VS-CODE: build hangs: "Found GnuLd: ld.bfd..."

[KentH]

I am having a recurring problem with NFC-CONNECT: build action. It hangs when building. Gets stuck with the following message in lower-right hand corner of screen:

The procedure I've found to get around this is to cancel the build, and then open a shell in the app directory and do the following:

% rm -rf build*
% export ZEPHYR_BASE=/opt/nordic/ncs/v2.6.0/zephyr
% west build -b nrf52840dk_nrf52840 -p

I can then use the build & build pristine actions.

It might be my environment is not fully supported. The `app` is stand-alone. There is an out-of-the tree module with source i reference with the following CMakeLists.txt fragment:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)

set(my-module "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../my-module")
set(EXTRA_ZEPHYR_MODULES ${my-module})

find_package(Zephyr REQUIRED HINTS $ENV{ZEPHYR_BASE})

This module includes (via settings) board_root, dts_root, & soc_root,  as well as source, library, and include trees picked up from cmake + kconfig variables.

The build environment: Apple M1 Mac, MacOS: 12.6.7 (Monterey), VS-Code: v1.88.1, NRF-Connect: v2024.3.25

The Welcome tab shows SDK + Toolchain: v2.6.0. (I also use stock Zephyr to compile for non-Nordic boards, but am selecting proper SDK + toolchain, and have even removed `.west` directory for stock zephyr installation). 

Sorry to keep complaining about a great tool, but it's frustrating when it stops working.

Thanks. Kent

[KentH]

An update:

If I change device-tree overlay & then build pristine, the build hangs. A `west` command line build completes, and then the `build` action completes. A subsequent `build pristine` action fails. So it seems that the problem might involve processing the device tree.

I don't change device trees that often, which is why the problem might seem so intermittent.

[Simonr]

Hi Kent

We have an ongoing investigation on the VS code extension for nRF Connect. Thank you for your update, as that might help us reproduce the issue on our end with more success. I will let you know of any findings on our end.

Best regards,

Simon

[_r_y_a_n]

This workaround may work for you as well: Rolling back to VS Code v.1.87 as per this thread:

 Getting stuck at "ld.bfd" tool when generating configuration from nRF Connect SDK for VS Code 

If that works please do NOT mark this reply as an "accepted" answer, because it is only a temporary workaround and this is a serious bug that needs to be resolved before the ticket is closed.

Best regards, Ryan

[Simonr]

Hi

We were not able to reproduce it by adding a device tree overlay and doing a pristine build on a MacOS on our end either unfortunately. Anything in specific you're adding/changing to the device tree in order to reproduce this perhaps? Step 1 on our end will have to be to be able to reproduce this here, which we've not been able to as of yet unfortunately.

Best regards,

Simon

[JonasGel]

Hi, 
I have the same issue while building the zigbee weather sample for the Thingy53. I reinstalled everything and it hangs at the ld.bfd point. If I build the app for another board it works perfect.
Best regards, Jonas