NCS SDK: Devicetree overlay not recognized since v1.8.0

[db_lw]

Hello everyone,

I am working on a project based on nRF Connect SDK v1.7.1 that I want to move to the new SDK v1.8.0. But I'm experiencing problems when building the project. It seems like CMake is no longer recognizing the devicetree overlay that I created for the nrf52840dk_nrf52840 development kit in the boards directory. I can workaround this by manually adding the CMake option -DTC_OVERLAY_FILE=file.overlay.

According to the Zephyr documentation this overlay should still be included by CMake. (https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/1.8.0/zephyr/guides/dts/howtos.html#set-devicetree-overlays)

Is this a bug or has something changed in the SDK that I didn't catch that could cause this behaviour?

My project structure looks like this:

CMakeLists.txt
Kconfig
boards:
  -> nrf52840dk_nrf52840.overlay
configuration:
  -> nrf52840dk_nrf52840:
       -> prj.conf
       -> prj_release.conf
src:
  -> main.c
  -> modules:
       -> CMakeLists.txt
       -> Kconfig
       -> module.c
  -> events:
       -> CMakeLists.txt
       -> event.c
       -> event.h
       -> Kconfig

Thanks in advance!
    

[Øivind]

Hi,

Do you experience the same problem if the overlay file is placed one level up, at the same level as the Kconfig and CMakeLists.txt files?

[db_lw]

Thanks for your reply!

I thought I tried this already but apparently I didn't because this way it works and CMake finds the overlay file.

But why is the boards folder no longer searched by CMake?

[Øivind]

Does it work if you put the overlay file in the "configuration" folder?

Could I see your CMakeLists.txt file?

[db_lw]

When the overlay file is put in the "configuration" folder it is not working.

This is my CMakeLists.txt:

Fullscreen 8130.CMakeLists.txt Download

#
# Copyright (c) 2018 - 2019 Nordic Semiconductor
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Nordic-5-Clause
#

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20.0)


if (NOT EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/configuration/${BOARD}")
  message(FATAL_ERROR
          "Board ${BOARD} is not supported.\n"
          "Please make sure board specific configuration files are added to "
          "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/configuration/${BOARD}")
endif()

################################################################################

# The application uses the configuration/<board> scheme for configuration files.
set(APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR "configuration/\${BOARD}")


find_package(Zephyr REQUIRED HINTS $ENV{ZEPHYR_BASE})
project("Custom application"
        VERSION 0.2.0)

configure_file(src/VersionInfo.h.in VersionInfo.h)
target_include_directories(app PRIVATE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR})

################################################################################

# NORDIC SDK APP START
target_sources(app PRIVATE
  src/main.c
  )
# NORDIC SDK APP END

# Include application events and configuration headers
zephyr_library_include_directories(
  src/events
  )

zephyr_include_directories(
  configuration/${BOARD}
  )

# Application sources
add_subdirectory(src/events)
add_subdirectory(src/modules)

if(CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT)
  assert_exists(mcuboot_CONF_FILE)
endif()

[Øivind]

There's the issue.

There were some changes in v1.8.0: https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-zephyr/commit/3e0eb0b7b43da60f528a38a10ada78c49d5848e6

Most importantly in this case:

-zephyr_file(CONF_FILES ${APPLICATION_SOURCE_DIR}/boards DTS APP_BOARD_DTS)
+zephyr_file(CONF_FILES ${APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR}/boards DTS APP_BOARD_DTS)

By default APPLICATION_CONFIG_DIR is the project folder, but you are overwriting it to be configuration/${BOARD}, so it is looking for an overlay file in configuration/${BOARD}/boards/

You can put the overlay file in configuration/nrf52840dk_nrf52840/ , next to the .conf files, and you should be good to go.