Current version of AssetTracker

[Eau Du Puid]

Hi

There is a github repo https://github.com/nrfconnect/Asset-Tracker-Template/tree/main that receives updates as of yesterday.

However on the documentation website https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.9.2/page/nrf/applications/asset_tracker_v2/README.html , I read:

Important

The Asset Tracker v2 application is in maintenance mode. For new projects, it is recommended to use the Cellular: nRF Cloud multi-service sample instead..

Could explain what that means ? Why should I use the multi-service sample ? Is the AssetTracker as implemented in the github repo obsolete or is there a difference in functionality ?

Kind regards

Peter

[Simon D-M]

Hi Peter,

However on the documentation website https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.9.2/page/nrf/applications/asset_tracker_v2/README.html , I read:

The link you just sent is referring to an old version of the Asset Tracker application, which was called "Asset Tracker v2". The newest version of this application has been renamed to "Asset Tracker Template" which is the application you saw on GitHub.

You can find the documentation for the new application here.

The Asset tracker template is the recommended application to use for new Asset tracking projects.

Best regards,

Simon D-M

[Eau Du Puid]

Hi, Thank you Simon

What exactly is the difference between the Asset Tracker Template and the multi service sample ? Why would one choose one over the other ?

Kind regards 

Peter

[Simon D-M]

Hi,

First, the "nRF Cloud multi-service" sample has also been deprecated. So don't base your new applications on that sample. Be sure to always be on the latest version possible on the documentation to have the latest information. (if you see that the version "latest" is not available, it probably means that the page has been moved to somewhere else or has been renamed to something else. That is the case with the Asset Tracker V2)

Then, speaking more about the difference. Basically, the goals of these applications are a bit different. The "nRF Cloud multi-service" sample was made more to show how you could implement such an application, not to be used as a framework for your application. However, the "Asset Tracker Template" was designed to be built on. It is way more modular. And without going into details, partly due to this change in purpose for the application, the whole "backend" of the application had to change. Thus, the whole application has been rebuilt using a different architecture.

If you want to see in more details the Asset Tracker Template architecture, it is documented here.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask

Best regards,

Simon D-M

[Eau Du Puid]

Great, thanks !

[Eau Du Puid]

If I may ask a follow up question: I have flashed the Asset Tracker Template to a nRF9161 SMA DK and the DK talks to nRFCloud ( where it has already been provisioned). However there is no Terminal and no history in nRFCloud as mentioned in the Asset Tracker Template doc.

The time and location is correct. But there is nothing else.

Kind regards

Peter

[Simon D-M]

Hi,

Hmmmm, it is strange. You should see something like this:

Can you please retry from scratch and let me know the exact steps you went through ?

Best regards,

Simon D-M

[Eau Du Puid]

Hi

I followed the steps in https://github.com/nrfconnect/Asset-Tracker-Template/blob/main/docs/common/getting_started.md

# Initialize asset-tracker-template workspace
west init -m github.com/.../Asset-Tracker-Template.git --mr main asset-tracker-template

cd asset-tracker-template

# Update nRF Connect SDK modules. This may take a while.
west update

Navigate to the application folder:

1. # Assuming you are in the asset-tracker-template folder
   cd project/app

   west build -p -b nrf9151dk/nrf9151/ns # Pristine build

   west flash --erase # The --erase option is optional and will erase the entire flash memory before programming

   when I press Button 1, I get:

   

[Eau Du Puid]

I forgot: I use the nRF9151 SMA DK, I also have a ThingyX91 flashed with AssetTracker using nrf Connect for Desktop which shows the expected UI elements (Terminal, ...) . The same is true for the nRF9161 DK flashed also with the nRF Connect for Desktop App. When I try to compile the Asset Tracker Template from Github for the nRF9161 Dk, I get a compile time error.