Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:41:43 GMT

Glad to hear it!

I also wanted to add I just heard that the new Sidewalk Add-on 1.0.1 release should include a fix/workaround this issue.

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

j.papa — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 02:57:50 GMT

I already made it work, I just follow this instruction provided by Elfving .

As follows:
1. Download version 0.3.9.3 at Nanopb's website: nanopb-0.3.9.3-windows-x86.zip, nanopb-0.3.9.3-linux-x86.tar.gz

2. Folder /generator-bin consists of the binaries/exe that will generate the necessary .pb.c and .pb.h files, this can be done using the command protoc --nanopb_out=. simple.proto`

See example \nanopb-0.3.9.3-windows-x86\examples\simple for reference.

3. Adding the headers only does not work for me, so I also include their sources, in one folder I have the following:

pb_common.h and .c files
pb_decode.h and .c files
pb_encode.h and .c files

4. Just make sure to add target_sources() and target_include_directories() that points to the files generated at 2, and common files at 3.

That's it, Sidewalk is now happy. 🙂

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

j.papa — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 02:25:22 GMT

Has anyone from the Nordic team or Amazon Sidewalk team found a solution to this issue that doesn't involve compiling with an older version of nanopb and using external headers?

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 27 May 2025 14:06:15 GMT

Elfving:

Thank you for the update. This is great information. I plan to try that PR and the 0.3.9.3 version of nanopb within my project. Please, keep me updated of any progress made on yours and/or Amazon's side as I will want to migrate to the updated libraries as soon as they are available.

Sam

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Mon, 26 May 2025 13:56:53 GMT

Hi,

We've gotten a bit further with this.

The issue stems from that Amazon is using nanopb in version 0.3.9.3. As Sidewalk has linked the implementation of the used nanopb in the delivered library, when we enable the nanopb config, there is a second implementation, that is not compatible. The linker does not have a way to sort what implementation to use, and therefore it breaks when the incorrect implementation is used. Unfortunately, this version of nanopb is not supported in zephyr.

We are working with Amazon to upgrade the nanopb to a newer version that is supported by Zephyr, and maybe exclude it from the libraries.

To in the meantime, what you can do is to is to download the nanopb in the same version (0.3.9.3) and use that instead, though not from Kconfig, but as an external library. Keep in mind that the compiled version of the nanopb is already part of the sidewalk library, so you should only need the headers for the application. One of the guys in the relevant R&D team created a PR with the headers compatible with the nanopb used in the sidewalk libs here.

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Thu, 22 May 2025 09:24:39 GMT

[quote user="samtday"] Let me know if there is anything I can do on my side to assist in the process.[/quote]

We were wondering about how to prioritize this issue. Your RSM have sent you an email about this, if you could answer him that would be great.

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 20 May 2025 12:38:03 GMT

Elfving:

Thank you for elevating this issue. Hopefully we find a resolution soon. Let me know if there is anything I can do on my side to assist in the process.

Sam

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 20 May 2025 11:53:08 GMT

Understood. We're looking into it, and it has also been added as a known issue.

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Fri, 16 May 2025 16:42:52 GMT

Elfving: we are building a device with the goal of collecting various sensor values and publishing this data to AWS via Sidewalk. Due to the bandwidth limitations of sidewalk we wanted to utilize protobuf to balance the throughput of data.

Sam

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Thu, 15 May 2025 12:34:39 GMT

We are seeing this on our side as well now, and the relevant R&D team is looking into it. There might be some sort of conflict since nanobp is already in use by the protocol library for sidewalk.

Could you expand a bit on your use-case for nanopb?

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Thu, 15 May 2025 01:19:59 GMT

Since the error seems to be related to stack size and the crash I received is coming from the Sidewalk Thread, I tried increasing the following config variables within prj.conf

CONFIG_SIDEWALK_THREAD_STACK_SIZE=24576 (from 16384 & 8192)

CONFIG_SYSTEM_WORKQUEUE_STACK_SIZE=8192 (from 4096)

CONFIG_SIDEWALK_HEAP_SIZE=10240 (from 5120)

But none of these changes affected the outcome.

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 13 May 2025 16:47:22 GMT

Elfving, thanks for the guidance.

I ran into issues with the "arm-none-eabi-addr2line" command.

There is no zephyr.elf at that location.
I did find a few zephyr.elf files at other locations, but when I attempt to run the addr2line command, the output is: "The system cannot find the file specified"

All this to say, I did go look a the zephyr.map file and found where the address should be:

.text.load_descriptor_values
0x0000000000050af4 0xf4 modules/nanopb/libmodules__nanopb.a(pb_common.c.obj)

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 13 May 2025 13:19:42 GMT

Hi again Sam, and thank you for your patience,

You are not seeing this issue with NANOPB not enabled right? If so I would assume that the mfg.hex is fine. Could you try running addr2line on that faulting instruction set?

Here are some steps on how to use addr2line:

Check if you have arm-none-eabi-addr2line set up by running "where arm-none-eabi-addr2line" in a cmd window.
1. This should return something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\GNU Tools ARM Embedded\4.9 2015q3\bin\arm-none-eabi-addr2line.exe"
2. If it does not return this, then there might be some issues with the gnuarmemb path configuration
Next step is to investigate what is in the R15/pc and R14/lr addresses
1. arm-none-eabi-addr2line -e <path to _build\zephyr\zephyr.elf> <0x000211a8> for r15/pc
2. arm-none-eabi-addr2line -e <path to _build\zephyr\zephyr.elf> <0x00018b3d> for r14/lr

2. Should give you what function call that causes the kernel panic deep down in the stack. Remember to replace "<path to _build\zephyr\zephyr.elf>" with your actual path

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Wed, 07 May 2025 15:02:28 GMT

I was able to migrate my v2.9.0 based project up to v3.0.0 and build successfully. I also tried running the Amazon Sidewalk Add-on example and enabled the CONFIG_NANOPB. In both cases the build was successful but when I flash the project to my nrf5340 DK, it crashes.

When I say not running appropriately I mean it runs and crashes with a similar error print out to the one I shared before:

*** Booting Sidewalk v0.1.99-addon-12c29cd0964e ***
*** Using nRF Connect SDK v3.0.0-3bfc46578e42 ***
*** Using Zephyr OS v4.0.99-a0e545cb437a ***
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sidewalk SDK        = 1.18.0.18
APP_BUILD_VERSION   = v1.0.0-add-on
APP_NAME            = sidewalk
build time          = May  6 2025 15:30:17
board               = nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp
----------------------------------------------------------------
[00:00:00.001,647] <inf> application_state: working = true
[00:00:00.072,631] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Platform: Nordic Semiconductor (0x0002)
[00:00:00.072,662] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Variant: nRF53x (0x0003)
[00:00:00.072,692] <inf> bt_hci_core: Firmware: Standard Bluetooth controller (0x00) Version 199.32083 Build 4145153724
[00:00:00.075,225] <inf> bt_hci_core: Identity: ED:92:4B:94:92:3C (random)
[00:00:00.075,225] <inf> bt_hci_core: HCI: version 6.0 (0x0e) revision 0x20e8, manufacturer 0x0059
[00:00:00.075,256] <inf> bt_hci_core: LMP: version 6.0 (0x0e) subver 0x20e8
metal: warning:   tx_vq: freeing non-empty virtqueue
metal: warning:   rx_vq: freeing non-empty virtqueue
[00:00:00.081,756] <err> sid_mfg: Flash protect failed -22
[00:00:00.146,514] <err> sidewalk_events: radio init err -6
[00:00:00.170,562] <err> sidewalk_events: radio sleep err -6
[00:00:00.170,593] <inf> sidewalk_events: Sidewalk link switch to BLE
[00:00:00.174,560] <inf> sid_ble: Enable BT
[00:00:00.273,345] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Platform: Nordic Semiconductor (0x0002)
[00:00:00.273,376] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Variant: nRF53x (0x0003)
[00:00:00.273,406] <inf> bt_hci_core: Firmware: Standard Bluetooth controller (0x00) Version 199.32083 Build 4145153724
[00:00:00.275,909] <inf> bt_hci_core: Identity: ED:92:4B:94:92:3C (random)
[00:00:00.275,939] <inf> bt_hci_core: HCI: version 6.0 (0x0e) revision 0x20e8, manufacturer 0x0059
[00:00:00.275,970] <inf> bt_hci_core: LMP: version 6.0 (0x0e) subver 0x20e8
[00:00:00.275,970] <inf> sid_ble: BT initialized
[00:00:00.282,257] <inf> app: Status changed: not ready
[00:00:00.282,379] <inf> app: Device Unregistered, Time Sync Fail, Link status: {BLE: Down, FSK: Down, LoRa: Down}
[00:00:00.946,136] <inf> sid_ble_conn: BT Connected
[00:00:01.522,735] <err> os: ***** BUS FAULT *****
[00:00:01.522,766] <err> os:   Precise data bus error
[00:00:01.522,766] <err> os:   BFAR Address: 0x110001
[00:00:01.522,796] <err> os: r0/a1:  0x2000f1b8  r1/a2:  0x00110001  r2/a3:  0x00000000
[00:00:01.522,827] <err> os: r3/a4:  0x00000000 r12/ip:  0x20004e88 r14/lr:  0x000234e3
[00:00:01.522,827] <err> os:  xpsr:  0x41000200
[00:00:01.522,827] <err> os: s[ 0]:  0x2001c858  s[ 1]:  0x2000f230  s[ 2]:  0x2000a098  s[ 3]:  0x0000000b
[00:00:01.522,857] <err> os: s[ 4]:  0x00000008  s[ 5]:  0x000234e3  s[ 6]:  0x2001c8dc  s[ 7]:  0x200077a2
[00:00:01.522,857] <err> os: s[ 8]:  0x00000000  s[ 9]:  0x00000000  s[10]:  0x00000000  s[11]:  0x0004e7a5
[00:00:01.522,888] <err> os: s[12]:  0x00000000  s[13]:  0x00000000  s[14]:  0x000689cb  s[15]:  0x200077d0
[00:00:01.522,888] <err> os: fpscr:  0x00000000
[00:00:01.522,918] <err> os: r4/v1:  0x2000f230  r5/v2:  0x2000a098  r6/v3:  0x000689cb
[00:00:01.522,918] <err> os: r7/v4:  0x00000008  r8/v5:  0x00000000  r9/v6:  0x20007640
[00:00:01.522,949] <err> os: r10/v7: 0x00000000  r11/v8: 0x00000000    psp:  0x2000f160
[00:00:01.522,949] <err> os: EXC_RETURN: 0xfffffffd
[00:00:01.522,949] <err> os: Faulting instruction address (r15/pc): 0x0004fb3c
[00:00:01.522,979] <err> os: >>> ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR 25: Unknown error on CPU 0
[00:00:01.523,010] <err> os: Current thread: 0x20003a78 (unknown)
[00:00:01.662,963] <err> os: Halting system

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Wed, 07 May 2025 08:12:37 GMT

[quote user="samtday"]It seems the transition to v3.0.1 would require me to begin from an entirely different project (after downloading the 'Amazon Sidewalk Add-on') to be able to include the sidewalk SDK. Is this what you expect given I am currently working on v2.9.0. [/quote]

Not at all, I am just trying to figure out what is wrong here by giving us the same baseline (given that I allready tested this on NCS 3 etc.). If you already have a large project set-up on NCS 2.9 we can continue with NCS 2.9 🙂 Though I would suggest to start off by looking at the default sample instead of the project you have, as there could be other things that you've added that makes it run into this issue. Please try the default sample and let me know how it goes.

[quote user="samtday"]I was able to migrate to the newest versions of the SDK and build a fresh example of sid_end_device with the only change being the addition of 'CONFIG_NANOPB=y' to prj.conf and it is still not running appropriately.[/quote]

What do you mean by it not running appropriately? Do you get a build error?

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 06 May 2025 19:43:53 GMT

I was able to migrate to the newest versions of the SDK and build a fresh example of sid_end_device with the only change being the addition of 'CONFIG_NANOPB=y' to prj.conf and it is still not running appropriately.

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 06 May 2025 16:14:22 GMT

It seems the transition to v3.0.1 would require me to begin from an entirely different project (after downloading the 'Amazon Sidewalk Add-on') to be able to include the sidewalk SDK. Is this what you expect given I am currently working on v2.9.0. Is there a way to point my current project to the appropriate version instead of having to start from scratch in the new SDK?

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:46:26 GMT

Are there changes I should be aware of transitioning from 2.9.0 or am I good to just adjust the build configuration and run with it?

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:19:46 GMT

[quote user="samtday"]Which version should I go to - 3.0.0 or 3.0.1?[/quote]

3.0.1. The last digit is just for bug-fixes, no API changes.

It is strange that you have issues with any version, though let's start focusing on v3, and see what the logs look like there.

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 06 May 2025 13:39:58 GMT

This is the print out from my application - I am about to try migrating to a new version of NCS. Which version should I go to - 3.0.0 or 3.0.1?

*** Booting Sidewalk v2.9.0-700b67f39073 ***
*** Using nRF Connect SDK v2.9.0-7787b2649840 ***
*** Using Zephyr OS v3.7.99-1f8f3dc29142 *----------------------------------------------------------------
Sidewalk SDK        = 1.17.1.18
APP_BUILD_VERSION   = 700b67f39073
APP_NAME            = sidewalk
build time          = May  6 2025 09:27:49
board               = nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp
----------------------------------------------------------------
[00:00:00.002,532] <inf> adc: Start ADC Init
[00:00:00.002,624] <inf> adc: ADC Initialized Successfully
[00:00:00.003,509] <inf> adc: Temp: 0 *C (0 *F)
[00:00:00.003,540] <inf> adc: Send Temp Sidewalk message
[00:00:00.004,211] <inf> sidewalk_events: sidewalk need to be started first.
[00:00:00.020,996] <err> os: ***** USAGE FAULT *****
[00:00:00.021,057] <err> os:   Stack overflow (context area not valid)
[00:00:00.021,148] <err> os: r0/a1:  0xfffffffe  r1/a2:  0xffffffff  r2/a3:  0x00050000
[00:00:00.021,209] <err> os: r3/a4:  0x00000000 r12/ip:  0xffffffff r14/lr:  0x000965fb
[00:00:00.021,270] <err> os:  xpsr:  0xa1000000
[00:00:00.021,362] <err> os: s[ 0]:  0xfffafffe  s[ 1]:  0xffffffff  s[ 2]:  0x20012378  s[ 3]:  0x00000000
[00:00:00.021,484] <err> os: s[ 4]:  0x00000000  s[ 5]:  0x000965fb  s[ 6]:  0x00050000  s[ 7]:  0x00000000
[00:00:00.021,575] <err> os: s[ 8]:  0xffffffff  s[ 9]:  0x200123f0  s[10]:  0xffffffff  s[11]:  0x20004134
[00:00:00.021,697] <err> os: s[12]:  0x00050000  s[13]:  0x00000000  s[14]:  0x0007aa31  s[15]:  0x00000000
[00:00:00.021,728] <err> os: fpscr:  0x200123c8
[00:00:00.021,820] <err> os: r4/v1:  0xfffafffe  r5/v2:  0xffffffff  r6/v3:  0x00000000
[00:00:00.021,881] <err> os: r7/v4:  0x20012378  r8/v5:  0x00000000  r9/v6:  0x00000000
[00:00:00.021,972] <err> os: r10/v7: 0x00000000  r11/v8: 0x00000000    psp:  0x20012340
[00:00:00.022,003] <err> os: EXC_RETURN: 0xfffffffd
[00:00:00.022,064] <err> os: Faulting instruction address (r15/pc): 0x00050030
[00:00:00.022,155] <err> os: >>> ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR 2: Stack overflow on CPU 0
[00:00:00.022,186] <err> os: Current thread: 0x200042b8 (unknown)
[00:00:00.215,148] <err> os: Halting system

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 06 May 2025 13:17:02 GMT

Just to have the same baseline here, are you seeing it working with the default sample in 2.9?

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Tue, 06 May 2025 12:01:05 GMT

I am working with NCS 2.9.0. I am using the sensor_monitoring variant of the sidewalk_end_device example and have enabled an adc channel as well.

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

Elfving — Tue, 06 May 2025 09:20:11 GMT

Hi Sam,

I am not sure what happened to this case, but I haven't looked into this for about a year. Though I tried building the sidewalk end device sample for NCS 3 just now, with CONFIG_NANOPB enabled, for the nRF5340dk, and that seems to build ok. Are you seeing this issue on newer SDKs as well? What NCS version are you using?

Regards,

Elfving

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

samtday — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:46:42 GMT

Has anyone seen any progress or resolution to this problem? I am trying to enable this on a nrf5340.

Elfving Sigurd Hellesvik khelmutlord

RE: Unable to use NanoPB with Sidewalk

vawkes — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 15:42:41 GMT

No worries. At the moment the call stack and fault info above are all I have. It is pretty easier to reproduce by just adding CONFIG_NANOPB=y if you need more info immediately. I will see if I can get some more debug information later.