Installing and setting up of ESP32 toolchain

[chipfryer27]

Hi

Seems one step forward, two back....

I tried using an ESP32-S2. I was expecting to be informed about the ESP32 vs S2 issue but I didn't get that far.

Failed early on in compilation stating amongst other things like file owned by blah blah, a huge string of numbers, but blah blah blah, a different string, is trying to access.

Reinstalling (as admin) I watched everything closely. When installing IDF I noticed that not all ESP32 options are checked by default. Mine had (I think) C3 unchecked and one other variant.

Compiling again brought up a different set of errors. As it was getting late I gave up on the S2 until another day, but did check that the ESP32WROOM from earlier still compiled, so it's looking S2 related.

Regards

[mnfisher]

As an experiment - I tried a 'downgrade' to v4.1 (on a system with only v5 installed) - this is the the lowest version displayed on the espressif page linked above. Again I used all the default settings (except the directory - I changed to c:\esp-idf rather than overwriting the previous one (however - it might make sense to use the same directory (c:\espressif - and it might just 'gain' an extra subdirectory in frameworks?) . I didn't uninstall v5.

Compilation would work from a command line prompt - but failed from within flowcode. Python 'missing a range of tools.
The directory was slightly different to my previous example (c:\esp-idf\frameworks\v... - but by slightly modifying my 'convert to v4' script to:

Code: Select all

#!python3
import os

cmds = ["git fetch", "git checkout release/v4.1", "git pull", "git submodule update -f --init --recursive", "install.bat", "python tools/idf_tools.py uninstall"]

os.chdir("C:/Esp-idf/frameworks/esp-idf-v4.1.4")
for cmd in cmds:
    os.system(cmd)
print("Change path in Flowcode to 'C:\Esp-idf\frameworks\esp-idf-v4.1.4'. Espressif tools version changed to v4.1")

- running this from a command line installed the necessary and after that I could compile from within FC.

Martin

[jandidden]

@chipfryer27: Well I did read your previous post.

I only can say that I have been in your situation. I did develop, code, compile and run a project with an ESP32 and a color graphics display that combined text and graphics and it all compiled, ran and executed without a hitch.
It's sitting here on my bench on a peg board and when I power it up it works fine.

But coming back to it and making some changes to the code, I got into this failed compile.
I have no idea what happened, except that possibly I did a Windows update in the mean time, I don't remember the dates and such exactly.

And, as you know, since then no amount of acrobatics could coax it into working again.
To my chagrin, having tried on different machines, with different ESP and Python versions all giving that same error, it is likely it is something I do or don't, however hard to admit.
But that doesn't solve it of course.
Right now I don't have the motivation to start it up all over again.
Maybe later. Appreciate your and Martin's help.

@mnfisher: You obviously understand all these things, but one of the reasons I bought into Flowcode from V3 up to the latest V10 is that I did not have to go into such details. That would negate the whole idea, wouldn't it?

Enjoy your weekend.

Jan

[chipfryer27]

Hi Jan

Just a shot in the dark. I read that you are trying on a W11 machine. Have you tried a clean install of the toolchain on a W10 or earlier OS?

My experience with W7 and W8.1 (both Home Editions on laptops) installing the recommended toolchain exactly as documented by Matrix, has never been problematic at all (except me doing something stupid). On two W10 (Pro) machines (SFF machines similar to yours) I had similar success and when "upgrading" to IDFv5 using Martin's guide (clean install of toolchain though) it worked too albeit with the issues I documented. On a third W10 I had the one-step-forward as documented above, but this v5 does at present only have issues with my S2 chip.

So to recap

W7, W8.1 and W10 no issue using the Matrix guide.
W10 running IDF v5 little issue except with S2

The reason I ask is that it might help narrow things down. I know W11is a different fish to W10/8.1/7 and none of my machines can be upgraded to W11. Might it be related to the OS?

Although I consider myself more a "Flowcoder" than programmer I can appreciate the time and effort that has gone into Flowcode with the ESP family by Matrix, Martin and others. Many variables so the expression "herding cats"springs to mind.

Regards

[jandidden]

All three machines run W10 Pro with auto upgrade, except the latest one I tried which runs W11 Pro.
W10 Pro for the initial period it all worked fine on my office machine.

Jan

[chipfryer27]

Hi

I'm running W10 Pro v22H2 and don't have auto-update enabled. If working fine before any possible update, could you do a system restore to a previous time and see if that resolves? Then you would know it is related to an update.

Regards

[jandidden]

Some development.

I have a little studio at the Belgian coast, with a small miniPC just in case I get a brainwave while vacationing.
I went there yesterday, and remembered I installed the ESP toolchain on it a few months ago.
Fired up FC9, ran the project and it compiled without a hitch. Target is ESP_wroom_32. So there.

What I think I should do is try to document locations of folders and files and environment variables that have to do with ESP,
so I can compare with my attempts on the main and lab machines. BTW This PC runs W10 Pro 21H2 since mid May.
It just asked me if it could update to 22H2 but I declined the kind offer.
Since it is a small box I can anyway take it home after the weekend so I can check stuff at home next week.

Any other suggestions of how to take advantage of this, other than 'dedicate this PC to FC'?

Jan

[mnfisher]

That is good news

My guess is that there is some 'cruff' in the Windows environment variables...

Martin

[chipfryer27]

Hi

I'm sure you will, but remember to create restore points before you do anything. Handy get out of jail card.......

Best of luck.

Regards

[jandidden]

These are the environment vars in the working system.

westende environment vars.PNG (14.47 KiB) Viewed 12780 times

Jan