Including custom boards in a VS Code .code-workspace file ("nrf-connect.boardRoots")

[Casper Kronborg Pedersen]

Hi DevZone,

What I am working with:

I am working on a project using nRF Connect SDK with VS Code, and I am also using the nRF Connect extension for it.

My issue:

I am trying to make my VS Code project register my local folder for custom boards so I can use the board when creating a build configuration with the "Add Build Configuration" option in VS Code.

 

 

I can do this with an absolute path as shown below in line 29, and as you can see in the images above, I can select "Custom Boards":

{
	"folders": [
		{
			"path": "myfirstapp"
		},
		{
			"name": "minimalTest",
			"path": "minimalTest"
		},
		{
			"name": "ThreadsTest",
			"path": "ThreadsTest"
		},
		{
			"name": "HelloWorldTest",
			"path": "HelloWorldTest"
		},
	],
	"settings": {
		"nrf-connect.topdir": "c:\\nRFConnectSDK\\v1.7.0",
		"nrf-connect.toolchain.path": "c:\\nRFConnectSDK\\v1.7.0\\toolchain",
		"nrf-connect.applications": [
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\myfirstapp",
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\minimalTest",
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\ThreadsTest",
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\HelloWorldTest"
		],
		"nrf-connect.boardRoots": [
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\myfirstapp"
		],
	}
}

However, I want the path in "nrf-connect.boardRoots" to be either relative to the Workspace Folder, or use an environment variable to make the contents of the .code-workspace 

not be dependent on absolute paths of my PC file structure. I can do this with the "nrf-connect.applications" setting as seen below in line 9 with "${workspaceFolder}".

I have added line 17 to show the difference between it and line 16:

{
	"folders": [
		{
			"path": ".."
		},
	],
	"settings": {
		"nrf-connect.applications": [
			"${workspaceFolder}"
		],
		
		"nrf-connect.topdir": "c:\\nRFConnectSDK\\v1.7.0",
		"nrf-connect.toolchain.path": "c:\\nRFConnectSDK\\v1.7.0\\toolchain",
    
		"nrf-connect.boardRoots": [
			"d:\\GIT\\GettingStartedNCS\\myfirstapp"		
			//"${workspaceFolder}"
		],	
}

Could you tell me if it is possible to make the "nrf-connect.boardRoots" directory either:

 - Relative to the workspace folder

 - Dependent on an environment macro

 - Or something else which allows me to avoid an absolute path for this setting?

Thank you for your help in advance,

Br. Casper

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

Have a look at this case. It might help. If not, please let me know the further questions.   

Regards,
Amanda

[Casper Kronborg Pedersen]

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for replying. In the link you provided user "hubpav" also had to use the absolute path when appending the directory path to his "nrf-connect.boardRoots".

What we are both looking for is an option to use a relative path instead. Do you know if this is possible?

Also, I have tried using the variable ${workspaceFolder} but it seems that it is interpreted character by character instead of evaluating the contents of the variable which points to the correct place for the workspace to find the /boards directory.

Br. Casper

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

This looks like a bug in the extension right now, we'll address it quickly. Thanks for the report. 

-Amanda

[Casper Kronborg Pedersen]

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for replying. Good to know.

Br. Casper

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

From the development team:

Unfortunately, the current version the user has does not support relative path or ${workspaceFolder} reference, so the user must use the absolute path at the moment. We already have updated to automatically add all open workspace folders as potential board roots and the configuration handling is being enhanced too. The next public release will contain these updates.

-Amanda