Bug in nRF Connect VSCode plugin "Add Build Configuration not opening"

[jakkra]

I'm opening bluetooth samples from the NCS 2.4 (zephyr samples folder), adding them as an "Exisiting application" but when I create a build configuration a new tab opens in VSCode as usual, it's not showing anything (it should show the standard one where you select board etc.)

I have tried re-installing the nRF Connect plugin for VScode and restarted my computer, but still exists.

Opening developer tools when clicking "Add Build Configuration" says:

Fullscreen 0434.support_info.txt Download

[09:26:13] Update available https://nsscprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/prod/software-and-other-downloads/desktop-software/nrf-command-line-tools/sw/versions-10-x-x/10-22-0/nrf-command-line-tools_10.22.0_amd64.deb
IMPORTANT: The data below could contain sensitive or confidential information about your environment.
If you do not wish this to be seen by others, please make sure to remove it before sharing.

For help and support, visit the Nordic DevZone at https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/.

{
  "platform": {
    "os": "linux",
    "osVersion": "#58-Ubuntu SMP Fri Aug 26 05:50:00 UTC 2022",
    "osKernel": "5.14.0-1051-oem",
    "vscode": "1.79.2",
    "node": "v16.17.1"
  },
  "system": {
    "date": "2023-07-07T07:30:44.808Z",
    "vscodeRoot": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/bin/695af097c7bd098fbf017ce3ac85e09bbc5dda06",
    "nrfConnectForDesktopInstalled": "unknown",
    "vscodeUptime": "00:04:34",
    "osUptime": "90:46:25",
    "cpu": {
      "model": "Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10505 CPU @ 3.20GHz",
      "speed": "3200 MHz",
      "count": 6
    },
    "memory": {
      "total": "15.37 GB",
      "free": "13.45 GB"
    }
  },
  "workspace": {
    "name": "hci_rpmsg [SSH: se-mlm-dt-164]",
    "workspaceFile": null,
    "folders": [
      "/home/jkra/Documents/hci_rpmsg"
    ]
  },
  "extensions": {
    "internal": {
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect": {
        "version": "2023.6.345",
        "path": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect-2023.6.345-linux-x64",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal": {
        "version": "2023.6.78",
        "path": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal-2023.6.78",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-devicetree": {
        "version": "2023.6.108",
        "path": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-devicetree-2023.6.108",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig": {
        "version": "2023.6.51",
        "path": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2023.6.51",
        "isActive": true
      }
    },
    "external": {
      "marus25.cortex-debug": "1.12.0",
      "ms-vscode.cpptools": "1.16.3",
      "ms-vscode.js-debug": "1.78.0",
      "ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table": "1.0.3",
      "donjayamanne.githistory": "0.6.20",
      "emeraldwalk.RunOnSave": "0.2.0",
      "GitHub.copilot": "1.95.233",
      "keroc.hex-fmt": "1.0.0",
      "mcu-debug.debug-tracker-vscode": "0.0.15",
      "mcu-debug.memory-view": "0.0.22",
      "mcu-debug.peripheral-viewer": "1.4.6",
      "mcu-debug.rtos-views": "0.0.7",
      "ms-vscode.cmake-tools": "1.14.34",
      "ms-vscode.hexeditor": "1.9.11",
      "trond-snekvik.gnu-mapfiles": "1.1.0",
      "twxs.cmake": "0.0.17"
    }
  },
  "tools": {
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gcc": "0.16.0",
    "/opt/SEGGER/JLink/JLinkExe": "7.80a",
    "/usr/local/bin/nrfjprog": "10.17.3",
    "/home/jkra/.local/bin/nrfutil": null,
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin/cmake": "3.20.5",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin/west": "1.0.0",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin/python3": "3.8.2",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin/ninja": "1.9.0",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/bin/gperf": "3.1",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/bin/dtc": "1.4.7",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/bin/gn": "1871",
    "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin/git": "2.37.3",
    "gdbPath": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gdb"
  },
  "sdks": [
    {
      "version": "2.0.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.0.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.1.0-rc2",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.1.0-rc2"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.1.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.1.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.2.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.2.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.3.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.3.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.4.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/v2.4.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "3.4.99",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/zephyr-main"
    }
  ],
  "toolchains": [
    {
      "version": "2.0.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/v2.0.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.1.0-rc2",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/v2.1.0-rc2"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.1.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/v2.1.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.2.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/v2.2.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.3.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/v2.3.0"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.4.0",
      "path": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a"
    }
  ],
  "connectedDevices": [],
  "deviceProvider": "nrfutil",
  "config": {
    "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect": {
      "topdir": "/home/jkra/ncs/zephyr-main",
      "toolchain": {
        "path": "${nrf-connect.toolchain:2.4.0}"
      },
      "ozonePath": "",
      "applications": [],
      "applicationOptions": {},
      "kconfig": {
        "interface": "kconfig",
        "executeInDefaultShell": false
      },
      "welcome": {
        "showOnStartup": false
      },
      "west": {
        "env": {
          "$base": "terminal"
        }
      },
      "boardRoots": [],
      "taskBindings": {},
      "debugging": {
        "flash": true,
        "bindings": {}
      },
      "activeAppFollowActiveEditor": true,
      "deviceProvider": "nrfutil",
      "enableTelemetry": true
    },
    "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal": {
      "terminalMode": "character"
    },
    "marus25.cortex-debug": {
      "variableUseNaturalFormat": true,
      "liveWatchRefreshRate": "300",
      "armToolchainPath": null,
      "armToolchainPrefix": "arm-none-eabi",
      "gdbPath": null,
      "objdumpPath": null,
      "JLinkGDBServerPath": null,
      "openocdPath": null,
      "pyocdPath": null,
      "PEGDBServerPath": null,
      "stutilPath": null,
      "stlinkPath": null,
      "stm32cubeprogrammer": null,
      "enableTelemetry": true,
      "dbgServerLogfile": null
    }
  },
  "environment": {
    "westEnv": {
      "ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE": "1",
      "GIT_EXEC_PATH": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/libexec/git-core",
      "HOME": "/home/jkra",
      "PATH": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/nanopb/generator-bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/aarch64-zephyr-elf/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/x86_64-zephyr-elf/bin:/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin:/home/jkra/.vscode-server/bin/695af097c7bd098fbf017ce3ac85e09bbc5dda06/bin/remote-cli:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/jkra/.local/bin:/home/jkra/Applications:/home/jkra/.vscode-server/bin/695af097c7bd098fbf017ce3ac85e09bbc5dda06/bin/remote-cli:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/jkra/.local/bin:/home/jkra/Applications",
      "ZEPHYR_BASE": "/home/jkra/ncs/zephyr-main/zephyr",
      "ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT": "zephyr",
      "ZEPHYR_SDK_INSTALL_DIR": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk",
      "PYTHONPATH": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages",
      "USER": "jkra"
    },
    "inherited": {
      "ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE": "1",
      "HOME": "/home/jkra",
      "PATH": "/home/jkra/.vscode-server/bin/695af097c7bd098fbf017ce3ac85e09bbc5dda06/bin/remote-cli:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/jkra/.local/bin:/home/jkra/Applications",
      "USER": "jkra"
    },
    "toolchainPath": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a",
    "toolchainBinPath": "/home/jkra/ncs/toolchains/1f9b40e71a/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin",
    "toolchainVersion": "2.4.0"
  },
  "terminal": {
    "shell": null,
    "defaultProfile": null
  }
}

[Elfving]

Hello Jakob,

I see. Are you running this on an Ubuntu 20? Have you managed to build anything in NCS before on this computer?

Did you do a manual or automatic installation? Have you installed the nRF Command line tools as well?

Regards,

Elfving

[jakkra]

Hi, am using VSCode in Windows but with the remote SSH plugin into a Ubunto machine. However I tried also on my Windows machine without Remote SSH so should not be due to that. I am using the automatic install.

It have worked before, so seems like something have broken the last few days. Is there somewhere VSCode plugin stores config that is not removed when uninstalling that I could try to delete? 

Edit: The "Add build configuration" works if I choose an old project. Just not when adding new applications for example form the samples folder.

[Elfving]

jakkra said:

Is there somewhere VSCode plugin stores config that is not removed when uninstalling that I could try to delete? 

So I assume the plugin might've been uninstalled these past few days? I do not know of where that could be but I'll look into it. I know that VSC places files all over the place though.

Are you seeing this also when building a new app from sample btw? Just to make sure it doesn't have anything to do with the folder they happen to be in.

Regards,

Elfving

[jakkra]

I only re-installed the nRF connect plugin to see if it resolved my issue, so cannot be that which created this problem. I have been playing around and sometimes it works for some samples, sometime not. I have a hard time figureing out what makes it work or not. I played around opening new vscode windows, changing between upstream Zephyr and NCS 2.4.0 as selected SDK bacuse I thought it could be soemthing related to that. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, sometimes it shows the build config, but then next try it does not work. But I cannot figure out what exactly causes it. 

I did try using create new application, but same behaviour. I tried different samples.

If I open existing projects which already have been added since before as an application, I can add additional build configurations for those.

At least you have the error from the vscode debug terminal in my post if your engineers want to look into this or if you get more people having issues with this. Maybe this error shows exactly the issue. 

Well, now you know there likely is some bug in the nrf connect plugin at least. Do what you want with this, it's not super critical issue for me at least as it still works on our existing projects and if I get into this more in the future I'll try to wipe everything to get back to a clean slate.

[Elfving]

We now have one theory as to what may be the cause, though due to the holidays it might take a while for a fix to make its way to a released version. If you wanted to, you could try downgrading to a previous version of the extension in the meantime.

jakkra said:

Do what you want with this, it's not super critical issue for me at least as it still works on our existing projects and if I get into this more in the future I'll try to wipe everything to get back to a clean slate.

Understood. Thank you for the report, and I am glad this isn't super critical to you.

Regards,

Elfving