nrf9160 at_client tag v0.4.0 solution does nothing?!?!?

[Andrew Lentvorski]

I followed the recommended steps and got the at_client solution to build and flash in Segger Embedded Studio with tag "v0.4.0".

I installed it onto my board, and but didn't see anything other than "The AT host sample started" (no input allowed).  So, I pulled out my PCA10090 board, and I see the same behavior.  nRF Connect also fails on both boards.

(Edit: Side note--I successfully flashed the mfwnrf916007029alpha aka 0.7.0-29.alpha firmware to both boards)

When I open up main.c, the only thing in the main() function is:

void main(void)
{
	printk("The AT host sample started\n");
}

That sure doesn't look like it's going to kick off an AT command processor to me.  Is this just broken or am I losing my mind and there is a "New Way Cool(tm)" mechanism buried somewhere in the bowels of the zephyr configuration that does the AT processing that I'm just too old and stodgy to understand?

Thanks.

[Sigurd]

Hi,

The AT host library process the AT commands in a dedicated processing thread. As long as you have CONFIG_AT_HOST_LIBRARY=y in prj.conf, the tread will be initialized and running. The at_host_init() function is called at boot, using the Zephyr RTOS SYS_INIT() macro.
I also recommend reading about initialization levels here.

Also note that the at_client sample is intended to be used with the LTE link monitor app, which is an app in nRF Connect for desktop.

[Andrew Lentvorski]

The best way to debug this is probably to attach an at_client.hex (and possibly a paired firmware) to this ticket that has been tested by Nordic and thus is known to work.  That would remove anything on my end in the compilation chain as a problem.

On my end: The prj.conf is as checked out from the Nordic repository.  Sample code is unchanged.

I see: CONFIG_AT_HOST_LIBRARY=y in the file.

Neither direct connection to the serial port nor the LTE link monitor app get any further than:

***** Booting Zephyr OS v1.14.99-ncs1 *****
The AT host sample started

Thanks.

[Sigurd]

Hi,

Here is the hex file I used: 6136.merged.hex

But I don't think that is the issue. You need to start sending AT commands to the modem for it to print anything else. Did you try clicking the "AT+CFUN?" button in the LTE link monitor app?

You should then see something like this, if you have "Automatic requests" enabled in the settings on the right side:

***** Booting Zephyr OS v1.14.99-ncs1 *****
The AT host sample started
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 4
OK
AT+CFUN=1
OK

And if you click AT+CFUN? again, the LTE link monitor will send AT commands that will make the nRF9160 connect to the network. If the LTE link monitor app is not responsive at first(timeout sending AT commands), try pressing the RESET button on the kit.

[Andrew Lentvorski]

Hi, Sigurd,

The hex file you just gave me works (well, it at least lets me use AT commands--I haven't yet verified I can connect to the network).  Can you give me a tag that would let me pull that codebase out of git?

The hex file I compiled from tag 0.4.0 does not work.  Also, the earlier at_client hex file that I got from a different ticket does not work either.  Something has definitely changed.

Thanks.

Edit: I have since verified that this hex file also connects to the network using the LTE Link Monitor app.

[Sigurd]

Andrew Lentvorski said:

I have since verified that this hex file also connects to the network using the LTE Link Monitor app

Good.

Andrew Lentvorski said:

Can you give me a tag that would let me pull that codebase out of git?

I'm using the v0.4.0 tag

C:\ncs\nrf>git status
HEAD detached at v0.4.0

Did you remember to use west update? (Also see this page)

cd ncs/nrf
git checkout master
git pull
git checkout v0.4.0
west update

Then I build and flash using command-line with west:

C:\ncs\nrf\samples\nrf9160\at_client>west build -b nrf9160_pca10090ns -d build -p && west flash -d build

Maybe you built for nrf9160_pca10090, but you should instead build for nrf9160_pca10090ns

[Andrew Lentvorski]

Hi, Sigurd,

Yes, I had updated west, but that didn't seem to fix anything.

And building as an nrf9160_pca10090ns board simply wiped out any response at all.  I don't even get a "Booting" prompt anymore.

I do notice that you are on Windows and I'm building on OS X.  I'll go pull my Windows laptop and see what happens over there.

Thanks.