"BLE_ERROR_GATTS_SYS_ATTR_MISSING" (0x3401) occurs during continuous BLE transmission

[yokokawa]

OS in development environment ：Windows7
HARD :(Taiyo Yuden)EBSHSN Series Evaluation Board : Central / Peripherals
CPU :(Nordic) nRF52832 / ARMR Cortex-M4F 32 bit processor 28-pin Land Grid Array / 15GPIOs / SWD
Soft Ver:nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345

“BLE_ERROR_GATTS_SYS_ATTR_MISSING” occurs when 2k bytes of data are sent repeatedly.
Please tell me how to resolve.

* This does not occur when sending a single shot.
* Peripheral device for one central vs. 4 peripheral communication
* The central and peripheral settings are the same.

------------------------< Setting >-------------------------
/* Communication cycle: 15ms to 30ms */
#define MIN_CONN_INTERVAL MSEC_TO_UNITS(15, UNIT_1_25_MS) /**< Minimum acceptable connection interval (15 ms) */
#define MAX_CONN_INTERVAL MSEC_TO_UNITS(30, UNIT_1_25_MS) /**< Maximum acceptable connection interval (30 ms) */
/* Data length: 247byte */
#define NRF_SDH_BLE_GATT_MAX_MTU_SIZE 247

------------------------< program >-------------------------
do
{
  uint16_t length = (uint16_t)index;
  err_code = ble_nus_data_send(&m_nus, data_array, &length, m_conn_handle);
  if ((err_code != NRF_ERROR_INVALID_STATE) &&
      (err_code != NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES) &&
      (err_code != NRF_ERROR_NOT_FOUND))
  {
      APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);   <---   (Error location)
  }
} while (err_code == NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES);
------------------------------------------------------------

Thanking you in advance

[Edvin]

Hello,

You say that ble_nus_data_send() returns BLE_GATTS_VAR_ATTR_LEN_MAX only when you send a lot of data? Does that mean that it initially return NRF_SUCCES, and then after a while, it returns BLE_GATTS_VAR_ATTR_LEN_MAX? Or does it return BLE_GATTS_VAR_ATTR_LEN_MAX immediately (on the first attempt)?

What does the following event in your ble_evt_handler() look like?

        case BLE_GATTS_EVT_SYS_ATTR_MISSING:
            // No system attributes have been stored.
            err_code = sd_ble_gatts_sys_attr_set(m_conn_handle, NULL, 0, 0);
            APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
            break;

[yokokawa]

1) Returns BLE_ERROR_GATTS_SYS_ATTR_MISSING when a large amount of data is sent. NRF_SUCCES is returned at first, and BLE_ERROR_GATTS_SYS_ATTR_MISSING is returned after a while.
”BLE_ERROR_GATTS_SYS_ATTR_MISSING is not returned from the beginning.
2) The structure of the BLE_GATTS_EVT_SYS_ATTR_MISSING event of ble_evt_handler () is the same.
The BLE_GATTS_EVT_SYS_ATTR_MISSING event of ble_evt_handler () does not occur.

[Edvin]

Ok. Is it possible to reproduce this on a DK so that I can test this here in my office? I have not seen this return value coming "after a while". Only from the beginning. 

[yokokawa]

There seems to be a problem with Central.

Checked Central Error 4 occurred in UART communication.

[Edvin]

So you receive the APP_UART_COMMUNICATION_ERROR event?

Check line 117 in app_uart.h:

uint32_t error_communication; /**< Field used if evt_type is: APP_UART_COMMUNICATION_ERROR. This field contains the value in the ERRORSRC register for the UART peripheral. The UART_ERRORSRC_x defines from nrf5x_bitfields.h can be used to parse the error code. See also the \nRFXX Series Reference Manual for specification. */

So the ERRORSRC register is described here.

If it has the value 4, it means D = 0, C = 1, B = 0, A = 0. C = 1 means framing error. Either you have an unaccurate clock in one end, or you have a floating input pin, so that the UART think it receives data which doesn't match the frames. 

[yokokawa]

Please tell me how to improve the following phenomenon.

When communication is performed from the central side, the DeugTerminal screen is displayed as shown below.
---------------------------------------------------
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
---------------------------------------------------

When a large amount of data is received from the peripheral side, the DeugTerminal screen is displayed as shown below.

---------------------------------------------------
<error> app: app_uart_put failed for index 0x0032.
<error> app: Fatal error
---------------------------------------------------
 Or
---------------------------------------------------
<error> app: app_uart_put failed for index 0x0033.
<error> app: Fatal error
---------------------------------------------------

The error flag was 0x00.
ERRORSRC =0x00

Thanks for your cooperation.

[Edvin]

Hello,

I suggest that you define DEBUG in your preprocessor defines. This way it will print a bit more info whenever you receive the "Fatal error" in the log. Let me know if you are not sure how to do this. I also need to know what compiler/IDE you use, then.

"app_uart_put failed for index 0x00XX" means that app_uart_put failed. If you define DEBUG in your preprocessor defines, it should also tell you what app_uart_put returned, which may help pin point the issue.

"Connection handle invalid" means that you are trying to send data to a connection handle that isn't valid. Are you connected to multiple devices?

I don't know from where you call this, and with what conn_handle?

I suspect that if you try to reply to something, then you should be aware of that the BLE_NUS_C_EVT_NUS_TX_EVT doesn't contain the correct conn_handle. (the ble_nus_c service isn't designed for multiple connections). 

It is a simple fix. Add:

ble_nus_c_evt.conn_handle = p_ble_evt->evt.gattc_evt.conn_handle;

before:

p_ble_nus_c->evt_handler(p_ble_nus_c, &ble_nus_c_evt);

So:

1: add DEBUG to your preprocessor defines

2: From where do you call ble_nus_c_string_send()? And with what conn_handle?

[yokokawa]

I understand the following causes.

---------------------------------------------------
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
<warning> ble_nus_c: Connection handle invalid.
---------------------------------------------------

When changing from [Release] to [Debug] to debug the UART, an error about missing file occurred.
Is the setting different between [Release] and [Debug]?


ble_app_multilink_uart_centra.zip

[Edvin]

Ok. So you are using Segger embedded studio. Changing from release to debug is not equivalent to defining DEBUG in the preprocessor defines. "Release" and "Debug" from that dropdown are two different sets of project settings, and it looks like the debug set isn't set up to deal with UART. Change it back to "Release", so that you have a working set of project settings. 

Then what I want you to do is to right click your project, and click options:

Then select "Common" in the top left, go to "Preprocessor" -> double click "Preprocessor Definitions" -> Add "DEBUG" to the top of your defines:

Then monitor your log. What does it say?