Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 15:11:04 GMT

Hi,

Thank you for clarification.

I have replicated this issue. I have built the project successfully and then I added err.overlay to the build configuration and the build folder indeed disappeared. I have reported this internally. For exact timeline when this is expected to be fixed, you can contact your regional sales manager.

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:28:59 GMT

Normally the build simply dissapears from the menu (APPLICATIONS). This means you are no longer able to select the build and rebuild the project.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:27:31 GMT

I included an dummy error.dts with garbage in the build setup as extra device tree overlay.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:35:31 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="turboj"]

The problem is trivial to reproduce: Just kill the build process early during initial or pristine build.

Result is a build dir thats completely unusable in VS code (and won't even be detected when you restart the IDE).

[/quote]

Can you elaborate how build folder is unusable in VS Code?
I have tried canceling build process while it was running but the build was detected after restarting VS Code.

[quote user="tmaltesen"]

Now add a devicetree overlay called error.dts. Put some garbage in the file.

In the build configuration select Generate and Build and close the view.

[/quote]

How did you include error.dts in your build when you got build error?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:59:37 GMT

Create a project from scratch based on hello_world.

Selected nrf9151dk/nrf9151dk as board.

Build the project.

Now add a devicetree overlay called error.dts. Put some garbage in the file.

In the build configuration select Generate and Build and close the view.

Now you get a build error:

-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
See also "D:/Workspaces/hello_world_5/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
FATAL ERROR: command exited with status 1: 'D:\ncs\toolchains\0b393f9e1b\opt\bin\cmake.EXE' -DWEST_PYTHON=D:/ncs/toolchains/0b393f9e1b/opt/bin/python.exe '-Bd:\Workspaces\hello_world_5\build' -GNinja -DBOARD=nrf9151dk/nrf9151/ns -DDTC_OVERLAY_FILE=error.dts -DBOARD_ROOT=d:/nrfboards '-SD:\ncs\v3.0.2\zephyr\share\sysbuild' '-DAPP_DIR:PATH=d:\Workspaces\hello_world_5'

* The terminal process terminated with exit code: 1.
* Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it.

The build configuration is gone:

This is of course not how it happens normally, it would be a real board DTS and it would be a real project.

You are unable to get the build configuration back, and will have to create a new one.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:43:22 GMT

Lets say it was a syntax error in the DTS file. So create a syntax error in a DTS file for the board. Make a prestine build, the build will fail. And the build will be STALE. If you fix you syntax error in the board DTS the problem should be fixed, but the build is no longer available.

But as Turbo J is writing, it should be easy to reproduce, just kill the build process early.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 13:31:31 GMT

Hi Thomas ,

[quote user="dejans"]

Thomas said:
I am using nrf Connect 2025.5.152 (but this is very new and I have not seen the problem yet in this one).

Do I understand correctly that your problem is not present anymore with this version of extension?

[/quote][quote user="tmaltesen"]As far as I know, the problem is still there.[/quote][quote user=""]I immediately fixed the problem but when trying to build my application VS Code terminal kept telling me that a build was already active so I could not start a build. I waited, tried to clean the build configuration and other things for 30 minutes. Unable to get out of the state that the system thought there was an active build in progress. [/quote]

What exactly did you modify and how did you immediately fix the problem? Can you please describe the problem in more detail? Can you provide exact steps with screenshots so that I can try to reproduce your exact issue?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:56:09 GMT

As far as I know, the problem is still there.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:55:25 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="turboj"]

I recommend adding a chapter in the documentation about this (or adding a link if one exists and I just missed it).

Or even better: Add some more error handling to the code that detects and handles build folders.

[/quote]

I have forwarded your recommendation internally. For now, only option to recover from situations like this is to delete build folder manually.

[quote user="tmaltesen"]I am using nrf Connect 2025.5.152 (but this is very new and I have not seen the problem yet in this one).[/quote]

Do I understand correctly that your problem is not present anymore with this version of extension?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Turbo J — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:18:16 GMT

The problem is trivial to reproduce: Just kill the build process early during initial or pristine build.

Result is a build dir thats completely unusable in VS code (and won't even be detected when you restart the IDE).

Fix is surprisingly difficult to figure out as it requires west command line usage - which a dev normally does not need to touch much. I had trouble finding the button that opens a terminal where "west" is recognized as a command...

I recommend adding a chapter in the documentation about this (or adding a link if one exists and I just missed it).

Or even better: Add some more error handling to the code that detects and handles build folders.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:41:21 GMT

I am using nrf Connect 2025.5.152 (but this is very new and I have not seen the problem yet in this one).

VS code is 1.100.2

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:29:36 GMT

Hi,

Which operating system do you use?

Which versions of VS Code and nRF Connect for VS Code extension do you use?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:16:15 GMT

For me this has happened in all versions I have used, since 2.xx something. It is still happening in 3.01. I am not using command line.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:04:59 GMT

Hi,

Is build process working fine using command line? Are you seeing issues only when using VS Code? If yes, which version of the tools do you use?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 08:57:42 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="tmaltesen"]Sorry - what do you mean by that? Can you explain why you want us to look at the supported OS page?[/quote]

peterz mentioned that he uses Linux Mint.

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:14:48 GMT

I do not have any fixes. I do the same (setup a new build). But I am quite sure it mostly happens due to a failing build, so I am very carefull when a build fails. One thing: Do not close the build properties page, then you have a chance to fix the problem and rebuild.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:12:41 GMT

Sorry - what do you mean by that? Can you explain why you want us to look at the supported OS page?

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 06:15:54 GMT

Hi peterz and Aaron

Please have a look at supported operating systems.

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Aaron — Sat, 31 May 2025 01:36:42 GMT

Trying to build on v3.0.1 and having similar issues, Have to close down and setup build from scratch to rebuild...
looking for a solution...

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

peterz — Fri, 30 May 2025 10:22:41 GMT

I'm new to nrfConnect and installed V3.0 on a Linux Mint.I'm struggling with the definition of my custom board and the problem description fits my observations. Sometimes I'm just stuck with my board, sometimes even the build vanishes from Nordic extension view of the project (the build directory still exists but project does not show the build anymore).

One easy way to demonstrate part of the problem:
a) create a new application from hello world sample
b) build it for nrf52840DK - everything is fine
c) add the following lines to prj.conf (yes, we will get errors, this is important)

CONFIG_GPIO=y
CONFIG_I2C=y
CONFIG_SPI=y


CONFIG_USB_DEVICE_STACK=y
CONFIG_USB_CDC_ACM=y
CONFIG_USB_CDC_ACM_LOG_LEVEL_INF=n
CONFIG_USB_DEVICE_LOG_LEVEL_INF=n


CONFIG_SERIAL=y
CONFIG_UART_CONSOLE=n
CONFIG_USB_UART_CONSOLE=n
CONFIG_SHELL_BACKEND_SERIAL=n
CONFIG_LOG_BACKEND=n


CONFIG_USB_DEVICE_PRODUCT="Heureka CDC ACM sample"
CONFIG_USB_DEVICE_PID=0x0001

start a "Pristine Build" and we get the expected FATAL ERROR.
The point is: the spinning icon left of the build stops.

start a second "Pristine Build" and we get the expected FATAL ERROR again.
But this time the icon left of the build keeps spinning.

I start a third "Pristine Build" and in the terminal I get:
> Another task is currently building this configuration, closing.

I'm afraid we might have overlapping issues which make it hard to pinpoint the cause.
But I guess this phenomenon might be part of the problem.

I can confirm that using the dialog to edit the build configuration helps a lot as does
- stop VS code
- remove build directory
- restart VS code and create a new build

hope this helps

Peter

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Fri, 23 May 2025 07:58:07 GMT

Hi,

[quote user=""]I did a small mistake when modifying the device tree which is in a seperate boards directory and also in git. This caused the application project to not build because of DTS problem.[/quote]

As I want to replicate your problem, can you please provide additional more specific details about the problem? Which project did you use as a starting point, what exactly you changed and which error you got? Please provide detailed steps, relevant logs and possibly screenshots.

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Thu, 22 May 2025 11:41:12 GMT

I have no problem making a clean project, that will work.

Best guess for reproducing is creating a DTS problem, try to build the project when it fails see what happens.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Thu, 22 May 2025 11:17:39 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="dejans"]Can you try to remove your current build configuration and your build folder, restart VS Code and start from beginning?
If you still have the problem, can you please try to replicate the problem on the nrf9151dk? Do you get the same result?[/quote]

Have you tried this?

Can you try from the very beginning, making clean project in VS Code and making new build configuration for that project?
Can you provide detailed information with all necessary steps so that I can try to reproduce your problem using nrf9151-dk?

Best regards,
Dejan

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

Thomas — Thu, 22 May 2025 09:07:52 GMT

I am not sure what you mean from command line, if i try I get:

usage: west [-h] [-z ZEPHYR_BASE] [-v] [-V] <command> ...
west: error: argument <command>: invalid choice: 'build' (choose from 'init', 'update', 'list', 'manifest', 'diff', 'status', 'forall', 'help', 'config', 'topdir', 'selfupdate')

But if I create a new build it will work and I have done that for this project.

I got the same problem many times using DK hardware it also get into an unrecoverable state build.
Often the build actually dissapears from the list of builds under applications but the directory is still there.

I think it occurs when a build fails due to some problem with code or device tree.

RE: Build configuration stale AGAIN (unrecoverable)

dejans — Wed, 21 May 2025 09:36:02 GMT

Hi,

Does building the project work if you use "west build" from command line (not from VS Code)?

Can you try to remove your current build configuration and your build folder, restart VS Code and start from beginning?
If you still have the problem, can you please try to replicate the problem on the nrf9151dk? Do you get the same result?

Best regards,
Dejan