
 
Index: source/notification.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- source/notification.c	(.../notification.c)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ source/notification.c	(.../notification.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
 #include "sys_dma.h"
 
 /* USER CODE BEGIN (0) */
-#include "SystemComm.h"
 /* USER CODE END */
 #pragma WEAK(esmGroup1Notification)
 void esmGroup1Notification(uint32 channel)
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@
 {
 /*  enter user code between the USER CODE BEGIN and USER CODE END. */
 /* USER CODE BEGIN (15) */
-    handleCANMsgInterrupt( (CAN_MESSAGE_BOX_T)messageBox );
 /* USER CODE END */
 }
 
Index: source/sys_main.c
===================================================================
diff -u -r29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48 -r8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b
--- source/sys_main.c	(.../sys_main.c)	(revision 29f1ba03faefd982327916590818a260a3e4aa48)
+++ source/sys_main.c	(.../sys_main.c)	(revision 8ba82119080b77f804fa2b3edadd11422f57371b)
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 #include "rti.h"
 
 #include "Common.h"
+#include "AlarmLamp.h"
+#include "Buttons.h"
 #include "CommBuffers.h"
 #include "CPLD.h"
 #include "MsgQueues.h"
@@ -65,7 +67,9 @@
 #include "SystemComm.h"
 #include "TaskBG.h"
 #include "Timers.h"
+#include "WatchdogMgmt.h"
 
+static void initProcessor( void );
 static void initSoftware( void );
 static void initHardware( void );
 static void initTasks( void );
@@ -86,12 +90,15 @@
 {
 /* USER CODE BEGIN (3) */
 
-    initHardware();
-    initSoftware();
-    initTasks();
+    initProcessor();    // configure processor
+    initSoftware();     // initialize software modules
+    initHardware();     // configure external hardware
+    initTasks();        // setup and start the scheduled tasks
 
-    // start task background (will no return)
+    // start task background (will not return)
+#ifndef _VECTORCAST_
     taskBackground();
+#endif
 
 /* USER CODE END */
 
@@ -101,31 +108,90 @@
 
 /* USER CODE BEGIN (4) */
 
+/*************************************************************************
+ * @brief initProcessor
+ * The initProcessor function initializes and configures the processor \n
+ * peripherals.
+ * @details
+ * Inputs : none
+ * Outputs : Processor peripherals initialized and configured.
+ * @return none
+ *************************************************************************/
+static void initProcessor( void )
+{
+    gioInit();      // configure GPIO pins
+    mibspiInit();   // re-purposing MIBSPI5 I/O/C pins as GPIO
+    canInit();      // CAN1 = CAN, re-purposing CAN2 and CAN3 Rx and Tx pins as GPIO
+}
+
+/*************************************************************************
+ * @brief initSoftware
+ * The initSoftware function calls all software module initialize functions.
+ * @details
+ * Inputs : none
+ * Outputs : All modules initialized.
+ * @return none
+ *************************************************************************/
 static void initSoftware( void )
 {
     initTimers();
     initSafetyShutdown();
     initCPLD();
     initOperationModes();
+    initAlarmLamp();
+    initButtons();
+    initWatchdogMgmt();
     initCommBuffers();
     initMsgQueues();
     initSystemComm();
 }
 
+/*************************************************************************
+ * @brief initHardware
+ * The initHardware function initializes and configures external hardware.
+ * @details
+ * Inputs : none
+ * Outputs : External hardware initialized and configured.
+ * @return none
+ *************************************************************************/
 static void initHardware( void )
 {
-    gioInit();
-    mibspiInit();   // re-purposing MIBSPI5 I/O/C pins as GPIO
-    canInit();      // CAN1 = CAN, re-purposing CAN2 and CAN3 Rx and Tx pins as GPIO
 }
 
+/*************************************************************************
+ * @brief initTasks
+ * The initTasks function sets up and starts the scheduled tasks.
+ * @details
+ * Inputs : none
+ * Outputs : Scheduled tasks set up and started.
+ * @return none
+ *************************************************************************/
 static void initTasks( void )
 {
+    // initialize RTI to setup the 3 tasks
     rtiInit();
     rtiEnableNotification( rtiNOTIFICATION_COMPARE0 | rtiNOTIFICATION_COMPARE1 | rtiNOTIFICATION_COMPARE3 );
     rtiStartCounter( rtiCOUNTER_BLOCK0 );
+    // the timer task (and other comm related interrupts) require FIQ enabled
     _enable_FIQ();
+    // the general and priority tasks require IRQ enabled
     _enable_IRQ();
 }
 
+/*************************************************************************
+ * @brief canMessageNotification
+ * The canMessageNotification function handles CAN message notifications.
+ * @details
+ * Inputs : none
+ * Outputs : CAN message notification handled.
+ * @param node : which CAN controller
+ * @param messageBox : which message box triggered the message notification
+ * @return none
+ *************************************************************************/
+void canMessageNotification(canBASE_t *node, uint32 messageBox)
+{
+    handleCANMsgInterrupt( (CAN_MESSAGE_BOX_T)messageBox );
+}
+
+
 /* USER CODE END */