nRF Connect for Desktop macOS Error while setting up device xyzzy: No serial port available for device with serial number xyzzy

[panchoy]

nRFConnect sees the j-Link device, and everyone else sees the device.

I use this j-Link with Segger Embedded Studio.

What makes nRFConnect unhappy? Perhaps python2 vs. python3?

# nRFConnect System Report - 2019-07-15T18-30-08.178Z

- System: Apple Inc. MacBookPro13,3
- BIOS: Apple Inc.
- CPU: 1 x Intel Core i7-6920HQ 2.90 GHz 8 cores (4 physical)
- Memory: 1.3 GB free of 16 GB total
- Filesystem: /dev/disk1s1 (HFS) 1.8 TB 81.6% used

- OS: Mac OS X (10.14.5) darwin x64

- Versions
- kernel: 18.6.0
- git: 2.20.1
- node: 8.9.3
- python: 2.7.10
- python3:

Why is "- python3:" blank in this report from nRFConnect?

Do I need to set something special?

This is the python3 I have:

$ which python3
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.6/bin/python3
$

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Bjørn Kvaale]

This is a custom board, I'm guessing? What J-Link device are you currently using? Do you get the same issue if you use one of our Dev Kits?

[panchoy]

This is a custom board with the NRF52832_xxAA_REV1 certified by Rigado.

I don't have one of your Dev Kits.

I'm using a J-Link Plus 9.3.

Your mobile nRF Connect sees it perfectly via BLE.

Thanks.

[Bjørn Kvaale]

Have you tried with a different USB port or a different computer? It may be that the COM port on your J-Link is deactivated maybe. Take a look at this link for more info regarding this.

[panchoy]

Both the native (host) macOS Mojave and the virtual (guest) VMWare Windows 7 see the J-Link and the nRF52 just fine via the USB port (at different times, of course, at one time connected to the Mac and at another time connected to Windows 7).

Please see the screen shots and please note the serial version of the J-Link v.10.10, which has its VCOM port enabled.

I use Segger Embedded Studio on macOS to work with the nRF52 through the J-Link without any problem,.

For some reason, nRF Connect for Desktop macOS seems to be the only app that doesn't like this setup. Please see the lasts screen shot. It would be great to find out what the reason is.

Please note the error reported by nRF Connect for Desktop: 

Cannot read property 'toLowerCase'.

1. Where does this property reside?

2. Who manages this property and who decides whether it's readable or not?

3. Why can't nRF Connect for Desktop "read" this property?

4. Does this property even exist (but it's somehow unreadable) or is it totally missing (and therefore without any hope of being read at all)?

Thanks.

[Stian Røed Hafskjold]

Hi, I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. The "Bluetooth Low Energy" app inside nRF Connect is a BLE central application that uses nRF devices as hardware. It flashes the nRF with a connectivity firmware and communicates over UART. So you need a UART connection between the PC and the nRF device. It's only supported by Nordic development boards: https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ug_nrfconnect_ble/UG/nRF_Connect_BLE/nRF_Connect_intro.html?cp=6_3_0

If you want to use the "Programmer" app in nRF connect to flash the custom board, there's currently limited support for external JLinks, so I would recommend you to use the nrfjprog command line tool instead: http://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-Tools/Development-Tools/nRF-Command-Line-Tools/Download#infotabs

If you want to use "nRF connect Bluetooth Low Energy" central application to test the BLE connection to your custom board (as you are doing with nRF Connect running on your cellphone), you will need a separate Nordic development board connected to your PC running the nRF Connect central application. And then you can connect to your custom board over BLE.