Kconfig GUI fails to open in VSCode on Linux and Windows

[_rm]

i am using vscode + nrf connect for vscode , nrf kconfig, ... on different machines, windows (11)  and linux (ubuntu current lts)

i often had the problem that nrf kconfig didn't open. now i tried to narrow it down.

i cloned the same projects in a workspace folder on a) windows and b) linux

i had tried some differently named builds but at the end only used "build"

on windows one of the projects in the workspace (2.6.0 / 2.6.0) allowed to open kconfig gui, but that didn't work for all projects -> kconfig gui can work on that machine

on linux none of the projects in the workspace (2.6.0 / 2.6.0) allowed to open kconfig gui, anyway kconfig gui worked on that machine in other workspaces -> kconfig gui can work on that machine

on linux:

 

on windows:

error looks the same on linux and windows

the vscode logs are not really helpfull. the only related info is :

- C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Code\logs\20240323T145841\window1\exthost\exthost.log

2024-03-23 15:07:50.158 [error] Error: Exception: "expected string or bytes-like object"
    at Pt (c:\Users\user\.vscode\extensions\nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2024.3.21\dist\extension.js:4:223)
    at xn (c:\Users\user\.vscode\extensions\nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2024.3.21\dist\extension.js:3:11254)
    at Immediate.<anonymous> (c:\Users\user\.vscode\extensions\nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2024.3.21\dist\extension.js:3:11104)
    at process.processImmediate (node:internal/timers:476:21)
    at process.callbackTrampoline (node:internal/async_hooks:130:17)

- C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Code\logs\20240323T145841\window1\exthost\output_logging_20240323T145842\3-Kconfig.log

[Info  - 3:07:48 PM] Server starting
[Info  - 3:07:48 PM] workspaceFolders: [{'uri': 'file:///c%3A/code/workspace-nordic_26_', 'name': 'workspace-nordic_26_'}]

[Edvin]

Hello,

Is your environment set up in VS Code?

Does the "Manage toolchains" and "Manage SDKs" show the correct NCS version that you are working on?

What happens when you try to click the "nRF Kconfig GUI" close to the bottom of the menu?

Best regards,

Edvin

[_rm]

the setup seems to be ok

when i click on 

a popup appears in the lower right 

[Edvin]

Do you happen to know what the python shims are doing? Is that something you installed separately? Does removing it change the behavior?

BR,

Edvin

[_rm]

see https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv for the shims. just a way to manage python versions. i installed it.

i use it only on linux -> as the error behaviour also happens on windows it is not the cause.

 

after spending some more time on the problem i have the impression, that build configurations created with overlay / cmake params tend to not work with kconfig gui while build configurations created without any custom params tend to work.

i would suggest that some configurable logging is implemented in the extension -> see where and when and why things (not) work. 
open-sourcing the extension could also help (doesn't mean you have to make the code reusable for competitors - choice of license)  

[Edvin]

Can you please upload an application that reproduces what you are seeing, and I can see if I can replicate it here, if you say that it depends on the application.

BR,
Edvin

[_rm]

i didn't say it depends on the application.

i said " i have the impression, that build configurations created with overlay / cmake params tend to not work with kconfig gui while build configurations created without any custom params tend to work."

the error happens also with sample applications. last tried with udp, location , ... samples partly with 9160 dk / 7002 ek

[Edvin]

Sorry. I meant to say "application's build configuration". Can you please take one of the samples that you have tested, with the modifications that you have done, and zip it and upload it, so that I can see if that will also trigger the issue here on my end?

Best regards,

Edvin

[_rm]

did send link to zip via pm

[Edvin]

Hmm. Ok. I built it for nRF9160dk_nrf9160_ns, and although it didn't build successfully in v2.6.0, I was still able to open nRF Kconfig GUI, so that is not it. Let me check back with the developers and see if they have any other tricks up their sleeves.

BR,

Edvin

[Edvin]

Actually, never mind. I saw now that you had the -DSHIELD=nrf7002ek argument, and with this, I am not able to open Kconfig. Let me run this by the developers.

BR,

Edvin

[Edvin]

Hello,

The developers reached out to me today, and they found a bug in the Kconfig plulgin using the sample you provided, along with the shield config. Thank you for helping out. They said that they will include a fix in the next release of the VS Code extension, but until then, you would have to use the menuconfig (...) contect menu to the right side the of "nRF Kconfig GUI" action.

Best regards,

Edvin