Updating advertising data (manuf. spec. data) in SDK15

[Spirit]

Hello guys! And girls 

My project is working as expected in SDK14.2.
I'm updating adv data (manuf. spec. data) without any problem with this function

static void advertising_data_update(uint8_t adv_manuf_byte)
{
		ret_code_t err_code;

		ble_advertising_init_t 		init;
		ble_advdata_manuf_data_t 	adv_manuf_data;
		uint8_array_t            	adv_manuf_data_array;
		uint8_t                  	adv_manuf_data_data[1];
		adv_manuf_data_data[0] 		= adv_manuf_byte;

		memset(&init, 0, sizeof(init));

		init.advdata.name_type          		 = BLE_ADVDATA_FULL_NAME;
		init.advdata.include_appearance 		 = false;
		init.advdata.flags              		 = BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE;
		init.advdata.uuids_complete.uuid_cnt = sizeof(m_adv_uuids) / sizeof(m_adv_uuids[0]);
		init.advdata.uuids_complete.p_uuids  = m_adv_uuids;

		adv_manuf_data_array.p_data 							 = adv_manuf_data_data;
		adv_manuf_data_array.size 								 = sizeof(adv_manuf_data_data);
		adv_manuf_data.company_identifier 				 = APP_COMPANY_IDENTIFIER;
		adv_manuf_data.data 											 = adv_manuf_data_array;
		init.advdata.p_manuf_specific_data 				 = &adv_manuf_data;

		init.config.ble_adv_whitelist_enabled      = true;
		init.config.ble_adv_directed_enabled       = true;
		init.config.ble_adv_directed_slow_enabled  = false;
		init.config.ble_adv_directed_slow_interval = 0;
		init.config.ble_adv_directed_slow_timeout  = 0;
		init.config.ble_adv_fast_enabled  				 = true;
		init.config.ble_adv_fast_interval 				 = APP_ADV_INTERVAL;
		init.config.ble_adv_fast_timeout  				 = APP_ADV_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS;
							
		err_code = ble_advdata_set(&init.advdata, NULL);
		APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);	   
}

But in SDK15 the function ble_advdata_set() has been deprecated.
The migration guide is says to use ble_advdata_encode() and sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure() instead.

So I changed it to something like this

static void advertising_data_update(uint8_t adv_manuf_byte)
{
		ret_code_t err_code;

		ble_advertising_init_t 		init;
		ble_advdata_manuf_data_t 	adv_manuf_data;
		uint8_array_t            	adv_manuf_data_array;
		adv_manuf_data_data[0] 		= adv_manuf_byte;

		memset(&init, 0, sizeof(init));

    init.advdata.name_type          		 = BLE_ADVDATA_FULL_NAME;
    init.advdata.include_appearance 		 = false;
    init.advdata.flags              		 = BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_LIMITED_DISC_MODE;
    init.advdata.uuids_complete.uuid_cnt = sizeof(m_adv_uuids) / sizeof(m_adv_uuids[0]);
    init.advdata.uuids_complete.p_uuids  = m_adv_uuids;
			
		adv_manuf_data_array.p_data 							 = adv_manuf_data_data;
		adv_manuf_data_array.size 								 = sizeof(adv_manuf_data_data);
		adv_manuf_data.company_identifier 				 = APP_COMPANY_IDENTIFIER;
		adv_manuf_data.data 											 = adv_manuf_data_array;
		init.advdata.p_manuf_specific_data 				 = &adv_manuf_data;

    init.config.ble_adv_whitelist_enabled      			= true;
		init.config.ble_adv_directed_high_duty_enabled 	= true;
    init.config.ble_adv_directed_enabled       			= false;
    init.config.ble_adv_fast_enabled  				 			= true;
    init.config.ble_adv_fast_interval 				 			= APP_ADV_INTERVAL;
    init.config.ble_adv_fast_timeout  				 			= APP_ADV_FAST_DURATION;

		//err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_stop(m_advertising.adv_handle);
		//APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
			
		err_code = ble_advdata_encode(&init.advdata, m_adv_data.adv_data.p_data, &m_adv_data.adv_data.len);	
		APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

		err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&m_advertising.adv_handle, &m_adv_data, NULL);
		APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
		
		//err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_start(m_advertising.adv_handle, APP_BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG);
		//APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}

And of course... it's not working. :)
I'm getting a very strange error at sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure() --> app: ERROR 12801 [Unknown error code]

Any idea why?
What I'm doing wrong?
What I have to change to get this working like in the SDK14.2?

[Nijat]

71 replies, none of them is the solution. Why Nordic changes the original simple API "ble_advdata_set", the new API really sucks !!!

[Koenig Patrick]

I found a solution that seems to work fine. Once you have started the advertising, just use ble_advdata_encode to encode your data and write it to the buffer used when you first called sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure . Do not call the sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure function again, only encode the data. Your advertising data will be updated every time you do this. This might not be the recommend way for doing this, but I did not encounter any errors yet.

[devops]

It should be his own custom data he wants to replace at the manufacturer data.

[Alexander]

I got it working. I ditched the advertising module and followed the migration guide. I use 2 advdata buffers and switch between them when updating advdata. I also switch to boradcaster advertising when connected and updating works then too. 

status peripheral_advdata_update(uint8_t * advdata_buffer_p, uint8_t len)
{
    ret_code_t ret;

    increment_advdata_buffer();
    set_advdata_buffer(advdata_buffer_p, len);

    ret = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&adv_handle, &adv_data_buffer.adv_data, NULL);
    if (ret != NRF_SUCCESS)
    {
        NRF_LOG_INFO("adv_update error: 0x%02X", ret);
        return BLE_WSI_STATUS_SOFTDEVICE_INVALID_STATE;
    }
    else
    {
        NRF_LOG_INFO("using buffer %d", adv_data_buffer.idx);
        return BLE_WSI_STATUS_SUCCESS;
    }
}

status peripheral_advertising_init(uint32_t interval, uint32_t duration, uint8_t * advdata_buffer_p, uint8_t len)
{
    ret_code_t ret;
    increment_advdata_buffer();
    set_advdata_buffer(advdata_buffer_p, len);

    adv_params.interval = interval;
    adv_params.duration = duration;
    memset(adv_params.channel_mask, 0, 5); /*Advertising on all the primary channels */
    adv_params.max_adv_evts = 0;
    adv_params.filter_policy = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY;
    adv_params.primary_phy = BLE_GAP_PHY_AUTO;
    adv_params.scan_req_notification = 1;
    if (!m_periph_params.is_connected)
    {
        adv_params.properties.type = BLE_GAP_ADV_TYPE_CONNECTABLE_SCANNABLE_UNDIRECTED;
        NRF_LOG_INFO("Connectable adv");
    }
    else
    {
        adv_params.properties.type = BLE_GAP_ADV_TYPE_NONCONNECTABLE_SCANNABLE_UNDIRECTED;
        NRF_LOG_INFO("Unconnectable adv");
    }
    if (m_periph_params.is_advertising)
    {
        ret = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&adv_handle, &adv_data_buffer.adv_data, NULL);
    }
    else
    {
        ret = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&adv_handle, &adv_data_buffer.adv_data, &adv_params);
    }
    
    NRF_LOG_INFO("adv_init: 0x%02X", ret);
    return ret;
}

This works good for me. I need to keep track of if advertising is ongoing or not myself and if i want to change interval or such I have to do that manually. But it isn't to much work.

[UssamaNayyer]

Hello, I am new to programming nrf and don't have much experience with Embedded programming...Can you please tell me that what is advdata_buffer_p, len and how you implemented increment_advdata_buffer() and  set_advdata_buffer(advdata_buffer_p, len).If you can share your code that would be really a GREAT favor...!

[devops]

I am in the same situation as you. I think that advdata_buffer_p is new advertising data and len is the lenght of that data, but dont take my word for it.

I would also like to see the set_advdata_buffer(); function - struggling a bit in here.

[Niclas Heitz]

If you want you can prevent using two buffers with a little trick. Just use a NULL pointer while you're changing the data. This is my update function, which uses encoded data. If your data is not encoded, just call the ble_advdata_encode() function before.

uint32_t update_adv_data_set(uint8_t const *p_advdata, uint8_t dlen)
{
  uint32_t             err_code = NRF_ERROR_API_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;

  /* configure adtvertising without data to circumvent Nordics new Buffer rule. */
  err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&m_advModuleInstance.adv_handle, NULL, NULL);

  if (NRF_SUCCESS == err_code)
  {
    /* Edit global struct advertising data. */
    memset(m_advModuleInstance.enc_advdata, 0x00u, BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_DATA_SIZE_MAX);
    memcpy(m_advModuleInstance.enc_advdata, p_advdata, dlen);
    m_advModuleInstance.adv_data.adv_data.len = dlen;
    /* configure softdevice data */
    err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&m_advModuleInstance.adv_handle, &m_advModuleInstance.adv_data, NULL);
  }
  
  return err_code;
}

[Spirit]

Alexander, Niclas Heitz... guys, you are not using the "Advertising module", I'm right?
I conclude that when I saw you "adv_params" parameters.

[Niclas Heitz]

If you mean the ble_advertising.c module, then yes I don't use it.

In my opinion, those functions are not well implemented. You can see my explanation in another ticket I created.

[UssamaNayyer]

Hey Spirit...Can you please post your advertising_init() function which you used with along with update()  function which is working in SDK14.2 or if possible the whole code...That would a great favor...!

[Spirit]

Niclas Heitz I knew it.
I'm using a whitelist so for now I "must" stay with an Advertising module

UssamaNayyer I'm sorry, but I'm on vacation right now and I don't have the code of my project with me.

[Niclas Heitz]

I don't see the connection between using a whitelist and using the advertising module. The module is just a wrapper for the softdevice functions, which I use directly instead. I even see a problem using the module, because ble_advertising_start() overwrites the advertising parameters to BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY.