nRF Connect SDK v1.3.0 problems with SEGGER Embedded Studio

[Georgi Valkov]

Here are some of the issues which I am facing in SEGGER Embedded Studio since I updated to nRF Connect SDK v1.3.0:

• After I press Debug, Go, a dialogue box opens asking for some header. The header is usually different for different projects. Every time I open a different project and start debugging, the dialogue will appear.
• Every time I open a project, the project options I had previously configured are lost. For Example: Project, Options, Debugger, Run to control = Never will be set to back to Always the next time I open the same project.
• Opening projects and samples on macOS does not work. The message "experimental support" implies that it mostly works, which is incorrect. The proper term is: it never works. And there is no point in releasing useless software.

[Simon]

After I press Debug, Go, a dialogue box opens asking for some header. The header is usually different for different projects. Every time I open a different project and start debugging, the dialogue will appear.

Could you try the solution suggested here: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/35344/debugging-openthread-examples-with-segger

Every time I open a project, the project options I had previously configured are lost. For Example: Project, Options, Debugger, Run to control = Never will be set to back to Always the next time I open the same project.

 How did you add the configurations? If you add it through ninja menuconfig or SES,

then it will get saved in the .config file in the build folder (e.g. serial_lte_modem\build_nrf9160dk_nrf9160ns\zephyr\.config) and when you re-open the project, the .config file will get re-generated based on the configurations from the prj.conf and other Kconfig files. To make the changes permanent, you should add it to the prj.conf file.

Opening projects and samples on macOS does not work. The message "experimental support" implies that it mostly works, which is incorrect. The proper term is: it never works. And there is no point in releasing useless software.

 Are you using the SES version that comes with the Toolchain Manager? Click Open IDE to use it:

Or do you use an external version of SES?

If you do use the Toolchain Manager version of SES and still get that error, I'll get someone else with a MacBook to recreate your problem and try to get to the bottom of it.

Best regards,

Simon

[Georgi Valkov]

Hi Simon!

Regarding the dialogue to open a header file while a debug session starts, I believe that the offered solution is a workaround to hide the issue, and does not actually resolve anything. I would rather not do this, because there might be unwanted side effects.

Regarding the project configuration. The logical thing to do is: highlight the solution, then click Project, Options… I even showed you a screenshot of that dialogue, in order to clear any doubts what I am doing. I find it illogical and bad design to have users go through any alternative path when changing project options. What I am doing should just work. Let me remind you that a software should be designed in a way to make it easy to use properly and hard to get unexpected results. Reality shows your team has made it the other way. It's just plain wrong!

Regarding macOS, I installed nRF Connect from the official web page, then I installed and opened the Toolchain Manager, install nRF Connect SDK v1.3.0, Open IDE. Then I cannot open any projects. I have no clue about any other mysterious ways of installing and using the SDK. No one should care about them anyway!

[Simon]

Georgi Valkov said:

Regarding the dialogue to open a header file while a debug session starts, I believe that the offered solution is a workaround to hide the issue, and does not actually resolve anything. I would rather not do this, because there might be unwanted side effects.

Check out the answer given by Vidar in this thread. According to that answer, there won't be any unwanted side effects by ignoring the warnings.

Georgi Valkov said:

Regarding the project configuration. The logical thing to do is: highlight the solution, then click Project, Options… I even showed you a screenshot of that dialogue, in order to clear any doubts what I am doing. I find it illogical and bad design to have users go through any alternative path when changing project options. What I am doing should just work. Let me remind you that a software should be designed in a way to make it easy to use properly and hard to get unexpected results. Reality shows your team has made it the other way. It's just plain wrong!

I absolutely see your point, and the current approach of adding configurations may be cumbersome, as you have to add it to the prj.conf to permanently change it. You also have to re-open the project (set the nRF Connect Options) for the changes in prj.conf to take effect. There are internal discussions about it and I just asked if there is any progress on this. I will keep you updated.

I personally like to use the west tool to build and flash my projects (and Visual Studio Code for searching around and modifying the code). After you've built it for the first time (with the board specified), you can simply run west flash/west build, and it will automatically check if there are any changes to prj.conf/overlay files/.c files or any other files that affect the project and rebuild the project automatically if necessary.

To use west, open either cmd or Git Bash in the Toolchain Manager. Click on "Open bash" to use Git Bash and click on "Open command prompt" to open cmd: 

You could check out the NCS tutorial series, which will give you an introduction to the basic concepts in NCS and how to build some simple projects. Including how to use the west tool.

Be aware that it is written using NCS v1.2.0, and you may encounter some errors if trying to follow it using NCS v1.3.0. I will update it soon to be compatible with NCS v1.3.0

Georgi Valkov said:

Regarding macOS, I installed nRF Connect from the official web page, then I installed and opened the Toolchain Manager, install nRF Connect SDK v1.3.0, Open IDE. Then I cannot open any projects. I have no clue about any other mysterious ways of installing and using the SDK. No one should care about them anyway!

I will get ahold of a MacBook today and try to build some different nRF91-specific samples and see if I encounter any issues.

Best regards,

Simon

[Simon]

I got a hold of a MacBook today and tested some different samples, and I encountered difficulties and errors like you. The macOS support for the Toolchain Manager is still experimental and it may be a better option to install NCS using the Getting Started Assistant app or Manually. Hopefully, we can get the Toolchain Manager fully supported on macOS soon. 

Earlier you said that you encountered some issues with Windows and the Toolchain Manager, could you be more specific on what is happening, and how to reproduce it? Then I can report it internally and we can improve/fix it.

Best regards,

Simon

[Georgi Valkov]

Please let me know when the issues on macOS get resolved! I would rather not spend time walking the untested manual paths, because I'm already behind schedule due to the numerous SDK issues on both Windows and macOS.

When I first started using the SDK on Windows (I think I had version 1.2.1), it worked fine. Then I installed the release candidate for 1.3.0 and both stopped working: I could not open any projects in SEGGER Embedded Studio. Both were installed through the Toolchain Manager GUI. Then I uninstalled everything, and installed 1.2.1 again, which worked. I have now moved to 1.3.0 and it also works. So I believe there might be issues when two versions are installed at the same time.

[Simon]

Georgi Valkov said:

Please let me know when the issues on macOS get resolved! I would rather not spend time walking the untested manual paths, because I'm already behind schedule due to the numerous SDK issues on both Windows and macOS.

It seems like there is released a new version of the Toolchain Manager where macOS is supported, try to update the Toolchain Manager.

Georgi Valkov said:

When I first started using the SDK on Windows (I think I had version 1.2.1), it worked fine. Then I installed the release candidate for 1.3.0 and both stopped working: I could not open any projects in SEGGER Embedded Studio. Both were installed through the Toolchain Manager GUI. Then I uninstalled everything, and installed 1.2.1 again, which worked. I have now moved to 1.3.0 and it also works. So I believe there might be issues when two versions are installed at the same time.

I just tested this, and it worked somehow fine. If building a project first with Toolchain Manager (TM) NCS v1.3.0 and SES and opening a new SES project in the TM with NCS v1.2.0 right after, it opened and build without a problem. However, you should wait for the spinning wheel to stop spinning before doing anything, if not you might encounter some errors.

When going the opposite way, from NCS v1.2.0 to NCS v1.3.0 I immediately got an error:

This is because of the previously set nRF Connect Options when using NCS v1.2.0, which is not compatible with NCS v1.3.0 (the NCS v1.3.0 Zephyr base). But if I clicked OK, opened a new project, and chose the nRF Connect Options again, it worked without problems.

I have reported this error internally, and hopefully, transitions between NCS versions can get smoother.

You should be aware that you have to reset all the nRF Connect Options if you are changing between NCS versions and make it compatible with the new NCS. If not you will encounter errors when building.

By the way, I'm going on vacation for two weeks, and you may not hear from me in a while.

Best regards,

Simon