Power Profiler v.4.2.0 + PPK2 - Plot stops working after a while

[jmaha9000]

Reporting this here as the project GitHub asked that bugs be reported via DevZone.

The latest Power Profiler v4.2.0 has introduced an annoying issue - when running the Power Profiler for a long time (sourcing 3.7V power and collecting logging data, set to 1,000 samples/sec, sampling forever), typically leaving it to run overnight, after a whlie it stops logging new data. Pressing Stop and Start doesn't restart the graph, it just stays blank despite sourcing power to the DUT. If I close + restart the Power Profiler app, it works again. Additionally, I can deselect the PPK2 device and re-select it, and then starting logging works again.

I'm running macOS Sonoma 14.5 on a MacBook Pro with an M1 Max chip.

[jmaha9000]

Here's a video of the app in this nonfunctional state. This time it appears to be fully connected, with all controls visible, but stopping/starting the graph results in a blank graph.

 

[jmaha9000]

I should mention too that this happens consistently when the app is left running overnight. In previous versions I used to leave the app running for long periods of time with no issues; the plot would stop when the buffer filled up, but I could stop/start recording no problem.

[Kenneth]

Hello,

The team is looking into it, I can see one of the developers have asked the following question, let me know if you have any feedback:

What buffer size did they use to have (and that would be before version 4)

Kenneth

[jmaha9000]

I'm not quite sure what buffer size I was using previously. I generally left it at whatever the default setting was.

[Kenneth]

Okey, do you remember any other configuration, such as sampling rate?

Kenneth

[jmaha9000]

I left that as the default selection as well.

[jmaha9000]

Some more information - this failure is affecting me probably 10 times per day. I'm using the PPK to power a device and characterize its behavior.

When this failure happens:

• The nRF PPK stops supplying current to the DUT and stops being able to log data, interrupting any ongoing test I'm running

To resolve it, I have to:

• Click the "Eject" button next to the PPK2 info in the upper left
• Click "Select Device" and select the PPK2
  • it will appear to connect successfully but does not
  • This enters the weird state where the "Set supply voltage" box is unavailable but the "Enable power output" toggle is functional but does nothing
• Click "Eject" button again
• Click "Select Device" and select the PPK2
  • The app now functions again.

[Kenneth]

Hello,

I have reported your latest findings, and the team is aware of the issue. Unfortunately the problem seems difficult to fix, so I don't have an timeline for you. I guess you will need to periodically check for new releases of the PPK software and hopefully it will be fixed not too long.

Kenneth

[jmaha9000]

Thanks for the update.