building and merging the nRF5340 network soft-device with the application hex

[adunk]

I'm unable to duplicate the build environment on the nRF5340 that is already setup when pulling in an example that supports BLE.  After pulling in an example, the build environment is configured to build both the application hex and the network hex and merge them. Its then very easy to flash them together.  

I've tried following the instructions here but it seems rather complex for something that should be done quite frequently.  Is there a better resource for setting up this build environment?

Can I just build the network project once and flash it and then as the application changes I only have to flash the application again? From what I read, flashing the network core will first clear the entire flash but flashing the application core will clear only the application flash.

Can I just use nRF Programmer and drag the built hex's over and just erase and flash the entire flash contents?  This would seem like a suitable solution but its crashing on BLE_Init...but this could be an application problem.

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

I've tried following the instructions here but it seems rather complex for something that should be done quite frequently.  Is there a better resource for setting up this build environment?

The NCS BLE samples for nRF5340 are enabled with multi-build with hci_ipc for net core by default, so you don't have to enable it again. 

Can I just build the network project once and flash it and then as the application changes I only have to flash the application again? From what I read, flashing the network core will first clear the entire flash but flashing the application core will clear only the application flash.

VS code would flash for net core and app core by default unless you use the command line. 

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/device_guides/working_with_nrf/nrf53/nrf5340.html#using-the-command-line 

Can I just use nRF Programmer and drag the built hex's over and just erase and flash the entire flash contents?  This would seem like a suitable solution but its crashing on BLE_Init...but this could be an application problem.

If you only drag the app image and erase & write, the nRF programmer would also recover the net core. I think this is the reason you see the application crashes. Therefore, I would suggest you use the command line if you only update the app image. 

Regards,
Amanda H. 

[adunk]

I am using a custom board and unable to set up the same multi-image build environment as used in the examples. Is there better documentation on how to set up the multi-image build environment identical to the samples? 

[adunk]

As the above documentation states, I have added CONFIG_BT_HCI_IPC to my kconfig. Then I added the conf file hci_ipc.conf inside a folder within my parent build configuration. 

Now I'm getting...

C:/Projects/workspace/nrf/cmake/multi_image.cmake:208 (message):
No board specified for domain 'CPUNET'. This configuration is typically
defined in
C:/Projects/workspace/app/boards/arm/board_xxx/Kconfig

[Amanda Hsieh]

Do you also create board files for CPUNET? If not, please do it. See the https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-zephyr/tree/main/boards/arm/nrf5340dk_nrf5340 

[adunk]

Yeah the child project is already pointing to the NET board. The child project builds successfully. I just can't add it to the parent project. Do I have to "point" the child project to the boards in a different place?

[Amanda Hsieh]

See https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/config_and_build/multi_image.html#updating-the-build-scripts 

[adunk]

Ok well I added that to the CMakeLists.c and now I'm getting:
CMake Error at C:/Projects/zfw_wksp/app/CMakeLists.txt:20 (add_child_image):
Unknown CMake command "add_child_image".

I found others have a similar problem and it has something to do with the order of the project nodes. Is this still an issue?  I found that the function is in multi-image CMake but apparently its not being called until after this project. Is there another solution?  

Like I said in my original post, this seems like a very complex solution to a very common situation. Are you sure this isn't already setup somewhere and I am just not aware of some config? I just need to include the child project hci_ipc in my custom board project.

[Amanda Hsieh]

See the example: https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/blob/d034e39c759625ad1dd90816536f6bd39f5f055c/samples/CMakeLists.txt#L83-L85 

If that cannot help, I would suggest you duplicate a BLE sample to build with your custom board and then update the application to your project. That will be easy to achieve. 

[adunk]

I think I will just be using the command line to program the application without clearing the network core.